The 20th annual Magnolia Film Fest held in Starkville March 2-4 drew entries from independent filmmakers from around the globe. Founded in 1997 by Ron Tibbett, the event held at Hollywood Premier Cinemas is the oldest film festival in Mississippi. Twenty-eight short and feature-length films were screened, and those attending got to walk the red carpet and take advantage of numerous opportunities to meet directors, cast members and crews. Among the contenders for awards in seven categories were six Mississippi films and seven foreign entries, said festival chair Angella Baker.
Ward Emling, director of the Mississippi Film Commission, attended and spoke before screenings.
The festival’s executive director is Charlotte Magnussen, Tibbett’s widow. Tibbett, a Chicago filmmaker who relocated to the Golden Triangle, established The Mag, as it is often affectionately called, after he was unable to find an in-state festival for one of his recently created films. He died in a car accident in 2004.
“The 20th annual Magnolia Film Festival was a tremendous success,” Baker said. “We are very happy with the attendance overall. The quality of the films was outstanding. We look forward to bringing this back to Starkville in 2018.”
Festival awards
Awards announced at the conclusion of screenings on March 4 were:
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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