George Lindsey UNA Film Festival Kicks off Feb. 29
Feb. 22, 2024
Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392
FLORENCE, AL – The George Lindsey UNA Fill Festival will kick off its 27th year Thursday, Feb. 29 at 9 a.m. at Norton Auditorium on the University of North Alabama campus, with the festival’s kick-off party slated for 7 p.m., also at Norton. As Alabama’s longest-running film festival, the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival is a unique platform for student, emerging, local, and international filmmakers.
“The George Lindsey UNA Film Festival is a beacon for the cinematic arts in our region, propelling the University of North Alabama onto the global film stage,” said Michael Curtis Johnson, one of the festival organizers as well as Chair of the Cinematic Arts and Theatre Department. “By fostering a vibrant community of filmmakers, students, and enthusiasts, we’re not only celebrating cinematic achievements but also nurturing the growth of the film industry in the Southeast.”
More than 20 finalist filmmakers from across the globe will converge on the Shoals in order to showcase their work at the festival. The event will also include the Alabama theatrical premiere of the feature film, The Sweet East. Sam’s World and Hell of SE will be screened at the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival; both are fresh off of their premiers at the Slamdance Film Festival. The directors for both films are scheduled to attend.
In the spirit of George Lindsey’s comedic work, the festival will also have a Clown Workshop for actors, led by acclaimed actor Tallie Medal, renowned for their role in the Academy Award-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once.
UNA’s Cinematic Arts and Theatre students will present their work at 11 a.m., March 1 at the Mane Room; this event spotlights the next generation of talent. Also on March 1, a block party is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the AlleyCAT, at Tombigbee and Pine streets, that will include karaoke and food.
Multiple industry panels are scheduled throughout the festival, and these offer insights into the filmmaking process and the entertainment industry. On March 2, the awards show, which is a festival highlight, will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Mane Room. Among the awards is the Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award, which is accompanied by a $2,000 prize and honors outstanding achievement among nearly 75 Alabama films.
All festival events and screenings are free and open to the public.
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.