ROCK CITY FILM FESTIVAL

Our mission is the same as it’s always been: supporting Arkansas film and filmmakers. So why did we change our name from Made in Arkansas Film Festival to Rock City Film Festival? A few reasons, actually.

We’re growing.

First, we’re growing. Our festival is growing, the film community in Arkansas is growing and becoming more unified, and Arkansas filmmakers are branching out, making movies all over the world. We didn’t want filmmakers considering submissions to festivals to feel limited by the borders of our state. Whether you made your film in El Dorado, or Conway, or L.A., or New York, or Louisiana, or Oklahoma, or Spain, you have a home here with us.

The festival landscape in Arkansas is evolving.

Our number one priority has always been to serve the film community here in the Natural State. For us, that has always included supporting other festivals - and Arkansas has many worth supporting. Everyone benefits from a robust festival calendar that allows filmmakers to screen their work, meet one another, watch each other’s films, and plan their next projects together. Changing our name is an acknowledgment that Arkansas film belongs to us all.

We’re gonna need a bigger table.

Finally, we’re a networking festival. That’s always been our strength, and it’s the reason we keep doing this. We love to see filmmakers having conversations with each other that may lead to new projects. Creativity has no borders. More and more Arkansas filmmakers are collaborating creatively with filmmakers in other states. We want to be intentional about facilitating new relationships between filmmakers in Arkansas and those in neighboring states and beyond.

Changing the name to Rock City Film Festival allows us to capitalize (see what we did there?) on our centralized location in the heart of our state. And our beautiful home at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater provides the perfect venue for us all to convene. It’s like a big film family reunion - where the table just gets bigger and bigger.

This festival is great because you make it great. It’s growing because you keep showing up. We’re planning some exciting things in the future, things we can’t wait to share. And in the meantime, we hope you’ll join us at the Ron Rob for our Made in Arkansas Monthly Screening Series.

KEEP MAKING MOVIES!