It’s that time again–submissions will open for Filmland: Arkansas tomorrow, March 1st, and run through July 17th, with an early deadline of May 1st. The Panavision grants will be back this year and submission deadlines are changing to allow ACS to screen and qualify more Arkansas feature films in an added Filmland: Arkansas summer program. Additionally, ACS will no longer offer a virtual component. Any ACS member who wishes to submit should contact us to receive a code for half price off submission fees. Films can be submitted via FilmFreeway.

“Filmland: Arkansas is one of the most important and celebrated aspects of Filmland,” said ACS Executive Director Kathryn Tucker. “The film talent in and from Arkansas grows exponentially every year, so every year we reassess after Filmland to make it better and figure out how to screen as many Arkansas films as possible the following year. We hope we’ve found a creative way to expand our Arkansas program to showcase more Arkansas filmmakers while maintaining Filmland’s intimate, single venue, quality-over-quantity curated program design.”

Panavision loves Filmland and they will be back to support more Arkansas filmmakers! The Panavision camera grants will be awarded to the Audience Award winners for both professional features and shorts. Each grant awards the winning feature filmmaker $60,000 and the winning short filmmaker $15,000 worth of camera equipment packages, courtesy of the Panavision New Filmmaker Program. The director or producer of the eligible feature or short film must be in attendance to receive the grant.

"Panavision is thrilled to return as a sponsor of Filmland: Arkansas and provide our New Filmmaker Program equipment grants to this year’s Audience Award winners,” said Panavision New Filmmaker Program manager Aaron Saffa. “We’re dedicated to empowering filmmakers’ creative visions by providing tools and support to bring their stories to the screen. That commitment is reflected in our New Filmmaker Program, which provides educational opportunities and grants for equipment and services. We look forward to seeing and celebrating the incredible work that emerges from this year's festival.”

ACS has created a Filmland: Arkansas summer program for narrative feature film selections with an earlier submission deadline of May 1st. The summer screening opportunities will take place July 29-30th and August 12-13th at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) in Little Rock. These screenings will be balloted for the Audience Award just like those during Filmland.

Any feature films submitted after May 1st until the final deadline of July 17th will be considered for a screening during Filmland this October 4-8th at the AMFA. Space for features is very limited during Filmland, so early submission is recommended so as many Arkansas filmmakers as possible can screen and qualify for the Panavision grant. It is up to the filmmaker if they submit for summer or fall. 

To be eligible for the Audience Award + Panavision grant, feature filmmakers (director or producer), who submit early must attend both the summertime screening of their film and Filmland this fall. Once selections are made, dates will be confirmed and decided based on program and filmmaker availability. All short categories will continue to screen during the October Filmland event along with a few Arkansas feature films.

About Filmland: Arkansas

Since Filmland’s inception, Filmland: Arkansas has given Arkansas residents and former residents the opportunity to have their films screened for enthusiastic hometown audiences in the Natural State. While Filmland is a curated film event, Filmland: Arkansas does allow local filmmakers to compete for an Audience Award. All selections are initially screened by the Filmland: Arkansas Programming Committee.

‍About Panavision 

Panavision is the world-class provider of end-to-end solutions that power the creative vision of filmmakers. Panavision’s comprehensive offerings include unparalleled optics, proprietary camera and lighting systems, and state-of-the-art post-production services. Driven by a passion for collaborative innovation, Panavision provides filmmakers and creators with the highest standard of quality and service. Panavision’s portfolio includes the renowned brands Light Iron, Panalux, LEE Filters, Direct Digital, and Island Studios.

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