2023 Fort Smith International Film Festival Program

WELCOME TO THE FESTIVAL!

Almost hard to believe we are already in our third year of the Fort Smith International Film Festival! For those who are discovering us, welcome to the party! For those who are returning, we have been up to some things since last we met. I know it is impossible to catch all 148 films, and trust me, if they made it into the festival, they are worth a watch.

We have started screening movies year-round so you can experience the films you missed all across the River Valley. We have Thursday Movie Nights at the Bakery, a monthly King Opera House film series, movies under the stars at Fort Smith Coffee Co., we are expanding to Chaffee Crossing with films on the patio at Stonehouse and are even having showings in Eureka Springs. Our objective is to bring independent and foreign film experiences to our entire community.

One beautiful aspect of these last three years is watching our community grow, in terms of

movie makers and film fans. It’s a synergistic relationship as each group makes the other stronger. Where we witness this phenomenon the most is in our festival alumni. I’ve seen movie lovers increase their cinematic intelligence as their range of appreciation expands into genres they might have never thought to experience before. I am humbled by the bravery of our alumni filmmakers as they present their latest creations, their children, to our audiences. Parent-like, we get see them grow into their own skin as they develop their own storytelling styles and techniques. Our theme “[re]Focused,” is an acceptance of the reality of the global pandemic and the perseverance of those who continued to create despite the struggles. Shutdowns and distancing had exponential effects on artists, especially collaborative practices like film. Covid-19 delayed, derailed, and devastated film productions across the planet. As

the international creative economy recovers, stalled projects have been revived, new ideas have emerged from the ruins, and artists have become “[re]Focused” and are on

the leading edge of a storytelling renaissance. This year’s festival is a celebration of these moviemaking warriors from around the globe! In honor of everything our creative family has been through, our team has been working overtime to make the third annual event a festival to remember! We are exhilarated to announce our partnership with Porter + Craig Film and Media Distribution, which is headquartered in Beverly Hills, Calif. This multi-year collaboration will transform the Fort Smith International Film Festival into a film market, meaning movies screened at the festival will have a chance for distribution. Keynote speakers Sgt. Major Keith L. Craig (Ret.) and Jeff Porter will offer a distribution deal to the top five films at the market. Our goal this year is to make filmmaker and film fan dreams come true!

– Brandon Chase Goldsmith Executive Director Fort Smith International Film Festival

More festival coverage in today’s River Valley Democrat-Gazette.

First Night Four-Pack Regional films kick off festival Friday

Four regional filmmakers and their films will be featured on opening night of this year’s Fort Smith

International Film Festival — Jason Pitts’ “When the Stairs Creek”; Daniel Wingfield’s “Lowlifes”; Marc Crandall’s “Banana Triangle Six”; and from the Cherokee Nation, Christopher Coursey’s “The River Woe.” Meet the filmmakers in these Q&As.

Year it was made: 2022

Genre: Narrative Drama

Short Plot: A day in the life of a gentleman retirement home resident: mediocre food, conniving females and an unexpected doctor’s visit.

Q. What inspired you to make films?

A. I’ve always been a film fan. I got interested in making films while watching my daughter during her time at film school. Along with the fun and challenges of telling a story visually, I really enjoy the process, the nuts and bolts, of film making.

Your Name: Marc Crandall

City you live in: Fayetteville

Title of your film:

“Banana Triangle Six”

Q. How did you take that dream and turn it into reality?

A. I started in the early 2000s like most folks, volunteering on small, local, independent projects and gradually moving into more responsible roles. A big turning point was taking a documentary film course

at the University of Arkansas with Larry Foley and getting our film selected for the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. A real thrill! Based on this experience, I went on to be a producer on a feature action/thriller film with David Hunt. Unfortunately, the financial crisis hit and put a hold on my filmmaking aspirations for a number of years.

Q. How did this particular film come to be?

A. I retired in May of 2020 intending to go into film making on a full-time basis. Unfortunately, covid-19 had shut the industry down. Since production wasn’t an option, I decided to try my hand at writing. One avenue for story ideas is from existing published material. I ran across a short story by Louis Bayard that intrigued me and really lent itself well to a retelling visually. I was lucky enough to get in contact with Louis and get permission to adapt his story into the film. While looking to put together a crew for production, I was having a hard time finding a director to trust with the project. Finally someone

suggested that I should direct the film myself. Not having directed before I was hesitant, but decided that no one knew this story better than I did, so decided to give it a try.

Q. Tell me the film shoot in numbers, if you can: How many actors, how many crew members, how many days, how many locations, how much of a budget?

A.I’m happy to say that the film shot completely in Northwest Arkansas with Arkansas-based actors and crew. Production involved three primary actors, seven supporting actors, 25-30 background actors, and a crew of 15. Post-production brought in the efforts of an additional six folks. We shot the film over four days in three locations in Fayetteville. Budget ran between $25,000$30,000.

Q. What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers?

A. My advice is to get on film sets by hook or crook, work hard, watch and learn. Working on a set involves hard work and long hours, but it gives you the opportunity

BECCA MARTIN-BROWN River Valley Democrat-Gazette

to observe what all the different departments are responsible for and how they function together to produce the best shots. Observing also will give you a pretty good idea who you want to work with when it comes time for you to shoot your film.

Q. What do you hope audiences are saying as they leave your film?

A. Primarily, I hope they enjoy the film. I’ve found that most people are moved and can relate personally with the subject matter and am constantly surprised with how much discussion is generated by the film.

Plot: Based on the song “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men, “When The Stairs Creak” tells the heartbreaking story of Sarah and Brady Saxon as they deal with with a painful situation.

Q. What inspired you to make films?

A. I grew up watching horror films in the ’80s at the drivein.

Q. How did you take that dream and turn it into reality?

A. I learned everything I could about film, went to college, and built a core group of artists around me.

Q. How did this particular film come to be?

A. The song “Little Talks” has been in my head for over a decade, and I always thought it would make a great film. I worked with the star, Bailey Freeman, and we developed the story together.

