Eighth LR film fest to move downtown to both riversides
Organizers of the Little Rock Film Festival announced Monday that screenings for the eighth annual festival will be held entirely downtown this year, along Little Rock and North Little Rock’s Main streets.
The announcement comes on the heels of efforts in both cities to create vibrant arts corridors along their respective Main streets. It also fulfills the organizers’ goal of becoming a pedestrian-friendly, walkable festival in the footsteps of Austin’s South by Southwest or the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
“From day one, we’ve always wanted to have a pedestrian-friendly festival,” said Craig Renaud, co-founder and executive director of the Little Rock Film Festival. “Our hope is now that we have these big crowds, the businesses downtown will really start to benefit as we push people, tourists from all over, into the downtowns.”
The festival will hold large
screenings this year at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock and at the Argenta Community Theater in North Little Rock. Smaller screenings will be held at the Oxford American’s building and the Rose Building in downtown Little Rock, as well as at The Joint in North Little Rock.
In the past, festival events have been spread out across Little Rock from west Little Rock and Riverdale to downtown. Both Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola and North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith attended the announcement Monday and spoke about the importance of arts in the economic development plans for both cities.
“Certainly, I think it will bring more dollars to Main Street,” North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith said. “But beyond the money spent on food and hotels, I think the bigger economic investment is to show tourists and people coming in that we in Little Rock, North Little Rock and central Arkansas are up-andcoming areas that care about the arts and care about creating great places.”
Renaud said the festival will host a party on the Junction Bridge celebrating the cooperation between the two cities on May 17 at the height of this year’s festival, which runs from May 15-19.
Smith, who took office in January, said forming a partnership between the cities for these types of events is a priority.
“The partnerships with North Little Rock, Little Rock and the respective chambers of commerce are becoming more and more [common],” Smith said. “Mayor Stodola and I have met twice already in the first three months of this year to talk about ways the two cities can partner to make things better and possibly more economical. We are excited that performing arts is yet another avenue that we could partner on.”
The festival plans to continue to expand its footprint downtown in coming years. Organizers announced late last year that the festival was invited to host screenings at the Central Arkansas Library System’s new Arcade Building in the River Market when it’s completed.
Renaud also announced a new prize for the festival, a $10,000 award from Heifer International for the best film that displays the organization’s humanitarian goals. The Oxford American also offers a $10,000 prize.
Several screenings were also announced Monday. Renaud said a full schedule will be released April 15.