#LRFF2011 - Arkansas Film Institute Details

Little Rock Film Festival founder Owen Brainard had some exciting news at this year’s Little Rock Film Festival Gala. He announced that the festival has got several new initiatives in the works.  One of these initiatives is the Arkansas Film Studies Institute which promises to be a resource to all filmmakers in the state and the region. The institute will initially be run by the LRFF’s artistic director, Brent Renaud, and will focus on three main tasks:  to promote filmmaking in Arkansas, to promote film education in the state, and to support film arts organizations in the state.

We spoke with Mr. Renaud about this institute, “The idea is to bring together a strong board of business and arts leaders from around the state to set a coherent and cohesive agenda for filmmaking in Arkansas… helping to bring production to the state from all over the world, helping to work with university programs across the state, and to do youth workshops in rural areas.  We want it to help support the three major film festivals of the state, Little Rock, Hot Springs Documentary, and the Ozark Foothills Festival.”

Beginning this initiative after a mere five years of  the festival's existence is a huge victory for the founders. Renaud said that they “had always planned on starting an organization to help. We didn’t think we would get to this so fast. Originally it was a ten year plan, but we got to it in five. “

In the first year of the institute Arkansas Film Commissioner Christopher Crane will be the leader of the board, and members of the festivals and state universities will also be represented.  The Little Rock Film Festival will remain an independent entity.

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