Q. Tell me the film shoot in numbers, if you can: How many actors, how many crew members, how many days, how many locations, how much of a budget?

Q. What do you hope audiences are saying as they leave your film?

A. That they were moved, and resonated with the characters.

another. Whether it was Star Wars action figures, or making swords from sticks in the back yard, very often I was romping off in one fantasy world or another. Later on in life, I realized that filmmaking provided the opportunity to revisit these worlds and bring them to other people. Whether we’re exploring new galaxies or walking a mile in another’s shoes, movies bring us together, and I want to be a part of taking people on that journey.

Q. How did you take that dream and turn it into reality?

Your Name: Jason Pitts

City you live in: Alma

Title of your film: “When The Stairs Creak”

Year it was made: 2022

Genre: Drama

A. The budget was about $3,000. There are five actors in the film, the crew was about 10 people, and there were three locations.

Q. What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers?

A. Don’t quit, and find your people.

Your Name: Daniel Wingfield

City you live in: Sherwood

Title of your film: “Lowlifes”

Year it was made: 2022

Genre: Drama

Plot: In 1993, the murder rate in Little Rock was one of the highest in the nation, surpassing that of New York and Los Angeles. “Lowlifes” is a personal story from this era which explores why a young kid would be drawn to gang life, and why it continues to be a force in our communities today.

Q. What inspired you to make films?

A. As a kid I was always telling stories in some fashion or

A. Having the right people around you is key. Making movies is a team sport, but I’m less talking about crew positions and more about your creative corner. Having the right people to support you and give you honest feedback is a huge help in reaching your goals. I was lucky to network with some incredibly talented and supportive people in my graduate program, people I’m still working with today. I know I wouldn’t be here and heading in the direction I am without them.

Q. How did this particular film come to be?

A. For “Lowlifes,” we had to make sure that our film was going to be accurate, not only in facts but in tone and message from the standpoint of the Black community in Little Rock. Through the help of leaders in the community, like Steve Nawojczyk and Keyon Neely, we were able to build a team of producers and

story advisers that helped craft the story of “Lowlifes” into what it is today. Without this team, and our Executive Producer Morgan Knight, this project would have never gotten off the ground.

Q. Tell me the film shoot in numbers, if you can: How many actors, how many crew members, how many days, how many locations, how much of a budget?

A. We shot for six days with a day off in the middle. Our 17-man crew was outstanding — some of the best professionals in the state. We had a moderate sized principal cast at eight, but had a couple of scenes with a healthy amount of extras. We had five locations, one of which was a house completely furnished by our art department, as well as some mobile setups for bike shots. Our budget was around $12,000.

Q. What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers?

A. Study the movies you love, and make movies that you love with your friends.

Q. What do you hope audiences are saying as they leave your film?

A. “Somebody give that director millions of dollars for his next project!”

Your name: Christopher Coursey

City you live in: Tahlequah, Okla.

Title of your film: “The River Woe”

Year it was made: 2022

Genre: Native American/ Short film/ Narrative Drama

Plot: Set in the present day, a Native American man gets laid off and with no help must go fishing to provide food for his family.

Q. What inspired you to make films?

A. I wanted to create an opportunity for me and people of my community to be involved in film making.

Q. How did you take that dream and turn it into reality?

A. I started looking into what I needed to start making short films on my own as a sort of hobby and to get more experience. Having worked on two full features, I had the bug! That led me to the right people who saw my creative skills and initiative and through some serendipity I was lent a professional camera/ lights etc to see what I could make… I took it very serious. Who gets such a chance?

Q. How did this particular film come to be?

A. I didn’t want to squander the opportunity, so I wrote something I thought was good and recruited some friends and people in the industry to help manifest my first film, “The River Woe.”

Q. Tell me the film shoot in numbers, if you can: How many actors, how many crew members, how many days, how many locations, how much of a budget?

A. Four actors are in this film, five crew members helped make this film, including myself, three days of filming, three locations in Northeast Oklahoma, $2,000 or less budget total. This short film was made with an all Native American cast and crew starring Marcus Thompson, Danielle Campbell, Marcus Pruitt and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokees First Language speaker Marlene Glass Ballard.

Q. What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers?

A. Start. One step at a time. Take it serious but have fun. It is an art form.

Q. What do you hope audiences are saying as they leave your film?

A. That they would love to see more of this kind of content!

From Our Sister City Scardigno brings little piece of Cisterna to Fort Smith

BECCA MARTIN-BROWN River Valley Democrat-Gazette

“I met Cristian Scardigno in 2021 when we traveled to Fort Smith’s sister city, Cisterna, Italy, to be judges in their film festival,” Brandon Chase Goldsmith begins the story.

A director, a screenwriter and a distributor in addition to being the artistic director for the Cisterna Film Festival, Scardigno directed his first feature, “Amoreodio (Lovehate),” in 2013. It was selected for screening at the Montreal World Film Festival in Canada and won the award for best actress at Annecy Cinema Italien in France.

In 2017, Scardigno founded Esen Studios, a production and distribution company, through which he produced and directed the short film “Her world” (2017) and the documentary “Slowly” (2018). Both films have been shown at numerous international film festivals, including Tirana International Film Festival (Albania) and American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (US), Oscars qualifying film festivals for the categories of short-film and short-documentary.

This year, Scardigno brings his film “I wanted to be Vittorio Gassman (Volevo essere Gassman)” to the Fort Smith International Film Festival for opening night. Set in 1962, it’s the story of Aldo Marianecci, a 40-year-old actor seeking his big break. He returns to his hometown, Cisterna di Latina, to spend the weekend with his lifetime buddies and with a young American woman he met on a movie set in Rome. As Scardigno says, “his days will go by waiting for a call that might finally change his life.”

“I started to love American cinema of the ’90s,” Scardigno says in an email interview. “In particular, thriller, action

movies, blockbusters. Today my favourite genres and movies are very different, but I started in this way: watching hundreds and hundreds of American movies during my high school years. Watching those films I began to understand that there is someone behind the film. So I got interested in directing and scriptwriting.

