Kellams: The fifth annual Fort Smith International Film Festival is underway. One hundred sixty films from 30 different countries and 17 Indigenous nations and tribes will be screened. Brandon Chase Goldsmith is the executive director of the festival. He’s with me on Zoom. Welcome back to Ozarks at Large.
Brandon Chase Goldsmith: It’s always a pleasure to be—even virtually—with you. These are always some of my favorite conversations, and I’m looking forward to telling you about everything we’ve got going on this year. It’s quite the year.
Kellams: Fifth year. And every year it has ratcheted up. The case again this year, isn’t it?
Goldsmith: Yes. Where we ratcheted up this year was in our number of submissions. We got 597 submissions. We have an amazing team of people who watch all those, because every film has to be watched three times. So just do the math on that.
We actually have 20 percent fewer films this year, which means we increased the quality of the films we’re showing. When you have more to select from, you get a higher-quality festival.
Kellams: But the scope, the market, and the screenings seem to be bigger this year.
Goldsmith: Oh, yeah. We’re doing a little ode to our first year when we were all over Garrison Avenue. For the fifth anniversary, you kind of have to have a callback.
The convention center is right across the street from the Bakery District. We know our audience in the afternoons likes to grab lunch and explore, so we thought, why not send them across the street where the food trucks are? Not just films, but other experiences.
On Friday, we have two films about pottery—one from Mexico and another from Arkansas that features the state’s only wood-fired kiln. Between those films, we’ll have pottery demonstrations with wheels set up so people can learn a bit, grab a meal, and experience more than just watching.
Kellams: That’s Friday. What about Saturday?
Goldsmith: On Saturday, we have two musical documentaries. One is about Sully, the lead singer of Godsmack. The other is Randy Crouch: Survival of the Fittest. Some members of the Blues Society are in that film, so I contacted them and they’ll be performing music between the two films Saturday afternoon.
After five years, we understand our audience. We follow their patterns and try to provide films and activities that complement what they’re already doing.
Kellams: You’re not just screening films inside traditional venues.
Goldsmith: Right. On Friday, we have off-site events. Heroes bar reached out to be part of the festival, and I always try to find a way to say yes. I told them, “We have music videos.” So Friday night, our music videos will be their music. That afternoon, they’ll also show short films during their usual happy hour crowd.
On Saturday, Kincaid’s asked to join, and we actually have a documentary about Kincaid’s. So that afternoon, right next to Heroes, we’re showing LGBTQ films. We’ve created a little fest on the avenue. It’s great when the community reaches out and says, “How can we be part of it?” I love finding ways to include them.
Kellams: The number of submissions shows success, but having people reach out to work with you is another big sign.
Goldsmith: Exactly. One of the most important things I do with the festival is keep it community-focused. Thursday night’s show is completely free—we’re giving it to the community.
Last year’s regional “Best Of” winner had a short film. Now he has a feature-length film. One of my favorite things is watching our alums grow. We’re celebrating that Thursday with a red carpet night that’s free to the public.
The screenings at the Bakery District, Kincaid’s, and Heroes—those are all free, too.
Kellams: Every year, I try to pick a film I’m interested in based solely on the title. This year, it’s Black Gold of Oaxaca.
Goldsmith: That’s our pottery film screening at the Bakery. We’re representing over 17 Indigenous nations and tribes this year. And when we say “Indigenous,” we mean international Indigenous.
Black Gold of Oaxaca is about a pottery tradition started by Indigenous people in Mexico. It shows how that tradition continues today. That film will be followed by the pottery class, and then by Ozark Wabi, which is about Arkansas’s only wood-fired kiln.
Kellams: I imagine it’s exciting to see those connections emerge.
Goldsmith: Exactly. As I tell people, every year the film festival builds itself.
This year, we wanted the festival to reflect what we’ve become over five years. We used to have lots of categories—comedy, action, etc. But now we know who we are.
We have an Arkansas category, an Oklahoma category, and an Italy category, thanks to our sister city relationship with Cisterna. They have a studio and distribution company that sends us films every year. We grouped those into a block.
One of my favorite blocks that came together this year is the accessibility block. We have a documentary from Spain called Inclusion about how films can reach all five senses. We also have a film called Audio Description, made for visually impaired or blind audiences. And another film features an all–African American cast that is deaf, using sign language with subtitles. Those pairings came together based on what made it through our screening process.
Kellams: That’s remarkable.
Goldsmith: Another thing I’m excited about—back in our first year, we had documentaries about people trying to save their native languages. This year, we have films in those native languages. One is in Navajo—it’s the first film that’s 80 percent in Navajo with subtitles. Another is entirely in Cherokee, with subtitles.
It’s amazing. You get to watch someone identify a problem and solve it through film. How do you save a language? Film is a great medium for that. Being part of that process gives me chills.
Kellams: Where can people find the schedule, learn more, and become part of the festival?
Goldsmith: Go to fortsmithfilm.com. The schedule is there, and you can get tickets.
Kellams: As always, it’s a pleasure to see you behind the microphone, even if you’re not sitting across from it.
Goldsmith: Thank you so much.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a rush deadline. Copy editors utilize AI tools to review work. KUAF does not publish content created by AI. Please reach out to kuafinfo@uark.edu to report an issue.
