Macon Film Festival forging ahead with hybrid online, in-person and drive-in showings planned

The 2020 Macon Film Festival is on for August and will feature a new documentary about Macon-based piano-player, rock-and-roller, tree-farmer and family-man Chuck Leavell.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will be a true hybrid event including online, in-person and drive-in showings Aug. 13-30.

“Like everyone, we were thrown into limbo in mid-March due to the coronavirus and not being sure what was going to happen,” said Steven Fulbright, festival board chairman and Visit Macon’s director of tourism. “But through some creative thinking and hard work on the board and other’s part we’ve adapted and put together what’s going to be another great film festival that brings people together in a variety of ways to share a tremendous selection of films. Especially since this is our festival’s 15th anniversary year.”

In live showings, organizers said there will be two feature films shown at the Grand Opera House on weekends throughout August, including the festival’s opening showing of Allen Farst’s new documentary on Leavell called “Chuck Leavell – The Tree Man.”

Leavell is noted as being keyboard player for the Allman Brothers Band, the Rolling Stones and many others. Farst will be present for the opening showing to discuss his work.

Fulbright said the bulk of the festival’s film entries will be streamed online at scheduled times during the 17-day festival period at www.filmfestivalflix.com/festival/macon-film-festival.

He said each entry will be shown twice, as usual, and will be organized in the festival’s standard film category blocks, including the Macon Made block featuring local filmmakers.

He said a subscription for the 17 days of online viewing is $19.99 for individuals with single block subscriptions available for $8.

While Fulbright said many preparations are still getting finishing touches, complete information, scheduling and ticket purchasing should start appearing at the www.filmfestivalflix.com site in mid-July.

In addition to the live theater presentations and online entry showings, Fulbright said throughout July there will be drive-in presentations at the Museum of Arts and Sciences’ amphitheater at 4182 Forsyth Rd. Drive-in presentations are free but will require advance registration to allow for health and safety precautions.

Also, the museum’s Mark Smith Planetarium will again host full-dome films throughout the festival month, some coupled with planetarium showings and some as stand-alone presentations.

Again, Fulbright said complete information, ticket purchasing options and registrations are or are coming soon to www.filmfestivalflix.com, the festival’s own site at www.maconfilmfestival.com, and/or the museum’s www.masmacon.org.

“We’ve had to tap into new possibilities and ways of doing things but it seems like we’re doing the right thing to allow a variety of experiences while keeping people safe in whatever environment they choose,” Fulbright said. “That’s the main concern but we believe in the festival and its importance to Macon and to filmmakers. We were thrilled to find a way to make it happen.”

Filmmaker and festival co-founder Tabitha Lynne Walker said she’s excited about the festival not only for the community’s film lovers and for filmmakers but for the festival’s future and reach as well.

“Announcements have just gone out to filmmakers that they’ve been accepted and that’s always exciting,” she said. “It’s kind of a best-day-ever to get that notification. But this year carries another level of excitement. One, I’ve heard thank-yous from so many filmmakers that we found a way to go on while so many other festivals have had to shut down. Filmmakers want to show their work. But an added thing is that by streaming online it opens up a nationwide audience for their films. Of course, as a festival, we’re embracing the idea of it furthering our reach and showing what a great festival we have.”

Walker, who owns and is lead producer-director for the Macon-based film-video production house Big Hair Productions, is the programmer for the Macon Film Festival who, along with others, makes and schedules film selections.

“The quality and variety couldn’t be better this year,” she said. “We had an eye for film’s appeal for our Middle Georgia audience and the one on Chuck Leavell is so good. There are other Macon-oriented music documentaries and films that are right at home here but still, we selected films that would have a great national appeal as we serve a bigger audience on the streaming platform. It works well for our anniversary year and is shaping what the festival is going to be in the future.”

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.