“At the university, I understood that I was getting closer to my dream,” he continues. “I had a chance to study cinema; it was no longer just a hobby!”

Since then, he says, “have come the first

short films with my friends and the first selections and awards at the international festivals. The dream definitively became a reality when I saw for the first time my feature film ‘Amoreodio’ in a theater at the Montreal Film Festival!”

“I wanted to be Vittorio Gassman (Volevo essere Gassman)” was born during the first Italian covid-19 lockdown in March and April of 2020, Scardigno explains.

“Simone Finotti — the lead actor of the short film — told me the story of Aldo Marianecci, an actor from Cisterna known

by everyone who starred in many films of the ’60s and ’70s,” he remembers. “Simone told me about personal stories of Aldo, especially the pranks that he made to his closest friends. In those days, at my home, I was watching a lot of movies and among them there was ‘Il sorpasso’ by Dino Risi, with Vittorio Gassman, a classical movie of Italian cinema. So was born the relationship between Aldo Marianecci and Vittorio Gassman — they met and worked together in 1972, 10 years after the story narrated in my short film.”

The film was created with seven or eight main actors, 10-15 extras and a crew of 15 to 20, Scardigno says. “We filmed in about five locations for five days, with a budget of 15,000 Euros. That is very small for a period piece.”

Scardigno says he hopes that the American audience “will be able to have fun and to get interested at this little Italian story. It would be nice if the people would want to watch Italian films of the ’60s and discover a bit of Italian society of that period. But this is an opportunity also because I can show to the audience of our sister city, Fort Smith, a small part of Cisterna.”

As far as advice to aspiring filmmakers, Scardigno has a simple answer.

“I suggest them to study, be curious and be interested in everything. But, above all, to be reckless and to keep trying.”

Brandon Chase Goldsmith poses with Cristian Scardigno at the Cisterna Film Festival in 2021. This year, Scardigno brings his film, “I wanted to be Vittorio Gassman (Volevo essere Gassman),” to the Fort Smith International Film Festival. (Courtesy Photo)

“I wanted to be Vittorio Gassman (Volevo essere Gassman)”

Films bring ever bigger names to festival

BECCA MARTIN-BROWN River Valley Democrat-Gazette

While new stars are expected to burst into being at the Fort Smith International Film Festival Aug. 25-26, there’s plenty of already established star power coming to town, too. Here, three filmmakers talk about their star vehicles before the event, which will offer 148 films from as far away as Cisterna, Italy.

‘The Hill We Climb’

grows.

“Once I started acting in films, I knew the process in that one specific way: being a vessel for a character and a story by someone else. It’s so much fun, but I’ve always had my own stories I wanted to tell, too. As a director and a writer, you dream up a scene and then you go to work bringing it out of your head and into real life. I’ve always had those pictures in my head.

“I started writing scripts in 2015,” she adds. “As I was refining that skill set, I naturally started looking for people who could help me get things off the page and onto the screen. It took me several years to meet the right collaborators.”

Once she had, the pandemic threw a wrench into ongoing plans. Sheltering in Arkansas, Greer “reached out to a classmate from growing up (Aaron Calvin, subject and producer of the film) and asked him if he was interested in doing something like this, and he helped bring on Farisha Brown (also a subject and producer of the film).

“From there, we began exploring potential stories, and it became clear that the real story was their neighborhood. Growing up, everyone called it ‘The Hill.’”

‘Cover Your Ears’

Shaul says he’s always been drawn to stories from the entertainment industry that “exist in the fringes.”

“My co-producer Kayvon Saremi and I started with a much smaller idea of tackling one smaller story of controversial music in the early 1930s, and as we expanded that idea, we discovered there was a significant ripple effect to controversial and censored music. Eventually we decided to focus on the last century and rather that just listing instances in a linear fashion, we went with some key events and crafted our story around what in society led to censorship and how that ended up affecting culture.

“We asked a ton of relevant artists, and the ones who are in the film were the ones who really felt the subject matter was important.”

‘The Parking Spot’

become monsters until they step out of their metal box with wheels.

“At a quick glance,’Parking Spot’ is a manic adrenaline rush in the moment, and in retrospect the strange circumstance begins to reveal itself. The ultimate resolution is that everyone loses.”

Producer Marvin Glover says recruiting the star power “really boils down to the script. I have worked with plenty of respected actors in the industry, and your name and profile gets around quickly.”

Raeden Greer brought her own star power to her documentary, “The Hill We Climb.” Having grown up in Benton, she started her career as an actress before moving into behind-the-scenes work, which eventually led to producing, editing and directing this film.

“I was on five episodes of ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ playing Kathy Bates’ daughter; on one episode of ‘NCIS: New Orleans’; [and] in movies, I’ve shared scenes with Will Ferrell, Forest Whitaker, James Franco, and a whole lot of other amazing actors,” she says. “I’ve been interested in movies all my life. The older I get, the more my love for the art form

An action comedy, “The Parking Spot” features Thekla Hutyrova, known for “Alita: Battle Angel,” “Logan,” “Pacific Rim: Uprising” and “Deadpool 2,” and Alfred Hsing from “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Silicon Valley” and “Ready Player One.”

