While some moviegoers will swamp the Hollywood Premier Movie Theater this weekend to see big budget, blockbuster hits, others will bombard the old movie theater at the other end of U.S. Highway 12 to partake in a more unconstrained bunch of cinematic specialties. The Sixth Annual Magnolia Independent Film Festival opened yesterday and will run through Feb. 8.
Armed with 200 entries, 53 screenings, 30 filmmakers and several world premiers, the festival will show an array of films capturing the spirit and honesty of independent film making.
As one of the newer affiliates of the American Film Institute, the ‘Magnolia’ promises to be the biggest yet, not to mention that the films have amassed over 100 awards from various parts of the globe.
Festival Director Ron Tibbett started ‘Magnolia’ after moving to West Point in 1997.
“I started it by myself in 1998. I had made a film here in 1994 and looked for festivals to present it,” Tibett said. “When I looked through the festival directory, I got to the “M” states, and there were no listings for the state. So I called my wife and told her I was going to start a festival here.”
And the rest, as they say, is history. Last year’s festival sold out to standing room only crowds for every performance.
Tibett, a film pioneer for the state also took a stab at the critically acclaimed Sundance Film festival for 2003.
“I presented the film “Buffalo Common,” a 23-minute documentary,” said Tibbett. “It was one chosen out of 218 screened from 3400 entries. They screened it five times and each one sold out. I was thrilled.”
2003 Sundance took place Jan. 16-26 in the mountain town of Park City, Utah.
This year’s festival is teamed up with four other festivals, including the Rhode Island International Film Festival, Indie Memphis Film Festival from Memphis, Tenn., Crossroads Film Festival out of Jackson and newcomer Oxford Film Festival from Oxford, Miss.
The three day event will showcase several Indie movies including “One Night in March” written by MSU faculty member Bonnie Coblentz, directed and produced by her husband, Robbie, about the discrimination faced by the 1963 MSU men’s basketball team.
“The basketball team here that year wanted to play, but due to NCAA standards, there was an unwritten rule about teams playing against other teams with minorities,” Robbie Coblentz said. “This story has never been told by a Mississippian’s perspective. I’ve had alumni from that era to call me and let me know how much they appreciate us telling the story.”
The festival will also offer the world premiers of many if the films, with “Mai’s America” as one of the standout performances.
“Mai’s America” is really something that people should come out and see,” said Tibbett. “It’s about a young Vietnamese girl who comes to America through an exchange program and ends up in rural Mississippi. It’s going to be a big hit.”
Coblentz commended Tibett on the development on the festival.
“Ron has done such an excellent job with putting this festival together. This was the first independent film festival in the state. That’s pretty amazing,” Coblentz said. “I’m proud to be involved.”
Before Saturday’s events begin, there will be something of great interest to student filmmakers: a four-person panel from the American Film Institute that will expound on “How to Get Your Short Film Made.” That will be at 10 a.m., before the films start rolling.
On top of that, 30 of the films’ makers, both American and international, will be present and watching the movies. In a business that thrives on elbow rubbing and “who you know,” this event certainly presents ample opportunity.
Tibett commented on the difference between big Hollywood films and the Indie movie.
“The sole of this industry is the maker. With the video boom and high definition, films are now cheaper to make,” said Tibbett.
“The same people go to Hollywood movies because they use the same formula,” said Tibett. “They’ll always have an audience, but we offer films that capture the essence of cinematography and depth. The future looks bright for Indie movies.”
The price of the festivals are $5 for all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning, and $10 for Saturday afternoon into the evening. The American Film Institute panel is free and open to the public. For ticket information, contact Ron Tibett at (662) 494-5836, or email him at [email protected].