JUSTIN GOES TO THE GEORGE LINDSEY UNA
FILM FESTIVAL
By Justin Bowler
I recently had the opportunity to attend the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in Florence, Alabama. Before this festival, I had never heard of Florence, AL. So, the chance to see a bit of inner-America was a welcome offer. Understand, there aren’t any direct flights to Florence. In fact, to get to Muscle Shoals, you must take one of those tiny planes whose rows consist of one seat, then the isle, and two more seats. The plane wasn’t so small that they needed to ask the passengers their weight so they could distribute it evenly throughout the plane, but it was only a notch or two above. However, just because you have not heard of Florence or its film festival, you should not dismiss this hidden powerhouse.
With feature premieres, films in multiple languages, and several international entries, this film festival is so much more grandiose than its simple name would imply. It is named after George Lindsey, Goober Pyle from The Andy Griffith Show, and the University of Northern Alabama. But, if that underwhelms you, then you are simply ignorant of how impressive this festival is. Let me fill you in.
Past guests include the likes of Bob Gale, Billy Bob Thornton, and Ernest Borgnine to name a few. In addition, they provide cash prizes (up to $2000) and reimbursement to filmmakers on accommodations and travel. Actual trophies are given in all of the categories which not only include best feature, best short, and the like, but also include best male performance, best sound, or best editing. Furthermore, while the town may seem sleepy by big city standards, do not assume they don’t know or love film. I was incredibly impressed with the attendance of the screenings and Q&As. College students, industry, and local townsfolk all came out in equal numbers to enjoy them.
The only down side was the lack of attendance at the awards ceremony by the winning filmmakers. I’m guessing most of the submitting filmmakers underestimated this film festival and the enthusiasm that this town exudes. So, sadly, the majority of the winning filmmakers were not present to accept their awards. Fortunately, there were acceptance speeches that were pretaped for the attending audience to enjoy. Overall, this is a top-notch festival that will soon garner much more notoriety within the film community and the entertainment industry. Look out Sundance.
http://www.lindseyfilmfest.com/
http://www.facebook.com/GLUNAFF
Thank you for the kind words about last year’s festival. We’ve got another great line up this year; would love to have you visit again!
I heard the lineup this year had some weird exclusives but I’m not even sure if they actually screened anything yet.
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I totally agree that the tiny plane ride makes the trip to Florence, AL feel like a real adventure rather than just a boring detour. web game slice to meet you Honestly, seeing past guests like Bob Gale and Billy Bob Thornton there really proves this festival is way bigger than its name suggests.
That tiny single-seat plane trip to get to Muscle Shoals sounds crazy but makes the experience feel totally off the grid. Honestly, seeing Bob Gale and Billy Bob Thornton there makes the festival way bigger than its name suggests. IELTS Academic essay task 2
This feels like a hidden gem that actually deserves more hype than the tiny one-seater planes suggest. Definitely worth checking out ublocked games 76 if you’re looking for something less pretentious than the big festivals.
Had no idea Florence, AL had a film festival this legit, let alone one with cash prizes and past guests like Billy Bob Thornton online gravel calculator
Honestly, it’s wild how a small-town festival like this can pull in serious talent and such a diverse crowd. Definitely makes you wonder how many underrated film festivals are flying under the radar, like the ones worth discovering through coreball level 100.