Bentonville Film Festival dates announced

BENTONVILLE — The Bentonville Film Foundation on Tuesday announced dates for the 2022 Bentonville Film Festival.

The festival will feature online and in- person programming, according to a foundation media release.

In-person programming will be offered June 22-26. Online programming will be featured June 22 to July 3, according to the release.

The film festival is presented in collaboration with founding sponsor Walmart and presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, according to the release.

The festival is now accepting film submissions for consideration for the 2022 program.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to look ahead at what’s in store for the Bentonville Film Festival. Returning for the eighth year with a hybrid program, the festival continues to grow and develop its footprint in the community,” said Geena Davis, film festival chair and Academy Award-winning actor. “We’re proud to continue providing a platform that celebrates diverse voices and champions inclusion from the inside out.”

The festival’s seventh year, which ran Aug. 2-8, expanded the event’s audience and extended the festival’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices in film internationally, said Wendy Guerrero, film festival and foundation president.

The festival experienced 80% growth in global viewership on its online platform with more than 150,000 online views of programming, according to the release. More than 10,000 people attended in-person screenings of competition and spotlight films, outdoor family films and festival community events around Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas.

The early bird deadline for submissions to the 2022 festival is Dec. 1. Additional information on submission guidelines is available at https://filmfreeway.com/BentonvilleFilmFestival .