The stars are aligning in the Ozarks this summer for the 12th annual edition of the Bentonville (Ark.) Film Festival. Running June 15-21, the festival continues its mission of championing diverse voices with 34 films in its feature competition and five world premieres.
On Monday, organizers announced additional programming for its lineup, including its centerpiece event, “Geena and Friends,” which features festival chair and Oscar winner Geena Davis alongside an all-star group of actors reimagining memorable dialogue from all-male movie scenes through an all-female/gender non-conforming lens. This year’s lineup includes Bevin Bru (R.J. Decker), Toks Olagundoye (The Paper), Alysia Reiner (The Diplomat), and Alexandra Shipp (Forbidden Fruits), and will be moderated by Gold Derby editor-in-chief Debra Birnbaum.
The jury for this year’s festival awards will include Amber Benson (writer-actor; Buffy the Vampire Slayer“), Mary Pat Bentel (director, The Cockroach), Billy Ray Brewton (director of acquisitions, Antenna Releasing), Carlos Cardona (director, Born 2 Lose), Sian Edwards-Beal (producer, Hacking Democracy), Winnie Kemp (president, Wolf at the Door Studios), Kate Mason (programmer, New Orleans Film Society & Film Independent), Ron Najor (producer, Lucky Lu), Toks Olagundoye (actor, Frasier), Sav Rodgers (director, Saving Amy), Brittany Shyne (director, Seeds) & Joi Tribble (shorts program director, Sidewalk Film Festival).
The full lineup kicks off on June 16 with the opening-night selection, Family Movie, which features real-life couple Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, who served as directors, producers, and star in movie alongside their children, Sosie Bacon and Travis Bacon. The film offers a meta-twist on the horror genre, following a filmmaking family whose low-budget slasher set turns into a genuine nightmare when a real body is discovered. Bacon and Sedgwick will be on hand for a moderated conversation following the screening.
The mid-week Centerpiece on June 18 features the world premiere of Street Smart, directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The film follows a resilient group of Venice Beach street kids chasing their dreams and the cast including Isabelle Fuhrman, Yara Shahidi, Michael Cimino, and Marcia Gay Harden. A Q&A will follow with Hardwicke, also moderated by Gold Derby’s editor-in-chief.
The Pitt star Katherine LaNasa will receive the Virtuoso Award from Variety, which recognizes artists who have made a significant impact in the entertainment industry through their work in film, television, and theater.
The festival will close on June 21 with a special screening of the premiere episode of Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie. Showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine will join stars Crosby Fitzgerald and Alyssa Wapanatâhk for a Q&A.
Sonnenshine is also set to receive the Rising to the Challenge Award on June 20. Festival Chair Davis praised her work, noting that Sonnenshine “creates stories with emotional depth, strength, and imagination while opening doors for broader perspectives.”
Oscar winner Viola Davis will be part of the Spotlight Films category as the narrator of the documentary The Ebony Canal. The documentary examines the disparities in maternal health and infant mortality for Black and Brown women and features insights from Kamala Harris and Kimberly Seals Allers.
Beyond the screenings, attendees can catch “Coffee Talks” with culinary icons Ree Drummond, Bobby Flay, and Chef JJ Johnson. The fest’s complete line-up be found here.
Updated June 8 with additional programming.