“Everyone knows the dread of not being able to find a parking spot, or how crazy people can be with road rage,” says director Robert Stronger. “I was inspired to exacerbate that situation to the point of a matter of life and death, exploring the paradox of how everyone seems to

5 p.m. Fort Smith Museum of History

THE BIRTH AND HISTORY OF WESTERN SWING

Directed by Michael Allen Markwardt, this feature documentary traces Western Swing music through seminal bandleaders Milton Brown and the King of Western Swing, Bob Wills. The film will be followed by live music for dancing by the Western Swing Rules Band, led by the documentary’s co-producer, Robert Huston.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

5:30 p.m. King Opera House, Van Buren, Ark. Youth and High School Film Showcase

6 p.m. INDIANA JONES AND THE TREASURE OF THE AZTECS

Fan Film by Oliver Springs Elementary School Music Club

6:30 p.m. Q&A with Director Kevin Croxton and cast

7 p.m. High School Short Block

8:15 p.m. Q&A and Awards

Temple Live, Main Theater

4:30 p.m. Doors Open

5 p.m. NWA Screenwriters Collective Meeting & Mixer

6 p.m. Opening Remarks

6:20 p.m. Belinga Foundation Introductory Film

6:40 p.m. I WANTED TO BE VITTORIO GASSMANN

Cristian Scardigno from the Cisterna Film Festival

7 p.m. Cisterna Film Festival Panel

7:15 p.m. Cherokee Nation Film Office Film

7:30 p.m. Keynote Address

Sgt. Major Keith L. Craig (Ret.) and Jeff Porter of Porter + Craig Film and Media Distribution

8:05 p.m. Regional Films Showcase

WHEN THE STAIRS CREAK - JASON PITTS

BANANA TRIANGLE SIX - MARC CRANDALL LOWLIFES - DANIEL WINGFIELD

THE RIVER WOE - CHRISTOPHER COURSEY 9:30

NO TRESPASSING 5:40 p.m. Music Videos

7:05 p.m. CROWN 8:15 p.m. WE WILL SPEAK

p.m. Thriller Films

Content Warning : These films are unrated and may contain nudity, sexual situations, strong language and violence.

I WANTED TO BE VITTORIO GASSMANN

Cristian Scardigno Italy

A 40-year-old actor seeking his big break returns to his hometown, Cisterna di Latina. He speds the weekend with his lifetime buddies and with a young American woman he met on a movie set in Rome. He waits for a call that might finally change his life.

WHEN THE STAIRS CREAK

Jason Pitts US

Based on the song "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men, the heartbreaking story of Sarah and Brady Saxon.

BANANA TRIANGLE SIX

Marc Crandall US

A retirement home resident deals with bad food, conniving females and an unexpected doctor's visit.

GENE’S 6TH SYMPHONY

Jordi Garcia US

GERMICIDE

Thomas E Long US

A hotel cleaner investigates a mysterious noise from a disused room. Stop motion short with mixed media puppetry and claymation techniques.

SOLAN

Hossein Beygzadh Islamic Republic of Iran

A child becomes a victim of parental differences.

THE CAVE OF TALES

Agnieszka Zarba Poland

A young woman travels in the footsteps of her ancestors. A story about cultural diversity and the discrimination that often accompanies it.

THE SEARCH

Luka Knez Netherlands

The protagonist's journey up a mountain in search of a beautiful flower becomes a metaphor for the pursuit of pleasure.

EATING SOUP WITH A FORK

Hanna Norberg-Williams UK

A character's subconscious and inner world change their experience of the outside world. Informed by Hanna's own research into surrealist automatism and subsequently their own subconscious.

LIFESAVING ROBOT

Kan Sasaki US

Razor the Robot is about to change his life by being a hero.

Based on a true story. Only six notes of music become a symphonic magical story that defines true love and a life-long journey ending with hope that lives forever.

DREAM EATERS

Mike da Silva Wanderroscky Brazil

A "dream eater” father teaches his son how to eat a dream for the first time.

LUMP THE FROG

Tabitha Wekerle US

A small frog feels unwelcome in his community.

THE LONG RAIN

Cassandre Léonard France

A continual rain falls on the jungle in which Mérove has crashed. The endurance of the astronaut is put to the test.

WE’RE STILL DANCING

Demian Guzman US

Prehispanic dancers perform in an ancient city when an unknown force invades, destroying everything and leaving nothing. But tradition prevails.

NIGHTLIFE

Logan Douglas Indigenous US

A wolf cub wanders through the forest encountering mountain lions and a threebat ballet. His night is full of discovery.

PREY OF THE WENDIGO

David Andrew Schedler US

A lone hiker encounters strange tracks in the snow. Could they be left by the dreaded Wendigo?

LOWLIFES

Daniel Wingfield US

A personal story explores why a young kid would be drawn to gang life, and why gangs continues to be a force in our communities today.

THE

RIVER WOE

Christopher Coursey US

How easy it is to lose everything. A Native American man gets laid off and

FEELING HOME

Jinglin Gao,Tingyi Zhang Canada

Four best friends, all Chinese-born, gather on New Year’s Eve. Unexpected drama arises during dinner preparation.

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

Kaylee Tian Lin Tan US

A quirky student with her head in the clouds must creatively elude her strict math teacher to remain there.

LETE

Duban Pinzon Colombia

After a long and devastating war, a dying soldier returns home with the hope to find his daughter.

with no help, must go fishing to provide food for his family.

BAR OF SOAP

Bárbara Pedrosa Portugal

At the counter of the Bar of Soap, strangers start a deep and sincere conversation about the similarities and differences that might bring them together.

FRIDAY NIGHT FISH

Conor Forrest Canada

Three-act story in a Japanese restaurant sees a philosophy student with ADHD and his adventures in dating. He fails to connect with his dates but forms an unexpected but beautiful connection.

THE GOD OF CATS IS IMMORTAL

Riccardo Copreni Italy

Aco, a youth who wastes away his days with friends, is in love with a girl who doesn’t speak to him. He decides to look for her lost pet to regain her trust.

A QUARTER OF SILENCE

Tonny Yang US

Two young parents who have lost their drive for affection go through one night of silence that reignites their love.

BOUCHAIB

Ali Boudra Morocco

During the colonization of Morocco, a young student experienced the split between traditional Quranic school (elMsid) and modern European school.

TINTA EN SUEÑO

Juan Carlos Guzmàn Gòmez, Elisa Pedros France

Paco dreams of studying in France, like his mother when she was young. His dream becomes a reality, but the reality is never what we want.

IN THE SILENCE OF THE HEART

Fernando Lazzarini POC Argentina

An abused wife waits for a sign from God that would grant her permission to take her husband’s life, and then her own.

WHAT DID I MISS?

Mariam El-Nowaihi Egypt

A young girl finds herself in a Kafkaesque dilemma when she discovers an eraser and ruler that don’t belong to her in her pencil case.

