Harry Thomason, ‘Million Dollar Baby’ Inspiration On Hand For Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
by September 17, 2015 9:51 am 170 views
Organizers for the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, scheduled for October 9-18, announced high profile guests who will be participating.
A decade ago, boxer Katie Dallam was the inspiration for the Oscar-winning film Million Dollar Baby. Now, she is one of the subjects of Shoulder the Lion, a groundbreaking non-fiction film about people who lose abilities that are vital to their lives. Dallam will be in Hot Springs for the screening, as will filmmaker Patryk Rebisz.
Director Harry Thomason caused a stir in 2004 with his incendiary documentary, The Hunting of the President, examining the campaign against Bill Clinton’s presidency, from his days in Arkansas to his time in the White House. With over a decade having passed, and the Clinton family again in the national spotlight, Thomason has added updates to the film, and will show The Hunting of the President: Redux in Hot Springs. Thomason will be joined at the festival screening by one of the film’s subjects, Susan McDougal.
Andrew Jenks is best known as the creator and star of the MTV documentary series World of Jenks. Jenks will bring his latest documentary to Hot Springs, a true-crime film called Dream/Killer. The film chronicles the unorthodox efforts of a father to free his son who was convicted as an accomplice to a murder based on a witness’ dream. A short film Jenks directed, All-American Family, about four generations of deaf football players in a California family, will also screen at the HSDFF.
Mammoth Spring, Arkansas native Tess Harper doesn’t have a film at this year’s festival, but she definitely has a story to tell. The Oscar-nominated actress will be interviewed in front of a live audience on opening weekend to talk about her 30-year career in film and television.
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival is the oldest nonfiction festival in North America, and is also an Academy-qualifying festival in the category of Documentary Short Subject. Recipients of the festival’s Spa City Best Documentary Short Award will qualify for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the Annual Academy Awards without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules. MovieMaker Magazine has named HSDFF to its global list of “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.”
For more information on the festival or to purchase passes and tickets, visit www.hsdfi.org.