Video: Local Festival Helps Independent Filmmakers

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — For the second year in a row, Wendy Keeling is at the Tupelo Film Festival.

For filmmakers like Keeling, getting their movie screened and hearing audience feedback is huge.

“People actually see your film, they laugh and cry, I feel like if you make a film and nobody sees it, is it like the tree that falls in the woods, did it really make a noise,” Keeling said.

The 13th annual Tupelo Film Festival features a variety of independent screenings, workshops and opportunities to network with actors, directors, producers and fans.

“When you’re putting on a festival, you want to keep up with your filmmakers, and you want to find out how well they’re doing, that’s what it’s all about, we couldn’t have a film festival without filmmakers obviously,” said Pat Rasberry, Tupelo Film Commissioner.

Tom Kimmel will lead a workshop focusing on songwriting for film and television.

“One thing I want to communicate is that it’s possible. I grew up in small town South Alabama and I know growing up it felt like a dream, the idea of getting a song in a film or tv show, but step by step with the right mentorship, guidance and self effort, it can be done,” Kimmel said.

And Marlyn Mason is back. She is best known for playing Elvis’ leading lady in “The Trouble with Girls”

She will screen her film “The Right Regrets”, which won the “Ron Tibbet Award” in 2014. She says film festivals like Tupelo’s have many benefits.

“The younger filmmakers, it’s an experience for them, in what other people are doing, definitely a learning experience, probably more what not to do, and it also keeps film alive, it is an art form and sometimes isn’t treated as one,” Mason said.

The film festival runs through Saturday evening.

For more information about the Tupelo Film Festival, go to www.tupelofilmfestival.net

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