Filmland festival: A celebration of southern storytelling
A gathering of creative minds
“No one can tell you not to create. You must create,” Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo passionately declared to a captivated audience of filmmakers and fans at the Filmland festival in Little Rock, Arkansas. This sentiment set the tone for the event, which celebrated the art of storytelling in cinema and television.
Honoring southern storytellers
Jeff Nichols, co-founder of Filmland and director of the 1960s motorcycle club saga “The Bikeriders,” presented Domingo with the inaugural Southern Storytellers Award. Nichols, along with a panel of esteemed writers, directors, and producers, engaged in a wide-ranging discussion about the craft of storytelling.
The art of hustle
Domingo, who served as a producer on the prison-set drama “Sing Sing,” shared insights into his career journey. Reflecting on his experiences, he emphasized the importance of the hustle over the notion of struggle. “I don’t like the word ‘struggle,’” he said. “I’m not grinding. I’m actually doing the work, and it’s exciting.” Domingo’s perspective highlights the resilience and passion required to sustain a career in storytelling.
A nuanced approach to crime stories
Craig Brewer, director of “Hustle & Flow,” shared his journey of bringing his new miniseries, “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,” to life. Brewer and screenwriter Shaye Ogbonna discovered a deeper narrative within their crime story, focusing on the regional dynamics of race. This realization transformed the project, adding layers of complexity and authenticity.
Exploring diverse narratives
Filmmaker Michael Schwartz brought his latest project, “Los Frikis,” to Filmland. The film, set in Cuba, tells the story of a punk band that injects themselves with HIV to qualify for housing in a state-run facility. Schwartz’s dedication to authenticity, including learning Spanish and casting Cuban actors, underscores the importance of cultural sensitivity in storytelling.
The power of perspective
Jeff Nichols, who dreams of adapting “The Yankee Comandante,” a story about an American who fought in the Cuban revolution, shared his thoughts on the subjective nature of reality in storytelling. “Reality is a very tricky thing,” Nichols said. “It all depends on our own perception of it and where we’re coming at it from.” His advice to storytellers is to be honest about their perspective and how it shapes their narratives.
Empathy in storytelling
Christy Hall, director of “Daddio,” discussed the inspiration behind her film, which features Sean Penn as a brusque New York taxi driver. Hall’s encounter with a stranger in a bar led her to explore themes of empathy and human connection. “Could we dare to tell that story, but through the lens of empathy?” she pondered.
Challenging clichés
Writer-director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, an Army veteran, drew from personal experience for his debut feature, “My Dead Friend Zoe.” The film addresses the epidemic of veteran suicides and aims to challenge stereotypes about veterans. Hausmann-Stokes emphasized the importance of authenticity and engagement in storytelling, even when tackling heavy subjects.
The value of diverse storytelling
The emotional responses to the projects screened at Filmland demonstrated the validity of various storytelling approaches. Michael Schwartz warned against limiting storytelling to a single form, emphasizing the historical and cultural significance of diverse narratives. “These stories are valuable. It’s where a civilization finds its morality, it’s how it comes to know itself,” he said.
Links to trailers and additional resources
Final thoughts
The Filmland festival in Little Rock was a testament to the power of storytelling and the diverse voices that contribute to the cinematic landscape. From exploring regional dynamics in crime stories to challenging clichés about veterans, the event highlighted the importance of authenticity, empathy, and perspective in storytelling. As Colman Domingo aptly put it, “You must create,” and the Filmland festival showcased the incredible creativity and resilience of southern storytellers.