I’ll admit it. I’ve seen about a zillion t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, bumper stickers, etc. sporting the distinctive red Arkansas Razorback (he? she?) of our flagship University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. But up till now, I have never actually been to Fayetteville. That all ends this week with our screening of one of my favorite docs of recent memory, the wittily titled “Rebel With a Clause” directed by Brandt Johnson and starting Ellen Jovin. On Saturday, June 27th at 1:00 PM, we will be screening the film at the Fayetteville Public Library — by all accounts, one of the most spectacular libraries in the country. Come early and stop by the Grammar Table, where Ellen will be holding court, from 11:30 AM till the movie starts.
We screened the film last May as the featured event at our annual Tulsa Hot Doks and Brandt and Ellen were the hit of Tulsa. As fond as we are of Tulsa, we couldn’t let our own Natural State feel left out, so we made the pitch to Brandt and Ellen to bring the show to Fayetteville as part of our America250 screening series across the state of Arkansas… and, to our delight, they agreed!
We love this fit with America250 because the film is a joyful, bumpy road trip across all 50 states that bridges gaps through a shared love of grammar and languageAnd, also, because it finds a lot of humor along the way. So, whaddya say? Pack up family, stock up on snacks and make your own road trip to Fayetteville. Nothing is more American than that. Go Hogs!
And before the dust settles from Fayetteville, we’ve got another great free event happening right here in Hot Springs! On Tues. June 30 th at 7:00 PM for our fourth and final America250 event, at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences & the Arts, we will be hosting a special 35 years of HSDFF short film retrospective celebrating all things America.
We’ve combed through four decades of program guides to find some real gems for you. It’s another great trip across the U.S. with cinematic stops in Seattle, California, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, and New York City. It’s a diverse range of stories and people, all striving for that elusive dream: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Lucky for you that pursuit is easy, as ASMSA offers plenty of parking…and free popcorn and sweet tea!
Both of these events are free! Don’t forget to register, though.
See you in Fayetteville / See you in Hot Springs!
With affection,
Ken