29th George Lindsey UNA Film Festival Returns to Shoals, Showcases Alabama Filmmakers

Deshler High School sent 40 students to a screening and workshop March 5 as the 29th George Lindsey UNA Film Festival rolled through downtown Florence, hosted by the University of North Alabama and promoted as Alabama’s longest-running film festival. The official festival schedule lists March 5–7, 2026, and the LindseyFilmFest site emphasizes, “All events free and open to the public. No ticket required!”

Organizers opened the festival with a 6:00 p.m. kick-off party March 5 at the UNA School of the Arts Gallery, 126 W Tombigbee Street, then moved to The Mane Room for an 8:00 p.m. opening-night screening of Leads, directed by Bryan Poyser, preceded by the short Whoopin’, directed by Justin Arnold. LindseyFilmFest notes that Heather Kafka and Justin Arnold will be in attendance, and local coverage said live music from Bonnie Watson and Justin Arnold closed the opening-night festivities before the films began.

A late-night screening at 10:30 p.m. March 5 at The Mane Room featured When the Night Falls, directed by Andrew Lamping, with leads Phoebe Jones and Austin Parsons in attendance. Austin Parsons told WAFF, “It’s preserved. People will continue to rewatch it and learn something new from it.” Phoebe Jones, a Shoals native, said, “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.”

Friday programming highlighted local filmmaking and student work: UNA Student Films screened at 10:00 a.m., followed by alumni films at 12:00 p.m., according to 256 Today. The LindseyFilmFest special events listing shows a Friday evening feature at 8:30 p.m. at The Mane Room for Snake Oil Song, directed by Micah Van Hove, and the site also lists the short Candle, directed by Nora Stone, and a title called Hekla among the festival program items, though the public excerpt left sequencing between Candle, Hekla, and Snake Oil Song unclear. Dr. Nora Stone, assistant professor of film production and the festival’s lead programmer, said, “We take great pride in showcasing Alabama film alongside the most exciting new works from independent filmmakers across the country.”

The festival, named for actor and UNA alumnus George Lindsey of Goober Pyle fame, drew regional and national visitors, with WAFF reporting the event “brings in people from across the nation.” The official site bills the event as “The longest-running film festival in Alabama,” and local outlets noted that many screenings include post-screening meet-and-greets with directors and actors.

While most sources and the official listing show March 5–7 as the festival dates, 256 Today described the program as a two-day event beginning March 5. The LindseyFilmFest site also references additional titles such as The Scout and community screenings; those program items and any sequencing questions remain on the festival’s public schedule. The weekend underscored UNA’s role staging free, public programming that pairs student outreach with national independent features.