Last year the BFFoundation invited it’s 2019 Alumni Filmmakers pre-Bentonville Film Festival to a retreat with workshops and special guest speakers. This year, as part of the Coca-Cola Grant to the BFFoundation, we are going virtual. And, for the very first time, we want to take this opportunity to open some of these special events of the 2020 Virtual Filmmaker Retreat to the public!
Please join us for these special events from Friday, November 6th through Monday, November 9th, to include a Virtual Movie Monday screening of BFF 2020 Alumni Films, along with a Live Q&A with the filmmakers! Please see the description and pricing for these open events below. To learn more, register for the free “Filmmakers Lounge” or purchase tickets to available workshops, please visit https://bentonvillefilm.org/2020-virtual-retreat/.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2020
Filmmaker Lounge: BFF Edition
10a PST / 12p CST
Join us for a special edition of Film Festival Alliance and Festival Formula, LTD’s Filmmaker Lounge, where we’ll speak to BFF alumni filmmakers Haroula Rose (Once Upon A River – 2019), Sujata Day (Definition Please – 2020) and Gretchen Wylder (These Thems – 2020) about how they look to the festival circuit for support in building audiences and furthering their careers, in an exhibition world that in dire need of more diversity and inclusivity. We’ll look at their own festival journeys and examine ways that we can all play a role in furthering the change and representation we need to see on screen in our evolving landscape.
FREE EVENT.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2020
Utilizing Film For Social Change
12p PST / 2p CST
A virtual workshop led by award-winning producer and global filmmaker, Alahna Lark, about anti-racism, ally-ship, and how to be on the right side of history as a filmmaker.
TICKET PRICE: $15.
Ask Me Anything with Veteran Filmmaker: Rachel Feldman
2p PST / 4p CST
Rachel Feldman is an accomplished Hollywood based film and television writer and director. She’s directed more than 75 hours of network television and is currently in development on LILLY, a feature film about fair pay activist Lilly Ledbetter, and she’s here to answer any of your questions!
Want to talk about directing episodic television? How about how to get a feature film off the ground? During Covid? How to work with well-known actors? How to sell projects in Hollywood? How to get an agent or a manager? How to juggle directing and raising a family? What about activism? Do you have some questions about what to do about gender discrimination in the film TV industry? Bring your questions, she’ll give you straight answers!
TICKET PRICE: $15.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020
Virtual Movie Monday
BFF 2020 Alumni documentary film Black Boys and shorts Becoming Eddie and Graceland will be available to stream from Friday through Monday during the retreat. Following the 4-day virtual screening, we will have a live virtual discussion with the filmmakers. The discussion will be moderated by Tony Waller, and will be joined by filmmakers, Sonia Lowman (Black Boys), Lilan Bowden (Becoming Eddie), Joyce Liu Countryman (Becoming Eddie), and Bonnie-Kathleen Ryan (Graceland).
The Virtual Live Q&A will take place at 6:00pm PST / 8:00pm CST.
TICKET PRICE: $10.
If you are one of our “See It, Be It” Fellows, BFF Alumni, or invited industry member, please look for your email from us on how to log into all events. See full schedule at https://bentonvillefilm.org/2020-virtual-retreat/.