Film Festival pg 1 The 9th Annual Hot Springs International Women’s Film Festival takes center stage May 10-12, 2024, at the historic Malco Theatre. This exciting event celebrates women in film, showcasing diverse narratives, from gripping documentaries to laugh-out-loud comedies. The festival promises a captivating lineup, including features with stellar performances by renowned actresses like Jacqueline Bisset, Jane Seymour, and Mira Sorvino. Each film is meticulously chosen for its impactful storytelling, promising to engage and inspire audiences. FILM GUIDE Presented by the Hot Springs Arts & Film Institute May 10-12, 2024 at the Malco Theatre For the complete film schedule and discounted tickets, visit https://hotspringswomensfilmfestival.com/
ARKANSAS MADE FILMS 6:00 PM | Stages | RT 00:08:40 “Stages is a film about finding my voice and growing from the shy kid that was afraid to be heard to gaining the confidence to get up on stage in front of thousands and conquering my worst fear.” Ciara Jade Stephens. A student film from Hot Springs, Arkansas School for Math, Science, and the Arts. 6:10 PM | The Future of Couples Therapy | RT 00:07:21 A therapist uses an unusual couples counseling strategy with surprising results. 6:18 PM | The Arkansas Maternal Health Community Hackathon RT 00:11:10 The Arkansas Maternal Health Community Hackathon aims to start conversations, build connections, and develop community-led solutions to address the maternal health crisis in Arkansas. 6:30 PM | The Space Between | U.S. | RT 00:18:40 Two siblings grapple with the harsh realities of their brother’s terminal illness, accepting who he has become while mourning who he once was. 6:50 PM | All Units | RT *00:28:02 A married couple find themselves at odds over their roles at the latest protest. 7:20 PM | Uneven Ground: The Melissa Witt Story | RT 00:48:00 Determined to find answers, LaDonna Humphrey and her team uncover case files, interview witnesses, potential suspects, and work alongside retired detectives to find justice. INTERNATIONAL FILMS 8:10 PM | FORKED | RT 01:29:50 Festival Finalist. The film follows award-winning celebrity chef Susan Feniger on her first solo restaurant, her passionate struggle & quest to bring global street food under one roof in the form of a new LA restaurant. Shot by her longtime filmmaker partner, it’s a story about starting over and about not IF one fails… but HOW. 9:40 PM | And You Are...? | RT 00:18:17 | Festival Finalist A most unlikely of buddy films. Lynn, a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s only has the past to prove she exists. Her grandson Max, desperately wants to erase his past as it never proved his true existence. A film by Alicia Coppola with Emmy and multiple Golden Globe Award winner Jane Seymour, and Zach Barack credited as the first openly transgender actor in a Marvel film, including music from Melissa Etheridge. 10:00 PM | Beyond Normal | RT 00:28:00 Beyond Normal chronicles the journey of professional surfer Becca Speak as she fights her way back to the water after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The film is an intimate portrait of self-discovery and a vulnerable look into the gravity of the injury. 10:30 PM | Legacy in the Making: The Bluebird Café | RT 00:06:52 When a Nashville restaurant owner had the radical idea of inviting songwriters to perform in her intimate cafe, she created a magical listening room where new musical stars are still discovered nightly. By spotlighting gifted songwriters, The Bluebird Café is now renowned as a showcase for exceptional songwriters established and new. 10:40 PM | Agatha Christie - The Queen of Crime | RT 00:52:00 Approaches its legendary protagonist in a very personal way: with the help of films and photos from the private archive of Agatha Christie, some of which she photographed and developed herself. Janet Morgen, Agatha Christie’s only authorised biographer and Agatha Christie expert Dr. John Curran tell of the most important stations in Agatha Christie’s eventful life. 11:35 PM | True Believers | RT 00:18:08 One Journalist’s Eyewitness Account Of the Attack On Democracy. This firsthand account of the two months after Trump lost the 2020 election, covering rallies leading up to the January 6th Capitol insurrection, and the events of that day. This film documents the rise of right-wing extremism and white supremacy since Charlottesville and the radicalization of the Proud Boys and how Trump delivered the mob of ‘true believers’ to storm the Capitol. 