George Lindsey UNA Film Festival Marks 29 Years in Florence

Alabama's longest-running film festival wrapped its 29th edition in Florence this month, with the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival filling several downtown venues across three days of screenings, post-screening discussions, and live events hosted by the University of North Alabama.

Student and alumni work anchored the program, as screenings spotlighted projects from UNA filmmakers in the Cinematic Arts and Theatre department alongside independent films from outside the state. Two UNA alums appeared together in a film that made its debut during the festival, and at every screening, audiences had direct access to directors, actors, and other filmmakers through post-screening interviews and community gatherings.

Michelle Rupe Eubanks, executive director of University Media and Public Relations, was direct about what sets the festival apart from anything else on the state's arts calendar. "The George Lindsey UNA Film Festival is the oldest film festival Alabama, and that is something about which UNA is deeply proud," she said. "The festival provides a wonderful opportunity to share the great work coming from our student filmmakers in Cinematic Arts and Theatre department through the Schools of the Arts. Our community and the state are better off for having this festival take place, and we look forward to many more years to come."

The festival traces its origins to actor and UNA graduate George Lindsey, best known for playing Goober Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show, who co-founded the competitive event in 1998 with the UNA Communications and Theatre department. Lindsey's stated ambition for the festival was to "take the energy that is in Hollywood and bring it to north Alabama." By its 18th edition in 2015, more than 3,000 local, national, and international entries were submitted, with only 100 selected for screening. The festival's awards structure has historically included recognition for the best film made in the state of Alabama.

Attendees at this year's festival spoke to what keeps drawing audiences back. "It's preserved. People will continue to rewatch it and learn something new from it," said Austin Parsons. Phoebe Jones framed it in terms of regional access: "I think a lot of people in this area, it's such a great opportunity to expand your awareness of the world around you, and not a lot of places in Alabama have that opportunity."

University leaders say the festival continues to grow while remaining true to its founding mission of connecting film, education, and community in North Alabama, with Eubanks pointing toward a future as assured as its past.