UNSOLVABLE

Liang Han China

A disabled woman, bound to a wheelchair, rescues a woman in labor as she leaves the hospital where her own son needs money for an operation. Her kindness puts herself in danger.

Main Theater

HOPEFUL

Shohzod o'g'li To'xtaboyev Uzbekistan

A mother who was abandoned by her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, waits for them every year on New Year's Eve. In this year also, she waited with hope, but they did not come. The movie shows mothers’ durability and their suffering.

DRY HAND

Isis Catrin Indigenous Chile

In an inhospitable, barren place in Santiago de Chile, a figure with the ability to create life rises from the earth, creating vegetation.

THIS IS NOT A FILM

Mahdi Hassanieh Islamic Republic of Iran

Two deaf people are busy talking in a café. The world around them is kinder in the silence of judgments.

WHO ARE THEY?

Antonia Álvarez Peñaloza Chile

A student finds several photographs and negatives in an antique shop. An investigation points out the importance of filing memories of our lives through photos.

SCENT

Sezgin Yüzay Turkey

POLTERGUEST

Jane Simonetti US

When Halloween enthusiasts Jess and Zach move into their new home, they transform it into a spectacular haunted house, as per their family tradition. But

Jess begins to notice some odd disturbances.

HOW TO HIDE A BODY

Wren Harley UK

After accidentally killing a plumber, a pair of bumbling fools must hide the evidence at all costs.

COME ON!

Jim Menza US

Two people find an unconventional way to make dating work.

TRACTION

Natthasak Jaithita Thailand

Lin, a young woman of Hmong, lives with her friend Aon. They are unexpectedly confronted with a challenging situation that involves a longstanding practice within their tribe. The situation presents a difficult ethical and emotional dilemma.

REFRIGERATOR SCHOOL DROPOUTS

Christopher Smith US

Two young Indian boys venture into a pool hall on a hot Saturday. Weary of the cowboy movie matinees, the boys seek a new adventure. In the process, they find their peril.

I AM KANAKA

THE SHEPHERD OF CLOUDS

Lorenzo Cassol Italy

Tobia, a 9-year-old boy, goes to the mountain every day to his grandfather, who brings his five sheep to graze there. Tobia and his grandfather will share a moment of frailty that will change the course of events forever.

After a great disaster, nature is in a state of destruction. The sole survivor smells a forest, preserved in bottles, and goes on a journey in his home, the only place where he can breathe without a mask, with the help of technology.

THE BOX

David Colao, J.D.Wentzel US

Friends find a box in the woods and try to find out what's inside.

THE SUITCASE OF A PERSIAN-NAVAJO ACTIVIST

Amir Payam Short Doc US

Sahar Khadjenoury is a Persian-Navajo actor and TV producer living in the Navajo Nation. She shares the experience of growing up with the only Iranian in the Navajo territory as her father. .This is the pilot of a Docu-Series launched in 2013 on BBC World Service - Persian TV focusing on the Iranian diaspora.

FRYBREAD JESUS

Erik Sanchez US

A Native man finds the image of Jesus Christ on a piece of frybread.

Genevieve Sulway UK

Documentary Short.With a dark history, 5% speaking the native language and 10% living in poverty, Hawaii is in danger of losing its traditions forever. Ex-schoolteacher Kaina Makua’s non-profit program teaches Hawaiian language, sustainability and life skills to disadvantaged kids aged 5-20 - nurturing the next indigenous generation.

PARTLY CLOUDY & HOT

Moreetsi Gabang Botswana

A husband’s manhood is tested when his wife hands him a male fertility test.

LAST DANCE

Ezequiel Casamade Arnella Spain

A man who has a lover imagines that he causes an accident to his wife.Within this maelstrom of thoughts, he imagines that his wife takes revenge and he also dies. Realizing how stupid he is, he tries to settle things with her, but it's too late.

METROPOLIS

Noomen Noomen Tunisia

Alexander moved from his rural town to the capital, then the city’s problems were embodied in his body and soul. So he sought refuge outside the city center to create a city special to his human and cosmic nature.

SEVERE FEAR OF DROPPING EAR

Jdrzej Kocjan Poland

Mockumentary about an actor with a rare condition - when he pulls on his left ear, it falls away. He becomes famous. Society splits into those who support him and those who claim that he is a fraud.

MI’KMA’KI:

GWITNA’Q

Land of the Mi'kmaw:Travel by Canoe

Wendell G. Collier Canada

Documentary Short. For the Mi’kmaq community of Miawpukek First Nation, reviving the tradition of birch bark canoe building becomes a way to connect to the past and ensure cultural survival.

EGGS AND GAS

Marcus Thompson US

Eggs are scarce and gas isn't cheap in the near future so John has to make trades with strangers to get rare necessities.

THE COURT OF MESSER

Corrigan Revels Short Doc US

Sytia Messer has forged a legacy as a player in Waldo, Ark., a Razorback at the University of Arkansas, and currently as a coach in collegiate basketball. As a trailblazing coach and mentor, what matters most to her is to make a positive impact on and off the court.

THE HEALING

Adebisis J Opeyemi Nigeria

Femi is a young man going through acute depression. In a therapy session/confession, he flashes back to his romance with Maria, his muse. His discovery that she is unfaithful leads to his disaster.

HELL IN A HANDBASKET

Lee Chambers Canada

Dale, an Arctic research scientist, struggles to maintain his solitary existence. With a global pandemic, all hopes fall on Dale as he is humanity’s last stand.

WHAT IS MINE

Gianni Cesaraccio Italy

Four terminally ill men travel through a rural landscape scorched by the summer sun, fully armed, pulling off one heist after another. They are ex-soldiers who became sick on duty. They will need to overcome their limits and fears to bring some dignity to their final days and give meaning to the legacy they leave.

MIRRORTY

Serkan Akta Turkey

The mysterious disappearance of a man who lives alone in a city where people are vanished, who is alienated from society and ignorant to social tragedies.

PERSONALIZED FUTURES

Max Delfino US

When an algorithm decides which major students have to pick, an econ major with an artistic calling is faced with the choice of trusting the system or trying to subvert it from within.