12:05 AM | Maya | RT 01:43:20 15-year-old Maya is being raised in a household stricken by her father’s abandonment. When Maya is followed on social media by a seemingly nice guy named Ray, she begins to chat with him about her chaotic life. Ray eventually encourages Maya to run away with him. Maya begins to realize he has another agenda when he starts using her to make money. FILM SCHEDULE Born from a response to inequality in the industry, the festival is organized with a mix of passion and purpose by filmmakers, volunteers, and the devoted members of “Women in Film of Arkansas.” The 9th Annual Hot Springs International Women’s Film Festival is more than an event; it’s a rallying cry for change, a call to action for those who champion the role of women in cinema. Join us in this cinematic celebration and witness the power of storytelling through the lens of women in film. FRIDAY MAY 10 DAY SCHEDULE; 5:00 PM - Filmmaker Meet & Greet at the Malco’s Bar 5:50 PM - Keynote Women in Film Arkansas 6:00 PM - Arkansas Made Films 8:10 PM - International Films Learn more about the Hot Springs International Women’s Film Festival at www.hotspringswomensfilmfestival.com
DAY TWO FILM SCHEDULE 11:10 AM | Belly Encounters | U.S. | RT 00:12:28 Cecelia is pregnant and she just needs to get some groceries, but impertinent, “well-meaning” strangers can’t seem to stop themselves from riling her up. Can she keep her cool this time, or will sparks fly? This satire pokes fun at the almost universal experience of what it is to face public scrutiny. 11:25 AM | The Purple Glasses | U.S. | RT 00:14:54 Set in the late 80s during middle school, The Purple Glasses explores the fun and newfound freedom that this age brings along with the emotions of it all. 11:40 AM | Until the Last Drop | Poland | RT 01:09:00 A film about rivers and people, their relationship, and interconnectedness. The documentary exposes the global cost and consequences of the destruction of nature in the name of progress. Rivers have been especially badly hit. The film reveals how irresponsible and ill-considered human activity makes us one of the leading causes of the freshwater crisis. 12:50 PM | X Trillion | UK | RT 01:10:43 14 Women, 3000 Miles, X Trillion Pieces Of Plastic. A journey that promises to change not only the women’s lives but the very future of our planet. It’s a story of adventure, discovery, science, and solidarity. 2:01 PM | Gloria’s Birthday | U.S. | RT 00:07:35 Joanie, a feisty senior, regales her friends about past events from her youth, but cannot recall her sister Gloria’s recent death. 2:10 PM | Little Hurts | RT 00:10:30 An errand at the dry cleaners unleashes a free-for-all of fat-shaming, body image demons, and family dieting obsessions. 2:22 PM | Jailhouse To Milhouse U.S. | RT 01:07:00 This is the courageous journey of Pamela Hayden, voice of the plucky, resilient Milhouse on The Simpsons. After surviving an abusive boarding school and juvenile jail, as well as other setbacks, Pamela now speaks to teen girls about overcoming obstacles and turning their dreams into reality. 3:30 PM | First Refusal | U.S. | RT 00:07:45 In the surreal world of First Refusal, we follow the emotional journey of a young girl who grapples with grief, forced to confront the pain of loss head-on. First Refusal takes us on a journey that confronts the natural impermanence of life. 4:15 PM | Thundercraft | U.S. | RT 00:01:04 A seasoned artificer is going through a creative block, that is until nature gives inspiration. | RT 00:01:04 4:17 PM | Will You Remember Me? | U.S. | RT 00:12:40 Colleen Cove has been caring for people with Alzheimer’s all her life. Deeply emotional film, Colleen reflects on her uniquely intimate relationship with death, while Lucille a 100-year-old opera singer shares her gift with the world for the last time. 4:30 PM | What No One Knows | UK | RT 02:04:00 A first-time filmmaker and Cannes Film Festival winner for Best Indie Feature and Best Debut Actress. Oriyomi, an orphan, and Ifelolu, an only child since her brother’s death from an undisclosed disease, have been inseparable since their teens; but their friendship is torn apart by the fallout from a secret decision they make as adults. A vicious court battle ensues amidst accusations of gross betrayal. 6:35 PM | Two One Two | CAN | RT 00:04:10 Two One Two, award-winning filmmaker Shira Avni, combines shimmering clay-on-glass animation with personal archives in this deeply intimate, experimental animated documentary love letter to motherhood, parenting. 6:40 PM | The Goat | Lebanon | RT 01:30:00 The Goat, Featuring Mira Sorvino and John Savage, award-winning feature that earned the blessing of the United Nations and the support of Unicef. Hadyia a pregnant elevenyear-old orphan escapes from her village after having been forced into marriage. She takes the road to freedom with her goat. The film explores complex themes of human nature, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of the human soul. 8:10 PM | Loren & Rose | RT 01:22:00 Rose is a legendary actress trying to revive her career. Loren is a promising filmmaker. Over the course of their many encounters, a deep friendship evolves as their love of art, understanding of grief, and faith in life’s potential guide them through personal and creative transformations. The film stars Jacqueline Bisset and Kelly Blatz with a chemistry that is at once authentic and intoxicating. 