George Lindsey Film Festival has big events planned | Arts & Culture

The University of North Alabama’s annual George Lindsey Film Festival will premier several big events and faces for viewers during its three day run Feb. 28 through March 2.

The acclaimed “Muscle Shoals” documentary following the history of music in the Shoals area will officially kick off the festival with two screenings. On Feb. 27, VIP audiences will be invited to view the documentary at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center. The documentary will also be shown Fri., March 1 in Norton Auditorium.

“We are very fortunate to have been chosen to host the Alabama premieres of ‘Muscle Shoals,’” said UNA assistant professor of English and co-direct of The George Lindsey Film Festival. “This film is important to film, to music history, and to the Shoals community.  Audiences can expect 102 minutes of some of the biggest names in music talking about how Muscle Shoals came to be among the most important places in the history of music.”

Along with big names like Michael Rooker of The Walking Dead and Oscar-winning actor Danny Vinson on the advisory board, actress Natalie Canerday of October Sky and Walk the Line will serve as the MC for the event as well.

A filmmaker’s workshop for 25 aspiring middle school students from Florence Middle School will also be hosted during the three day event. The workshop, conducted by Direct of Education at the Children’s Media Project in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Mary Ellen Iatropoulus, will allow students to film and edit video.

“She has an electric personality, and the workshop participants are sure to have a meaningful experience,” Burkhead said.

The Festival, which was founded by actor George Lindsey, serves as a competitive film festival for aspiring or professional filmmakers at the local, national and international level. UNA is the only university within the United States to offer a film competition of this kind.

“George Lindsey was always very keen on providing film education to the Shoals community, and along with retired UNA Director of Communications Bill Jarnigan and Bobby Hurt, a beloved communications professor, (Lindsey) was able to achieve that goal by establishing the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival,” Burkhead said.

For more information about the screenings or upcoming events for the Festival visit the festival’s homepage: www.lindseyfilmfest.com