Hollywood Premier Cinemas will host the 21st annual Magnolia Independent Film Festival from 7 to 10 p.m. March 1 through 3 with a Saturday matinee from 1 to 4 p.m.
Student tickets are available for $5 for each screening, or for $15 for an all-festival pass. General admission tickets are $10 per screening, $30 for an all-festival pass or $40 for a VIP pass.
The MAG was the first independent film festival in Mississippi and the oldest in the state of its kind. It was started in 1997 by Ron Tibbett and is the only film festival in the Golden Triangle Area.
Angella Baker, director of the film festival, said this year is the biggest MAG she has directed.
“We have a record number of filmmakers coming in,” Baker said. “Our submissions increased from 117 to 170. We are gaining state and national attention. People know who we are, and it is great.”
Work on this year’s film festival began in June of last year. There will be 29 films screened this year, 20 of which made by filmmakers who will attend, including one Canadian filmmaker. Seven of the filmmakers attending had films at the festival in previous years.
Charlotte Magnussen, board and founding member of the MAG, said she is excited about the number of entries and quality of the films this year.
“I always look forward to meeting new and old filmmakers, and take pleasure in helping to bring independent film to this area,” Magnussen said.
Magnussen said she has participated in the MAG since its begining in 1997 when her husband, Ron Tibbett, started the festival. She took over running the festival in 2005, when Tibbett passed away. After three years, she turned the festival over to the Starkville Arts Council.
Michael Williams, executive board member, said this year, the board has worked hard to make the festival better for both filmmakers and audiences, while keeping the spirit and personality of the festival true to its legacy.
“I’ve attended the festival as a filmmaker from 2007 to 2017 having at least one film in each of those years,” Williams said. “Each year retains the qualities festival alumni love, while continuing to make the festival a memorable and inspiring experience. This year, I am very excited to see the films and spend time with their creators. The MAG always has a wide variety of films, and the festival gives you a prime opportunity to get to know the people behind them.”
There are various activities people can participate in beyond seeing the films. There will be social functions to attend, where people can interact with the visiting filmmakers, and red-carpet events on Friday and Saturday night. People can also attend a panel on filmmaking by an award-winning filmmaker, and a Q&A after each screening session where members of the audience can ask the attending filmmakers questions about their films.
