The Starkville Area Arts Council hosted the Magnolia Independent Film Festival (MIFF) from March 3 through March 5 at the Hollywood Premier Cinemas in Starkville.
 The MIFF is an annual event that allows filmmakers from around the globe, both professional and amateur, to submit their work for the possibility of having it awarded. There is an oppurtunity for gaining exposure, being a part of the experience and impacting the art of filmmaking in its entirety. The festival initially started in 1997 when John Tibbett, a filmmaker from Chicago, moved to Mississippi and wanted to submit his second film into a festival. When he realized there wasn’t any, he started one of his own, which led to MIFF being the first film festival in Mississippi. After his death in 2004 due to a car accident, the festival continued on in remembrance of him. 
   The event consisted of screenings each night, while Saturday specifically included a full day of forums, workshops and a closing ceremony as. There were over 50 people who came out both Thursday and Friday evening, and over 100 on Saturday. 
   The Starkville Area Arts Council plans about nine months in advance in preparation for the festival for the Golden Triangle Area. According to Angella Baker, SAAC board member and chair of the festival, the biggest hurdle was transportation, since participants came from numerous places both nationally and internationally, including locations as far as Norway.   Although the SAAC faced their own obstacles in preparing for the festival, each participant faced their own individual hurdles as well.
 Some filmmakers commented on the stress of having an audience present.
    “You can’t tell. You can only imagine. I’m amazed at the stuff they missed, and I’m thrilled by the stuff they found that I didn’t know was there,” Kevin Boon, a filmmaker from Pennsylvania who contributed his film         “Ghosting” said. “It’s a really unnerving thing.”
      Other filmmakers were not sure if they would be able to attend. Mary Lou and Justin Sadler, a filmmaker couple from California, whose film “Welcome to Where You’ve Always Been” premiered for the first time on Saturday evening. They had a friend ironically pay for their entire trip as their angel investor a few days prior to the event.
   Although personal issues were present, everyone involved with the festival still had much to positively reflect on about the event and their film in general.
   “Mississippi does film festivals right. You have this whole community of filmmakers from Mississippi that work together. They trade off on each other’s films and care intimately about the craft, which is nice,” Boon said. “They don’t feel competitive. So, if one of them does well, then they all feel like they’re all doing well. What’s good for one is good for all in Mississippi. That’s nice. That isn’t like that everywhere.”
 Casey Dillard, a filmmaker who helped direct Stargrassie Paranormal with Glenn Payne said they truly enjoyed the process.
  “Honestly, this is probably the most overall positive filmmaking experience I’ve ever had,” Dillard said.
    Payne said the connection with the audience was special.
  “When they laugh at something you made and when they’re supposed to, that just feels like a million bucks. It’s just something I wish everyone could feel,” Payne said.
      A Social Coordinator of MIFF had positive things to say as well.
      “I think this year is the best year yet. We’ve had many more submissions this year then we’ve had in the past,” Robin Pigg, social coordinator of MIFF said.              
   Baker said MIFF brings new sentiments to the college town.
   “It’s just something unique and different and adds something to Starkville,” Baker said. “I hope people had a great time and that they enjoyed all the different films that we had. I hope they are looking forward to next year already.”

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Sarah Dutton, The Reflector

Norwegian filmmaker Jan Vardoen accepts awards Saturday night during the awards ceremony at the Magnolia Film Festival.