ONE LAST WISH

Laurd Milian US

A young boy makes a wish on his first birthday after the passing of his father but an unexpected visit to a mysterious dimension will help him to understand how to deal with his grief.

L.I.F.E.: IT'S WONDERFUL

MUSIC VIDEOS | 5:40 P.m.

Kids from West Fork

Dalton Hays US

Jeremy Parsons - Tickin' Nick Van Dyk US

Ludlow Creek - Stoney Lonesome Road Ray Monell US

Pamela Hopkins - Somebody Here Is Walkin' US

Reality - by Robert Rauch

POC Lex Michael US

Get Over You Again

Chuck Price US

ALL UNITS

Mike Day US

A married couple are at odds over their roles at the latest protest.

PARKING SPOT

Robert Stronger US

The last available parking spot triggers an escalating battle of furious fists and kicks.

A BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Zsolt Kormendy Hungary

Two detectives investigate a mysterious kidnapping. One is relentlessly pursued by a malevolent dark figure, undermining the case and his life.

ALL IN

Philippe Vanasse-Paquet and Rosalie Rémillard Canada

A bored statistician in need of an adrenaline rush gets swirled into an euphoric world of underground poker. Ellis dares himself to climb the pyramid of illegal poker. But he can't let himself cross the thin line separating predators from prey.

MARIPOSAS

Adrian Carey US

In a universe of magical realism, a boastful father prattles on superficially about his daughter to another parent, but is unable to perceive her when it matters most.

Dathan Smith Alum US

Rose feels trapped in her new “home.” Emilia feels trapped by a daughter’s recent news. Bob is forced to deliver a card he has been dreading since joining L.I.F.E. Corp. Focused on the importance of human connection and keeping those close near.

High Time

Aleksei Borovikov US

Resurrection under the Ocean Serkan Akta Turkey

The Curse of KK Hammond - The Bone Collector Loki Films UK

Techno Áh__i (Techno Father)

Elisabeth Rasmussen Norway

Mistakes & Dear Shadow

Boyperfect

Paula Blanco Pérez US

FUTUREMAN

Adam Wade Australia

English Tea

Peter Renzullo Australia

Wallowing Bull

Indigenous

Noam Sol Azouz, Dan Lior US

TANKARD - Beerbarians

Costas Lambrou, Jasmine Lin, Joy Zou Australia

Sphinx Club

POETRY ZABAN

Prof. Amir Har-Gil Israel

Two young Israeli social activists visit the great master Yair Zaban, who devoted 70 years of his life to the struggle of improving social conditions and the political situation in Israel.

HOW TO THRIVE

Duy Huynh Australia

Is there a secret formula to happiness?

Positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod takes seven people on a transformative journey to learn the secret formula to happiness.

THE EVOLUTION OF A STYLE

Miguel Méndez Díaz Mexico

A community of artisans from Oaxaca began carving wood 50 years ago to avoid having to emigrate to the United States. Currently they have turned their social condition around.

HUSPA JHALA RE

Nikhil Prakash Bhagat India

This is India's first "One-take" movie (similar to the format of 'Birdman' or '1917') starring national award-winning actors Upendra Limaye, Vidyadhar Joshi and others.

AMUKA

Antonio Spano Belgium

The Democratic Republic of Congo could feed almost 1 in 2 people on Earth. Yet one in six Congolese people suffer from hunger. One in 2 suffers from moderate acute malnutrition. Faced with this paradox, peasant farmers regroup in agricultural cooperatives to find solutions.

UNFRIENDING

Brett Butler, Jason Butler Canada

Blake and his girlfriend host a dinner party for their closest friends, including Blake's oldest friend, Isaac.The dinner party is actually a set up for a life intervention for Isaac.This black comedy is a razor sharp satire on cancel culture and the me generation in general.

NO SHADOWS LEFT

Richard Thornéus Sweden

Anton, a maladjusted and yearning man is trying to find love, comfort and a new family to requite his feelings.This is a journey through the early days of autumn that ends up being a series of turbulent and chaotic trials for those who cross his path.

COVER YOUR EARS

Sean Patrick Shaul Canada

From protest songs to Top 40 hits, music has defined our culture. With such a powerful influence, it has been considered dangerous by some. A look at how the censorship of music has shaped not only how we view art but who we are as consumers and free-thinkers.

KEEPERS OF THE HORSE

Shane White Indigenous US

Horses directly descending from the line of Choctaw horses who arrived with Hernando DeSoto in the 1500s are forever embedded in the heritage of the Choctaw Indian Nation. For 30 years, Bryant Rickman of Hugo, Okla. has devoted his life to saving this bloodline. Until the late 20th century these horses ran free in the mountains of Southeast Oklahoma but now they face their demise without his help.

THE ANNOUNCER

Bowe Partin Western US

An up-and-coming rodeo announcer prepares for the final bull riding event of the season, an important milestone on his journey to join the Professional Bull Riders circuit.

WAYURI

Diana Gandara Indigenous Brazil

In the most preserved area of the Brazilian Amazon live 23 indigenous ethnic groups and 16 native languages are talked,

Documentary Features | 12:30 p.m.

THE SOUND OF IDENTITY

James Kicklighter LBGTQ US

In the spotlight of global media coverage, the first transgender woman ever to perform as Don Giovanni in a professional opera makes her historic debut in one of the reddest states in the U.S.

NO TRESPASSING

Kate Siegenthaler US

A journey through “Winter's Bone” country follows the story of one social worker as she travels into the Ozarks, exploring a way of life we hardly dared dream still exists. This film examines the lifestyles behind the "No Trespassing" signs and delves into the cycle of poverty, abuse, neglect and addiction through compelling, personal interviews and realtime interactions with parents whose children are lost to foster care.

in addition to Brazilian Portuguese. The Wayuri Network of indigenous communicators of Rio Negro operates here to give a voice for this population.The indigenous themselves produce podcasts, videos, photos, lives, audios and texts for, and about 750 communities. Wayuri Network won the Rule of Law Award 2022 in the Hague. Wayuri means “joint effort.” Despite the difficulties of circulating information, they find creative ways to bring and create information about this place, despite suffering constant threats.

