By NATALIE LESTER
N.Lester@theknoxvillejournal.com
The Mountain Madness Film Festival (MMFF) will split the proceeds from its upcoming event between four charities – Toys for Tots, Heavenly Hats, the Second Harvest Food Banks of New Orleans and the Second Harvest Food Banks of East Tennessee.
“I can’t begin to express my sincere appreciation for all that [the festival] is doing for our foundation,” said DeeAnn T. Leanna, Executive Director of the Heavenly Hats Foundation, Inc. “It really does mean more than I can say.”
The festival will screen films on Oct. 8th and 9th at the W.L. Mills Conference Center in Gatlinburg. According to the website, the MMFF is a celebration of the people, products and passion involved in the art of motion picture.
Four categories of films are being accepted for the competition with no entry fee necessary. Director Duane Langley seeks to highlight the best films from producers and directors of social issue documentaries, foreign language films, Native American films and teaser/trailor screenings.
Documentary film submissions should pertain issues of reality such as social justice, public education, native tribes, government policy, grassroots advocacy, media literacy, civic pride and engagement, youth, sex, politics, substance abuse, violence, learning, love and life in America. Particular attention will be given to those films covering environmental concerns such as earth and nature conservation.
The Native American category is not films about Native American culture, but rather films produced, directed and written by Native Americans themselves.
Because the festival is free of charge, the submitted films will be screened before they are entered into the competition.
Two $500 scholarships will also be awarded during the weekend. The recipient of the James Henry Wilcox III scholarship should be a student exhibiting a degree of proficiency in academics, athletics and arts. The Sequoyah Scholarship winner will be given to a Native American student with abilities in creative writing and public speaking. Preference of both awards is given to those with demonstrated financial need.
In addition to the scholarships, two $500 grants will also be given out during the weekend. The Deric Button grant will be awarded to an individual or group working on any project involving nature and music. The recipient of the Aaron Russo grant must have a project involving truth, politics, government or social issues that are in-progress or upcoming soon.
Information on the application process for all awards will be available soon on the event’s website at www.mmfilmfestival.com.
A panel discussion will be held each day to educate filmmakers on different issues. On Oct. 8, the panel will be discussing the broad topic of documentary filmmaking. The board will follow up with instruction on cinematography and lighting in the mountains on Oct. 9 and a general filming in Tennessee segment on Oct. 10.
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