OXFORD, Miss. – Lights, camera, action. Take your seats, audience members, the 2013 Oxford Film Festival is about to begin.
Beginning Thursday (Feb. 21), the Malco’s Oxford Studio Theatre on West Jackson Avenue is the setting for the 10th annual festival, which will showcase films in the categories of animated short, documentary feature and short, experimental short, Mississippi narrative and documentary and narrative feature and short.
A three-day pass is $30 for the general public or $25 for students. A one-day pass is $15 general or $12 for students.
The Oxford Film Festival was created in 2003 to bring exciting, new and unusual films, and the people who create them, to north Mississippi. The four-day film festival continues to attract quality films and highlight the talents of young filmmakers from all over the world. It screens short and feature-length films in both showcase and competition settings, hosts panel discussions on issues in contemporary filmmaking and invites the filmmakers to interact with the audience at a number of social events.
“We are excited about this year and thrilled we’ve made it this far,” said Molly Fergusson, executive director of the festival. “The university supports us in various ways and has been accommodating since the first Film Festival 10 years ago.”
Thursday is opening night, which is free this year to celebrate the 10th anniversary. Thacker Mountain Radio begins at 6 p.m. and then the 90-second films and Media and Documentary Projects filmmaker Joe York’s “Pride and Joy: Ten,” which is the community film.
“Rebels: James Meredith and the Integration of Ole Miss,” produced by Media and Documentary Projects filmmaker Matthew Graves, and “Lecile, ” produced by Media and Documentary Projects filmmaker Rex Jones will also be shown, along with films produced by several Ole Miss students and alumni.
Tickets are available online and student rates are available on day passes, multi-day passes and single film tickets.
Friday through Sunday, films are screened all day at the Malco Theater. Saturday includes free panels all day at the Lyric. On Saturday morning, the Powerhouse hosts a children’s acting workshop. The awards ceremony is Saturday night at the Lyric, where winners receive Hoka award statues made by Bill Beckwith, UM art instructor.
“There are many different films to appeal to a wide variety of viewers,” Fergusson said. “There are documentaries, narrative shorts and features, music videos, animation; some are educational and others are pure entertainment. You will be able to see films that you won’t get to see anywhere else and they are great.”
Also during the Film Festival, the Mid-South Intellectual Property Institute will hold the Mid-South Intellectual Property Institute Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday (Feb. 22) at the UM School of Law. The conference will feature a variety of legal experts – from the traditional disciplines of patent, trademark and copyright to specialists in music, film and the Internet, which provides six hours of continuing legal education credit.
“The conference includes panels on literary rights, the right of publicity and professionalism, and Ole Miss faculty, staff and students can attend for free,” Fergusson said.
Registration and more information about the conference are available at http://www.msipi.org and includes admission to the Oxford Film Festival. All sessions will be held at the UM School of Law, Room 1090, unless otherwise noted. Sessions on Saturday are sessions with the Oxford Film Festival.