Festival Gems: The Little Rock Film Festival Revisited, Vol. 1

Join us for our monthly program with the Made in Arkansas Film Festival!

Join the Made in Arkansas Film Festival for a monthly night of screenings in the CALS Ron Robinson Theater!

Join us on October 10th for a special homage to the Little Rock Film Festival (LRFF), celebrating the vibrant Arkansas film scene. We'll be screening a variety of films that made a significant impact on local filmmakers and audiences alike.

The LRFF was an award-winning showcase festival for Arkansas filmmakers, providing a unique platform for creative voices from 2007 until its conclusion in 2015. Founded by brothers Brent and Craig Renaud along with Jamie Moses and Owen Brainard, the festival fostered a sense of community and inclusion, allowing filmmakers to connect with industry peers and audiences. With a filmmaker pass, attendees gained access to influential figures whose films had graced prestigious festivals such as Tribeca, South by Southwest, and Sundance. The LRFF inspired a new generation of Arkansas filmmakers, and its profound influence on Arkansas film continues to this day.

For just $5, you can enjoy these impactful films and hear from the filmmakers themselves as they share their experiences and discuss the profound influence the festival had on their careers. Don’t miss this chance to relive the legacy of the Little Rock Film Festival and celebrate the enduring spirit of Arkansas cinema.

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The Dealer’s Tale – 18:05 – Directed by Justin Nickels - 2015
A modern retelling of Chaucer's 'Pardoner's Tale.' Two hitmen go on the search for Death and a mysterious boy helps them find him.

Rapture Us – 18:00 – Directed by Levi Agee - 2015
Rapture Us is about a devout Christian named Toby who believes all the world's Christians but himself were taken up into heaven after the disappearance of his mother. Taking advice from a resurrected zombie they attempt to break the 10 Commandments to get God's attention and get into heaven.

The Bloodstone Diaries: The Thief of All Things – 22:34 – Directed by Gerry Bruno - 2011
An average, all-American girl who stumbles upon a mysterious jewel with amazing powers. Every tragic story has a beginning and a moment where everything changes. This is that moment for Bettie Lawrence.

10-minute Intermission

Ballerina – 16:36 – Directed by Bryan Stafford – 2011
Frank Gross seems to be a man who has it all: a quiet home in the suburbs, a good job, a daughter that loves him. Then, on a day much like today, there comes a knock at a door and his orderly world slides sideways into the darkness beyond what we know. Ballerina is a provocative, thoughtful drama about love, time, what we can prevent, and what we can't no matter how much we might want to.

The Whisperers – 17:11 – Directed by Jason Miller – 2015
On a quiet night in October 1995, two young brothers, home alone and grounded for fighting, must uncover the source of strange, unintelligible whispers slowly surrounding their family's isolated country home.

Pillow – 18:36 – Directed by The Miller Brothers – 2011
A Southern Gothic tale of two brothers who go to desperate measures to please their overbearing mother.

10-Minute Intermission

Sacred Hearts, Holy Souls – Directed by Mark Thiedeman - 40 Min – 2014
Two teenage misfits at an all-boys Catholic boarding school become unlikely comrades in a struggle against hormonal bullies and dinosaur-aged priests.