Edward Saint Pe and his team of organizers and volunteers commandeer the indie-film scene from Friday through Saturday with the 2011 Mississippi International Film Festival. "We're showing 50 films all day Friday and Saturday at the Russell C. Davis Planetarium in downtown Jackson," Saint Pe says. "We have films from China, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, Greece and Hungary." Saint Pe pauses to catch his breath. "And Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, New York, and other places ... There's a lot going on."
Saint Pe infuses the film festival with an eclectic and celebratory Cajun-esque vibe, which is not surprising given his epic vision, larger-than-life persona and Louisiana roots. He not only heads a film festival and movie arthouse, but he also owns a television weather station, croons a tune as beautiful as any belted out by Bing Crosby, makes movies and has performed in at least three SAG feature films. He also gets community buy-in. The festival's sponsors are a corporate who's who list.
MIFF puts the entire concept of indie filmmaking on its head. It's bold, audacious and spectacular in scope. To paraphrase an old proverb, the proof lies in the Creole. The festival marries film and music. It features global filmmaking, regional southern films, a late-night Spook Fest, professional workshops, Mississippi's first intellectual-property legal clinic sponsored by the Mississippi Bar's Intellectual Property Section, a Bollywood film distributor, a Hot Rod parade, Elvis impersonators, Rockabilly headliner Al Ferrier, a Jamaican disc jockey and sitar music.
The cost is affordable. In fact, you can't afford not to go. Tickets at the door are $8 per day or $10 for both Friday and Saturday. Kids 12 and under get in free for all film blocks and the street festivities.
"The Friday night gala will have Myra Ottewell, who is the director of 'Mississippi Remixed,' one of the opening night's feature films, and two Mississippi Freedom Riders," says Saint Pe. "Myra grew up in Mississippi and then moved to Canada. With the help of Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Myra made this compelling documentary about the Deep South."
The only hitch is that Danny Glover won't speak before a screening of "Freedom Song," which he stars in. "I got a call from Danny last (Thursday) night," Saint Pe. "He's delayed in Switzerland. He's going to send in a tape to show before Freedom Song and he's working on arrangements to speak at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday." Saint Pe remains optimistic. "If he can be here, he will."
Saturday promises another day of diverse entertainment with competition and feature films in the Davis Planetarium screening center, acting and film-industry workshops in the lobby, and street vendors and live music on Lamar Street. The Saturday evening gala will open with Tom Lester (Eb from "Green Acres") introducing Elvis Presley's film, "Blue Hawaii." Next will be a screening of "The One Warrior," one of the most talked about films of the festival. Directed by Tom Stout, this film has heroes, adventures and castles. Saint Pe doesn't mention the bad guy. I can't imagine who that might be, and I'll leave that as another surprise for the audience.
For more information on the festival and the Coup De Gras awards ceremony and brunch, visit mississippifilmfest.com.
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