Nashville Film Festival highlights

Eight World Premieres, a dozen Southern Premieres, appearances by international recording artist Rob Thomas and The Shields' Walton Goggins and discussions with producers Lawrence Bender and Steve Oederkerk are among the many highlights of this year's Nashville Film Festival, taking place April 19-26 at Regal Green Hills Cinema. In total, the festival will include screenings of 240 films from 40 countries. The complete lineup of films and ticket sale information is available now at nashvillefilmfestival.org (http://www.nashvillefilmfestival.org).
World Premieres include MY SECRET RECORD OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BIZ, a documentary by director Gillian Grisman about the making of Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' multi-platinum-selling solo record; AMERICANIZING SHELLEY, a Hollywood-meets-Bollywood send-up directed by Lorraine Senna that features Beau Bridges and rising star Namrata Singh Gujral; MOTIVES 2: RETRIBUTION, a new thriller produced by Rob Hardy and directed by Aaron Courseault about the corruption and deceit surrounding the characters in the original MOTIVES and RANDY AND THE MOB, a smart comedy with Goggins and Ray McKinnon about a know-it-all, good ol' boy who lands in hot water with low rent mobsters and must turn to his colorful southern family to save himself. McKinnon also directed.

Rounding out the World Premieres are ADRENALINE, a riveting thriller and groundbreaking cinematic experience by director Robert Lynn filmed in one continuous shot in Nashville; MATTHEW KENNEDY: ONE MAN'S JOURNEY, a loving look by Nina Kennedy at the life, times and music of the retired Fisk Jubilee Singers director; THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF THE BEVERLY HILLBILLYS, a documentary by director Dub Cornett that follows the Virginia-based family originally selected for the Beverly Hillbillies reality TV show--pulled in 2003 before production amidst public outcry--as, three years later, they finally take a trip to visit Hollywood and THE URIM AND THE THUMMIM, an unforgettable documentary by directors Cornett and Jacob Young about three Kentucky men who feel they have found a religious oracle from the Old Testament in a Nashville thrift store.

Southern premieres (films listed are from the United States unless otherwise noted) include BANISHED (Marco Williams), COMPANERAS (Elizabeth Massie, Matthew Buzzell), THE CURIOSITY OF CHANCE (Russell Marleau), THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK (Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg), END OF THE LINE (Maurice Devereaux, Canada), KENNY (Clayton Jacobson, Australia), MILK IN THE LAND: BALLAD OF AN AMERICAN DRINK Ariana Gerstein, Monteith McCollum), MYSTERIOUS CREATURES (David Evans), NINA'S HEAVENLY DELIGHTS (Pratibha Parmar), SEARCHING FOR ORSON (Jakov and Dominik Sedlar, Croatia), SMALL ENGINE REPAIR (Niall Heery, Ireland) and THESE GIRLS (Tahani Rached, Egypt).

Among the many panel discussions and workshops offered this year is A CONVERSATION WITH LAWRENCE BENDER. Bender has produced a multitude of classic and groundbreaking films, including PULP FICTION, RESERVOIR DOGS, GOOD WILL HUNTING, KILL BILL 1 & 2 and most recently, the Academy Award-winning documentary AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. Also scheduled is A CONVERSATION WITH STEVE OEDERKERK, an onstage conversation with the versatile writer/producer/director/actor whose credits include BRUCE ALMIGHTY, the upcoming EVAN ALMIGHTY, the animated feature Barnyard and the animated feature and TV series Jimmy Neutron.

The panel MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES: BEYOND THE NOTES, with Grisman, Thomas and Nina Kennedy, explores the essential ingredients for making a great music documentary and how a director transforms the predictable into something new and inspiring with universal themes that speak to everyone and not just fans. A Nashville Film Festival favorite, MUSIC SUPERVISION: HOW AND WHY SONGS ARE CHOSEN, features a distinguished panel of music supervisors. Panelists and attendees watch scenes from recent and current films and TV shows, hear several songs that were considered for each, and ultimately see the same scenes along with the final music selections.

PURCHASING TICKETS

Tickets are on sale now at nashvillefilmfestival.org (http://www.nashvillefilmfestival.org) including the ALL-FESTIVAL LAMINATE (good for all films, panels/workshops, opening and closing galas and the awards reception).

MEDIA CREDENTIALS

Media credential request forms are available in the press room at nashvillefilmfestival.org.

Nashville Film Festival is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and receives funding from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, H. Franklin Brooks Philanthropic Fund, William N. Rollins Fund for the Arts of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, The Frist Foundation, The Memorial Foundation, Nashville Metro Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Ragsdale Family Foundation, Target Stores, Tennessee Arts Commission, The Cal Turner Family Foundation, and its generous patrons and sponsors.

Nashville Film Festival
Joe Pagetta, (615) 259-9325 Ext. 211
jpagetta@wnpt.net