Two-thirds of the projects are directed by BIPOC filmmakers.
The Bentonville Film Foundation today announced the narrative, documentary feature, short and episodic film selections debuting in the 2021 Bentonville Film Festival’s competition program set for Aug. 2-8. Tickets to the festival, which will include virtual and in-person events, are on sale now.
The Bentonville Film Festival is an annual event amplifying female, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and people with disabilities’ voices in entertainment, according to a press release. The week-long festival, presented by the Bentonville Film Foundation, in partnership with founding sponsor Walmart and presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, aims to champion marginalized and underrepresented voices in film with 71 percent of the competition titles directed by women.
“The festival is a welcome celebration of art and creativity, and is central to our mission of supporting filmmakers from diverse backgrounds,” said Wendy Guerrero, president of Bentonville Film Festival and Foundation. “With exciting and fresh narratives from some of the most up-and-coming voices in film, this year’s competition lineup is one we can’t wait to share with festival audiences.”
In the BFF 2021 juried competition program, 71 percent are directed by women, 75 percent by people that are BIPOC or AAPI, and 33 percent by people in the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, 96 percent of these films have a cast and crew that was made up of more than half of people from these same communities. The festival’s director of programming, Ashley Edwards, and film curator, Drea Clark, led program selections for this year’s competition lineup.
In 2020, the Bentonville Film Festival’s hybrid virtual program saw more than 30,000 attendees. For a complete list of projects that have been confirmed for this year’s competition, visit www.bentonvillefilm.org.