Mississippi has given rise to some incredible artistic talents: From Tennessee Williams to Elvis Presley and B.B. King to William Faulkner, Eudora Welty and Morgan Freeman, the very soil seems to teem with creative potential. Bolstered back attractive tax rebates and similarly attractive scenery, Mississippi has recently seen an increased presence from the film production community, with major Hollywood projects like Get On Up to smaller indies that are quickly gaining an audience and grabbing headlines setting up shop and shooting in the Magnolia state. Mississippi's "Hub" City, Hattiesburg, MS now seeks to bring to the state a premiere film festival to showcase the state's burgeoning film industry.
We here at FSFX seek to pay homage to Mississippi's rich creative legacy and to foster to give voice to independent filmmakers from Mississippi and around the world. We hope to provide a platform for emerging artists to showcase and talk about their films, to network with other filmmakers and to advertise, in a way, the wonderfully complex creative power and culture that continues to percolate through our state and her people. The festival is directed by filmmaker and actor, Miles Doleac, a champion of independent films and the relentless artistic spirits that create them.
Golden Magnolia Best Feature Award, $500 cash prize
Golden Magnolia Best Short, $250 cash prize
Golden Magnolia Best Documentary (feature or short), $250 cash prize
Audience Award, short or feature
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Cinematography