In honor of its 20th anniversary, the Oxford Film Festival will showcase the largest and most diverse schedule yet.
The vast 2023 lineup includes 32 feature films, 93 short films, 18 music videos and one multimedia project, all of varying genres and forms.
The festival also offers numerous community events, educational opportunities and sensory screenings sponsored by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Following the opening night ceremonies on Wednesday March 1, which includes the 20th birthday party and screening of the acclaimed documentary “Butterfly in the Sky,” the festival kicks into high gear on Thursday March 2.
Here are some of the more notable titles/events to check out:
Thursday March 2
“Little Richard: I am Everything” – 7 p.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 2
Lisa Cortes’ relentlessly entertaining documentary on the rock n’ roll icon debuted to great acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival in January. (98 minutes, ticketed)
Friday March 3
UM Shorts – 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 1
The University of Mississippi B.F.A. in Film Production program highlights its best in documentary and narrative short filmmaking, from students, staff and alumni. (90 minutes each, ticketed)
“Silent Beauty” – noon at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 4
Jasmín Mara López directs this deeply personal and acclaimed documentary recounting her experiences as a victim of childhood sexual abuse. López crafts a movie that, while often difficult to watch, proves incredibly healing and vital. (87 minutes, ticketed)
“iMordecai” – 12:30 p.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 3
Recent Oscar-nominee Judd Hirsch stars in the story of a man forced to face the realities of the modern world when he is confronted with an unfamiliar object: an iPhone. (102 minutes, ticketed)
Stunt-Acting Panel – 2 p.m. at The Powerhouse
Professional stunt man and UM alum Ned Yousef leads this panel about stunt choreography and the art of action film acting. (60 minutes, non-ticketed)
“Once Upon a Time in Uganda” – 5 p.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 2
A documentary about the making of the cult camp classic “Who Killed Captain Alex?” (94 minutes, ticketed)
“The Crisis” – 6 p.m. at The Gertrude C. Ford Center
OxFilm, in collaboration with the Mississippi Film Commission, presents the 1916 silent film classic “The Crisis,” the earliest surviving film to have been shot in Mississippi. This will be the first time the film has been screened in North Mississippi in more than 100 years. The event will also include live musical score accompaniment. (88 minutes, ticketed)
“Faulkner: The Past is Never Dead” – 7:30 p.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 2
Largely shot in Oxford’s own Rowan Oak, “The Past is Never Dead” seeks to capture the complexity of Faulkner’s literary canon as well as his contradictory views on race. (90 minutes, ticketed)
Saturday March 4
“Body Parts” – 10:30 a.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 3
The documentary traces the evolution of sex on screen from the female perspective, featuring interviews with Rosanna Arquette, Jane Fonda, Rose McGowan and more. (86 minutes, ticketed)
“Daddy” – 11 a.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 2
“Daddy” offers a look at a dystopian society, where the state has the power to determine who can and cannot father children, forcing four men to prove that they have what it takes to become fathers. (98 minutes, ticketed; preceded by short film “Intimacy Workshop”)
“Belief: The Season – Ole Miss Baseball” – noon at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 3
“Belief” follows the 2022 Ole Miss baseball team on its historic championship season run. (103 minutes, ticketed)
“Two Lives in Photography” – 3 p.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 3
“Two Lives in Photography” explores the fascinating marriage and artistic collaboration of Maude Schuyler Clay and Langdon Clay, who headlined a joint exhibition at the UM Museum in 2019-2020 (93 minutes, ticketed; preceded by short film “Peggy-Blue Eyes”)
“The Banality” – 7:30 p.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 1
The Mississippi shot and produced thriller “The Banality” follows the harrowing journey of a priest investigating the mysterious death of a local boy. As he gets closer to the truth, the shocking events begin to resemble his own recurring nightmares. (78 minutes, ticketed; sensory screening offered at 8:30 a.m.)
Sunday March 5
“Bolan’s Shoes” – 10:30 a.m. at Malco Oxford Commons Auditorium 1
Timothy Spall (of “Harry Potter” fame) and Leanne Best star in this touching dramedy about the enduring legacy of T. Rex guitarist Marc Bolan’s life-affirming music. (97 minutes, ticketed)
For the full schedule, and tickets to all films, visit the Oxford Film Festival website.
