5 YEARS IN THE MAKING
Academy Award® winner Geena Davis and Inclusion Companies CEO Trevor Drinkwater, co-founded the Bentonville Film Festival five years ago when they saw a need for diversity and inclusion in media. Since then, BFF screened over 400 inclusive films, more than 60 impactful panels, and hundreds of powerful discussions on diversity in film.
MAY 5-9, 2015
Film Submissions: 242
Festival Slogan: Championing Women and Diversity in Film
Hashtags: #BeourBFF
Attendees: 37,000
Local economy: generated more than $1 million in business for the local economy
46 Films in Competition
- 20 documentary films
- 26 feature films
Films in Competition – Directors
- Female 53%
- Male 47%
- Minority 20%
Filmmaker/Director Stats
- 60 films screened: 46 competition and 15 showcase
13 Panels
Events
- Remembering the Artist: Robert DeNiro
- “A League of Their Own” Game with Rosie O’Donnell & Geena Davis
2015 COMPETITION WINNERS
MAY 3-8, 2016
Film Submissions: 245
Festival Slogan: Championing Women and Diverse Voices in Media
Hashtags: #BeourBFF
Attendees: 63,000
33 Films in Competition
- 16 documentary films
- 17 feature films
Director Breakdown of Films in Competition
- Female 44%
- Male 56%
- Minority 18%
Filmmaker/Director Stats
- 53 films screened: 33 competition, 19 showcase and 1 work in progress
12 Panels
Events
- “A League of Their Own” Game with Rosie O’Donnell & Geena Davis
2016 COMPETITION WINNERS
Best of the Fest: No Greater Love
MAY 2-7, 2017
Film Submissions: 816
Festival Slogan: Championing inclusion in all forms of media
Hashtags: #MyBFFStory
Attendees: 75,000
44 Films in Competition
- 14 documentary films
- 19 feature films
- 17 shorts
- 4 episodic
Director Breakdown of Films in Competition
- Female 57%
- Male 43%
- Minority 30%
Filmmaker/Director Stats
- 61 films screened: 33 competition, 18 showcase and 10 spotlight
17 Panels
Events
- “A League of Their Own” Game with Rosie O’Donnell & Geena Davis
2017 COMPETITION WINNERS
Best Audience Short: Deep Storage
Best Audience Episodic: Lost and Found
Best Spotlight Feature: A Happening of Monumental Proportions
Best Family Film: Saving Sally
Man in the Mirror Award: Charles Mully
Whole Human Award: Paula
Diversity Award: Looking at the Stars
MAY 1-6, 2018
Film Submissions: 798
Festival Slogan: Championing inclusion in all forms of media
Hashtags: #DreamBigBFF
Attendees: 85,000
89 Films in Competition
- 21 documentary films
- 22 feature films
- 33 shorts
- 13 episodic
Director Breakdown of Films in Competition
- Female 65%
- Male 35%
- Minority 28%
Filmmaker/Director Stats
- 137 films screened: 89 competition (10 world premieres), 10 legacy and 38 showcase
20 Panels
Events
- Legacy Tribe to Meg Ryan
2018 COMPETITION WINNERS
Best Short Film: The Brownlist
Best Episodic Award: Beast
Best Audience Short: Laboratory Conditions
Best Audience Episodic: Brooklynification
See It, Be It Award Winner: Natalie Morales
Legacy Award Winner: Meg Ryan
MAY 7-11, 2019
Film Submissions: 1,025
Festival Slogan: Championing inclusion in all forms of media
Hashtags: #FastForwardBFF and #BFF2019
65 Films in Competition
- 16 narratives
- 15 documentaries
- 23 shorts
- 5 episodic
- 6 family films
- 9 spotlight films
Director Breakdown of Films in Competition
- Female 81%
- Male 19%
- POC Director or Cast: 68%
- LGBTQ Director or Cast: 38%
15 Panels
YEAR OVER YEAR TOTALS
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film Submissions | 242 | 245 | 816 | 798 | 1025 | 3126 |
| Competition Films | 46 | 33 | 44 | 89 | 65 | 277 |
| Total Films | 60 | 53 | 61 | 137 | 97 | 408 |
| Panels | 13 | 12 | 17 | 20 | 15 | 77 |
| Winners | 7 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 49 |