Indie Grits Film Fest set for March 26-29

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The 14th year of the Indie Grits Film Fest will feature more than 100 competition films screened at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca and other major global film fests.

The independent film festival, to be held in Columbia March 26-29, will feature screenings, interactive media and free community events. The annual festival, hosted by the Nickelodeon Theatre, features a juried film competition focused on highlighting independent Southern filmmakers.

“Our 2020 film line-up contains a wide array of Southern stories and perspectives,” Seth Gadsden, festival director, said in a news release. “This diverse and inclusive schedule of films features award-winning alumni and newcomers alike, with women representing over half of the competition directors. We are beyond excited to be sharing all of this creative culture with Columbia and the surrounding region. There are so many untold stories, hidden histories, and visions for our future.”

Featured films include the documentary/narrative hybrid Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets from Indie Grits alumni and filmmaker duo Bill and Turner Ross. Named one of the top 15 films at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival by film industry and review website IndieWire, the film tells the story of a doomed dive bar in Las Vegas and its hard-luck patrons. It will be screened on March 27 at 6 p.m. at The Nickelodeon.

The festival will also highlight Southern women directors such as Hannah Black & Megan Peterson, whose narrative Drought follows a family’s struggles during the worst drought in recent memory and its daring plan to escape it.

The experimental genre includes The Giverny Document, a mediation on safety and bodily autonomy among black women, while short film highlights include Valerio’s Day Out, the tale of an aggrieved zoo jaguar which received a Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing at Sundance.

Festival passes, which include free admission to all screenings at the Nickelodeon as well as admission to all special events, are $150 for the public and $100 for Nickelodeon members.