9:50 PM | Wild Genius | RT 01:12:00 Wild Genius portrays the exceptional life, career, and mental health challenges of living legend Robert Trivers, the evolutionary biologist TIME magazine named as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th Century. The film is an invitation to transform our understanding of life itself. We have the cognitive tools to know ourselves better and, by extension, to make a better world. From award-winning filmmaker Susan Kucera. 11:05 PM | Roommates | RT 00:09:29 After completing lengthy prison terms (for murder & arson, respectively), two women forge a strong bond within a nursing home catering to the formerly incarcerated. 11:15 PM | The Curtain | CAN | RT 00:15:11 Mother-daughter tensions bind one generation to the next in a seedy motel room where Beatrice, 50, is confronted with her own mortality. She revisits an old haunt from her childhood to reconcile herself with those she loves, evoking the memory of her mother following a mastectomy. SATURDAY MAY 11 DAY SCHEDULE; 11:00 AM - Introduction 11:10 AM - Films | Breaks at 3:40 PM & 9:35 PM 11:30 PM - Filmmaker After Party at the Malco’s Bar Learn more about the Hot Springs International Women’s Film Festival at www.hotspringswomensfilmfestival.com
DAY THREE FILM SCHEDULE 11:10 AM | Broken Eyes | U.S. | RT 01:28:11 When Lasik eye surgery destroys a filmmaker’s vision, she decides to make a movie about it. What starts out as an attempt to hang onto her lifelong passion turns into a harrowing investigation into a multibillion-dollar industry and the discovery of an underground network of thousands of patients permanently scarred by Lasik. 12:40 PM | The One With Hope NIGERIA | Poland | RT 01:04:00 A courage-affirming documentary about Anja Ringgren, a Danish aid worker and the founder of Land of Hope, an organization leading in the fight against witchcraft accusations in Nigeria. The film captures the true cost of being a humanitarian. We get to see what the reality beyond the catchy headlines looks like. 1:45 PM | Seize the Summit | UAE | RT 01:15:00 A story of four young people’s thrilling journey to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Shaqayeq, Adnan, Safa, and Tania are not ordinary adventurers, they are all survivors of war from different countries. What brought them together to take on Kilimanjaro was a profound desire to stand against war and have the world hear their messages. But as they are forced to push their limits, the mountain reveals a unique lesson to each of them. From first-time filmmakers Arwa Damon & Binnur Karaevil. 3:00 PM | UnBroken | U.S. | RT 01:36:00 UnBroken chronicles how the seven Weber siblings, ages 6-18, evaded certain capture and death and ultimately escaped Nazi Germany using their own cunning instincts. Filmmaker Beth Lane, daughter of the youngest Weber sibling, embarks on a quest to retrace their steps seeking answers to long-held questions about her family’s survival. 4:50 PM | Stories for my Children’s Children: Lessons from the Holocaust | U.S. | RT 01:01:35 Her parents were Holocaust survivors. Her mother, a young woman at the time, and her family of five hid in a barn for two years as the Nazis took over Poland. Only the family who owned the farm were willing to take the risk of hiding a Jewish family from the Nazis. Discovery would surely get them all killed. 5:53 PM | American Pot Story: Oaksterdam U.S. | RT 01:34:56 It all happened at Oaksterdam University in Oakland, CA - a magical place where cannabis history was made. It’s easy to forget how many millions of people unjustly suffered and still suffer because of the American drug policy. The film is from first-time filmmakers Ravit Markus and Dan Katzir and is winner of the Audience Award at the Slamdance 2023 film festival. 7:30 PM | On These Grounds | RT 01:41:30 A video goes viral, showing a white police officer in South Carolina pull a Black teenager from her school desk & throw her across the floor. Healer-Activist Vivian Anderson uproots her life in New York City to move to South Carolina to support the girl and dismantle the system behind the assault at Spring Valley including facing the police officer. 9:30 PM AWARDS CEREMONY DAY SCHEDULE; 11:00 AM - Inroduction 11:10 AM - Films | Breaks at 4:35 PM & 8:45 PM 9:30 PM - Film Festival Awards and Wrap Party SUNDAY MAY 12 Learn more about the Hot Springs International Women’s Film Festival at www.hotspringswomensfilmfestival.com Located at the Historic Malco Theater, 817 Central Avenue in Downtown Hot Springs