CROWN

Tamecca Rogers POC US

This documentary aims to educate and call to action for Oklahoma to join 18 other states to pass the CROWN ACT (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) legislation to prevent bullying and discrimination based on ethnic hair in the workplace and schools.

THE HILL WE CLIMB

Raeden Greer POC US

Two residents' efforts to revitalize a 100-year-old historically African American community in a predominantly white town in Arkansas, as documented by their classmate.

Thriller | 10:05 p.m.

ONE PINT AT A TIME

Aaron Hosé POC US

Craft beer generates billions of dollars annually. Despite beer’s Egyptian and African heritage, these traditions have been mostly forgotten. Today, Black-owned breweries make up fewer than 1% of the nearly 9,000 breweries in operation. Eager to shift the historical perception of who makes and drinks beer, Black brewers and influencers are reshaping the craft beer industry and the future of America’s favorite adult beverage.

WE WILL SPEAK

Schon Duncan, Michael McDermit US Indigenous

With fewer than 1,500 fluent speakers left, a small group of Cherokee activists race to save their language from extinction. While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. Language activists, artists, and youth must now lead the charge of urgent radical revitalization efforts to help save the language from the brink of extinction.

KHARON

Alex Lopez Hong Kong

I see him there at the oars of his little boat in the lake, the ferryman of the dead, Kharon, with his hand upon the oar and he calls me now. ‘What keeps you? Hurry, you hold us back.’ He is urging me on in angry impatience. –

Euripides

A LITTLE GLASS OF RUM

Lauren Keller US

After grieving over the murder of his wife and son, a prison guard dines with the killer for his last meal.

THE ECLIPSE

Christos Prantzalos Greece

A mysterious solar eclipse changes people's behavior. A young man tries to reach his girlfriend but faces violent people who have looked at the eclipse and try to make him look too.

PRETTY CANOE

Nicholas Holland US

Two men bust out of prison in search of an old family boat to carry them down the river for one last chance at freedom.

FLOOR

14 AVARICE

Chuck Price US

A story of a caregiver trying to buy another day for his wife.

SACRAMENT

Josh Eliot US

A gay married couple must confront their religious differences when family starts pressuring them to get their baby baptized.

RESISTANCE

Denzel Noylander Canada

In Nazi-occupied Prague, a gay military veteran and his academic partner maintain a quiet life in secrecy. When a colleague requests help in a bold plot to assassinate a senior SS leader, they must choose between their love of country and their love for each other.

CHOCOLAT VIENNOIS

Elie Vilmin France

Gabrielle, a deaf young adult raised in an oralist family, feels like she is missing out on her life. Her unexpected meeting with Avril, a deaf signer and proud of it, upsets her way of seeing things.

CUPCAKE

Péter Engelmann Hungary

How long you can oppress yourself?

TEMPTATION

Luke Danforth US

A woman and a man work in a room they are forbidden to leave. When the work becomes difficult, strange things begin to occur.

THE GHOST THAT WALKS

Jay Jay Jegathesan Australia

What will you do if you captured the ghost ... the entity ... the creature that haunted your very existence?

THE LAST DROPS

Documentary Short

Roman Sinitsyn Russian Federation

This is a monologue of a woman on her fight against cancer.

JERRY JENKINS: MISSISSIPPI CREATES

Ellise Joelle Denoulet US

This short documentary highlights the community-building and storytelling of musician Jerry Jenkins.Working in Jackson, Miss., he evokes cultural memory through drumming and educates children about West African culture and the lineage of regional music traditions.

GADIS DAN PENATU

Alam Alghifari Indonesia

Santi is a vocational school graduate who's failed to get a decent job. One day she has an interview but her mom gives her tasks ito prevent her from going.

BELLA MENTE

Kat Silva US

Recovering from the loss of her husband, Bella dives back into the dating scene hoping to find a meaningful connection. This film is accompanied by the original music of Rachael Ammons.

HOW DO I TELL YOU THIS

Lara Hill US

Two long-time internet friends - Ted, the hometown artist, and Liz, a globehopping humanitarian - finally meet in person and explore the possibility of a future together. Neither knows that the other loves them.

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

Johnnie Brannon US

Gene has two things to do today. Ask out Dotty and find out who is murdering his co-workers.

KRONOS

Donavon Thompson US

A young boy in a small town must find the whereabouts of a missing child before time runs out.

THE MILKY

WAY

Clint Till US Paige will do whatever it takes to give her newborn daughter the very best.

MY UNFORTUNATE CATS

Olga Artushevska Ukraine

Lyokha is dying. He solved all the things, but it left ... cats.

PLEASE, MARRY

OUR DAUGHTER?

Rudy Aldor US

A bachelor named Rudy is pressured by a local church family to marry their daughter. When his ex-girlfriend finds out, she will do whatever it takes to get him back.

NEW WEST

Jordan Mears US Trigger and Gene were Hollywood legends and the best of friends, but years after a falling out the two must team up once again to fight a villain from their past.

AN AUDITION WHERE EVERYONE IS DUE TO INEXPLICABLY FAIL

Vita Long US

Intent on creating a groundbreaking film about a new character, a young director scouts four aspiring actors. His efforts fail as each actor comes in playing an archetype.

DOUGH

Josh Taylor US

A pizza delivery driver faces an unusual decision following an order to a nearby house party.

CROSSING TIDES

Gabriel Liam Cook Henk US

A widowed woman struggles to cope with the loss of her husband while adjusting to silence and loneliness.

GLO-UP

Porter John US

An affluent teenager solidifies her toxic friendship habits as her hypocritical wine mom enables her.

MAGPIE

Paige Jones US

At-home caregiver Amelia debates whether to take from her patients to provide for the needs of her own family.

POPULARITY CHART

John Cobb US

Molly, an 8th grader, wants to become the most popular kid in school and betrays her best friend in order to climb the ranks.

