The El Dorado Film Festival offers a curated selection of independent cinema to audiences in El Dorado, Arkansas: a small town with a unique and vibrant history in the arts. The film festival started as part of the South Arkansas Arts Center's 50th anniversary in 2014. We put a big emphasis on southern hospitality and do our best to make the festival an inviting and amazing experience for filmmakers and audiences alike.
El Dorado Film Festival has brought filmmakers together and, in turn, created opportunities for those filmmakers to grow together. We put our heart into building relationships, celebrating the amazing accomplishment of making a film, and giving the audiences a direct connection to you, the filmmaker. Who knows, you might bump into your next big investor?
Previous special guests include: Joey Lauren Adams (Big Daddy), Jamie Costa (Bring Him To Me), Summer Shelton (You & I, People Places Things), Kristin Mann (What Happens Later, To The Stars), and more! Last year, Rotten Tomatoes critic Keith Garlington came to the festival and reviewed many of the shorts and features.
This festival is all about building community so that each filmmaker can continue to pursue their dreams.
The El Dorado Film Festival offers several cash awards and works to arrange free housing and discounts to make it easier for filmmakers to attend the event.
-Cash Awards-
Best of Fest - $1,500
Pam Callaway Spirit of the Festival Award - $1,000
Best Narrative Feature - $500
Best Documentary - $500
Best Short Drama - $500
Best Short Comedy - $500
Best Arkansas Ties Short Film - $500