2007 Dixie Film Festival, day one and half of day two
October 15th, 2007 by Jacob Clark in Dixie Film Festival, Events
The first day of the 4th annual Dixie Film Festival was fairly slow. This year was the festival’s first year being held in Athens, moved because festivals tend to do better in small, artsy towns said Executive Director Randy McDowell, and most of the festival’s RSVPs didn’t want to brave Atlanta’s Friday traffic, proving that you can take the festival out of Atlanta, but you can’t take Atlanta’s plan-disrupting traffic out of the festival. Several films were shown, though, and some producers and directors, such as Mr. Extion’s Barry Battles and Griffin Hood, made the trip up on Friday.
Saturday started quietly, with an hour-long filmmakers’ meet-and-greet on the Lyndon House patio, at which time filmmaker’s took the opportunity to network with one another. After that, though, the festival went into full swing as most of the crowd headed over to the Carmike in anticipation of the festival’s most anticipated arrival – James Best, 40+ year film veteran best remembered as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane on the Dukes of Hazard. Best, who now lives in North Carolina, arrived with his wife Dorothy for the East Coast premier of Moondance Alexander. Best’s son-in-law, Michael Damian, directed the film while his daughter, Janeen Damian, who the film is loosely based on, wrote the script.
The feature proved to be a solid, well-produced family film about a young girl overcoming adolescent insecurity through competing in a horse-jumping competition against snooty middle school-aged girls from school.
While the film didn’t have any local connections, Best did express affection for independent films. “If Hollywood would listen to independent filmmakers they’d start making money,” said Best. “Anyone can make a re-make.”
More information about the festival can be found at www.dixiefilmfest.com.
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