CARRY ON

Janie Gentry US

A recent widow has to decide between returning to life as normal or taking over the small ranch her husband left behind.

PURE RISK

Colin Sanders US

Preparing for an important speech, a college senior’s stressful night is made worse as one of the judges attempts to sabotage her presentation.

BACK TO BORA-BORA

Dwight Jackson US

An older couple, who are totally sick of each other, fantasize about what it will be like when the other is gone.

FOREVER

Thomas E Long US

A boy stumbles across a mysterious cabin and infinity-shaped ring that traps him inside a time dilation pocket, forcing him on an interior journey turning his prison into his new life.

TURN ABOUT

Hezekiah Bennetts US

Violence begets time travel begets violence in this sci-fi thriller short.

UNCEASING

Arlo Michel US

A little town had a tragedy where a family was murdered. Easton Rhys moved into the home. On the one year anniversary of the murders, Easton will experience the true meaning of life and death. This isn't your typical ghost story.

LONG WEEKEND

Johnny Luna US

Shot over a three-day break, this experimental short uses almost exclusively split-second clips of every moment perceived as "important" to a group of friends. Controlling two separate old-school digital cameras they document events around them.

CRY TIME

Adrienne Dawes US

After an abrupt breakup during finals, Leigh is completely numb to feelings until she and her best friend Sal meet Brent.

Youth & HIGH SCHOOL SHOWCASE |

DIFFERENT, NOT LESS

Alexandra Duran US

Personal view of the filmmaker’s acceptance of her late autism diagnosis.

MACY’S MESSY MONDAY

ROCKIN’ BAKER

Ringo Jones US

POC, Short Doc

Daymara Baker walks away from a senior position at a multinational brand to bake bread and change the world.

Rockin’ Baker Academy is a workforce development program that provides cadet bakers with intellectual disabilities a comprehensive set of marketable skills that translate easily to the culinary industry and many other jobs.

MOM.ENT OF PEACE

Raelyn Munneke US

Meet four moms of children from newborn to pre-teens. Each is bustling through a constant chaos of needs and wants of others. So, they each slip inside their private bathroom with the hope of escaping.

SOMEWHERE IN NOWHERE

Tanner McChristian US

A man grieving the sudden, inexplicable death of his wife is stalked by an unseen entity.

GHOSTS OF THE VOID

Jason Miller US

Spending the night in her car, a newlyhomeless woman wrestles with exhaustion, her crumbling marriage, and the threat of mysterious, masked strangers.

9:35

INDIANA JONES AND THE TREASURE OF THE AZTECS

Kevin Croxton US

A screening of this “fan” film created by students of Oliver Springs Elementary Music Club. With original music, fantastic costuming and thrilling action, student actors create high adventure! This tribute film includes a cameo by actress Karen Allen, who played the role of Marion Ravenwood in three “Indiana” films. The Fort Smith International Film Festival celebrates its opening.Ths film is not in competition.

Ella Musto US

A podcaster teen narrates her high school Monday when the struggle gets real – and stays that way.

THE BOX

David Colao, J.D.Wentzel US

A good Samaritan can't rest until he returs this strange box of family artifacts to its rightful owner. What could go wrong?

12:34

Drew Mette US

Isabelle is haunted by a mysterious force in the events of one night.

BONE MARROW SOUP

Lara Angelina UK

This is what it feels like.

SYMPTOMS OF INCARCERATION

Owen Miller US

Martin robbed a bank 20 years ago but now, he has another shot at life.

COMPULSIVE

Conner Sisemore US

A boy has an uncomfortable encounter and thanks to his OCD, he thinks only about what will happen next.

UNTO THE MOUNTAINS

Joseph Henry Udouj US

Short documentary about the director’s medical mission trip to Guatamala.

6 Minutes: For a Lifetime of Honor

Samuel Gassaway US

In recognition of their honorable service, veterans are entitled to full military honors as they are laid to rest. Sailors assigned to Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth ensure that this solemn duty is conducted with honor, and the utmost respect. In 2021, these sailors performed over 1,200 Naval funeral honors details.

fort smith international film festival

AWARDS ceremony

(Finalists, in alphabetical order)

Best International Feature

Cover Your Ears

How to Thrive

Unfriending

Best Alum

All Units

My Unfortunate Cats

The Shepherd of Clouds

Best Feature

Ghosts of the Void

Huspa Jhala Re

Unfriending

Best of the River Valley

Germicide

Kids from West Fork

Somewhere in Nowhere

Best College

Magpie

Popularity Chart

Pure Risk

Best Doc Feature

Cover Your Ears

How to Thrive

One Pint at a Time

Best High School

6 Minutes: Lifetime of Honor Different Not Less The Box

Unto The Mountains

Best Indigenous

Mi’kma’ki: Gwitna’q

(Land of the Mi'kmaw:Travel by Canoe)

Wallowing Bull (We Will Speak)

Best LGBTQ

Chocolate Viennois

Resistance

The Sound of Identity

Best People of Color

Amuka

Crown

One Pint at a Time

Best Regional

How Do I Tell You This New West

The Milky Way

Best Local Cry Time

Mom.ent of Peace

Rockin Baker

SHORT FILM Categories

International Shorts

I Wanted to be Vittorio Gassman

Traction

Wayuri

Romance

A Quarter of Silence

Friday Night Fish

The God of Cats is Immortal

Sci-Fi

L.I.F.E. It's Wonderful

Mirrorty

Personalized Futures

Short Doc

Keepers of the Horse

The Hill We Climb

Wayuri

Thriller Ghosts of the Void

Pretty Canoe

The Eclipse

Music Videos

FUTUREMAN

Jeremy Parsons: Tickin' Tankard

Drama

Hopeful

The Shepherd of Clouds

Unsolvable

Experimental

Scent

This is Not a Film

Who are They?

Action

All In

Hell in a Handbasket

Parking Spot

Animation

Dream Eaters

Lump the Frog

The Long Rain

Comedy

How to Hide a Body

Polterguest

Severe Fear of Dropping Ear