Little Rock Film Fest 2008: Day One

In just its second year the Little Rock Film Festival is looking to be a particularly excellent annual event. I showed up on the first night to find a huge crowd waiting to get in to see the opening film War Eagle, Arkansas. But since it was showing on three screens simultaneously I assumed I'd have no problem getting a seat. Silly me. Not only was each theater packed but all those people outside had to be turned away. If I hadn't used my journalistic wiles (begging to fest co-founder Owen Brainard) I might have been one of them.

War Eagle, Arkansas is based on a true story and follows the summertime experiences of two close friends: "Wheels" who is confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy and Enoch, an all-star baseball player with a speech impediment who is trying to choose between going to college or staying in his hometown of War Eagle to help his friend. Dan McCabe is incredibly convincing as the young man with C.P. A solid supporting cast includes veterans Brian Dennehy, Mary Kay Place, James McDaniel and Mare Winningham, all who give performances beyond the "going through the motions" style we've come to see so often in small, independent films. But the interaction between the two boys is what gives War Eagle its foundation. An inspiring script by young screenwriter Graham Gordy (co-writer to Mike Myers' The Love Guru) provides a depth of emotion. The boys are based on the lives of producer Vincent Insalaco's son and his best friend. Insalaco appropriately calls the film "a love letter to the state of Arkansas" especially since much of the film's creative team comes from the state, including newcomer Will Churchill who did the music.

Afterwards we migrated to the famous Peabody Hotel for the opening party. With some terrific Grappelli-flavored tunes from Thurman & Nesbitt we mingled and noshed and elbow-rubbed with filmmakers and celebrities, some beyond worthy such as Minniejean Brown, one of the "Little Rock Nine", the black teenagers who made history when they dared to enter an all-white high school during desegregation in 1957 Little Rock. The school was featured on HBO's documentary Little Rock High: 50 Years Later, produced by festival co-founders Craig and Brent Renaud. Academy Award winning writer/director/actor Ray McKinnon showed up, as did part-time Ark. resident Judge Reinhold who was on hand earlier in the week for a look back at the classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. 

More films tomorrow plus the big gala with Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe.