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entertainment
Welcome to The BFF
Geena Davis
words Marla Cantrell image courtesy Bentonville Film Festival
In May, Academy Award® winning actor Geena Davis will be heading to Arkansas for the first annual Bentonville Film Festival (The BFF). You may know Davis from her recent role on Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Nicole Herman, or remember her from films such as Thelma & Louise, Bettlejuice, A League of Their Own, and The Accidental Tourist. She was nominated for an Academy Award® for Thelma & Louise and won the award for her role in The Accidental Tourist. The BFF, which starts May 5 and runs through May 9, is hosted by Walmart, ARC Entertainment, AMC Theatres, and Coca-Cola, and
During the week, there will be panel discussions held at Northwest Ar-
was organized to promote women and minorities in the film industry.
kansas Community College. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The reason Davis is such a good fit is her work in this field. In 2007,
is hosting afternoon events, and several venues across town, including
she started The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, which is a
Grace Point Church and Old High Middle School, will be showing films.
non-profit designed to change media to empower girls. When the fes-
"These are very commercial films, with big casts and great genres.
tival was announced, she said, "The Bentonville Film Festival is a critical
People will be impressed and excited to see these films," Drinkwater
component of how we can directly impact the quantity and quality of
says. Documentary filmmakers are also entered in the competition,
females and minorities on-screen and behind the scenes.”
and he is pleased with the quality of work he's seen.
Organizers are especially proud of this festival. It is the only film com-
Drinkwater estimates there will be an opportunity to screen approxi-
petition in the world to promise distribution to winners. The Audience,
mately thirty-five films during the week. It should cost around ten dol-
Jury Selection, and Best Family Film category winners will have their
lars to see one of the films. There will also be package deals, like the
work shown on a minimum of twenty-five screens at AMC Theatres.
unlimited pass for films, and an all-access pass, which includes extras like the panel discussions. The only events the public will not have ac-
While this is exciting news for filmmakers (more than 100 films have
cess to are the opening ceremony and the awards ceremony, which
been submitted, many from L.A. and New York), it is also great news
will be hosted by Geena Davis, and takes place at the end of the week.
for anyone who wants to experience Hollywood without leaving the state. There will be tickets available for everything from seeing one of
It's important to keep checking The BFF website, since additional in-
the films entered in the competition, to panel discussions with leaders
formation about the festival will be added regularly. There will be de-
from the industry, including directors, writers, and producers.
tails about the panel discussions, a list of movies, including when and where they'll be shown, and information about nightly events. You
The BFF has been the talk of the town, and Bentonville is getting ready
can even volunteer to work at the festival.
for an influx of people. Trevor Drinkwater, CEO of ARC Entertainment, expects 25,000 visitors to flock to the city from across the globe, some
The BFF is an exciting new addition to the arts scene in Arkansas, and
of them big names in the entertainment world. Although he is not at
a great way for you to see the inner workings of the movie indus-
liberty to name names, he did say that some of the festival's board
try, perhaps spot a few celebrities, and watch films you would never
members would likely be in attendance. Board members include
otherwise have the chance to see. Mark your calendars and get ready
Shonda Rhimes (creator of Scandal and Grey's Anatomy), Julianne
for a great time in Bentonville.
Moore, Eva Longoria, Angela Bassett, Natalie Portman, Bruce Dern, Samuel L. Jackson, Randy Jackson, and Paula Patton. Bruce Dern even created his own award called the Dernsy, for scriptwriting.
For updates on The BFF, visit bentonvillefilmfestival.com
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