Bentonville Film Festival Opens Bacon Thriller Netflix
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Bentonville Film Festival marks its 12th edition June 15‑21, highlighting underrepresented filmmakers and a diverse competition slate.
- Geena Davis founded the festival to give voice to underrepresented creators and remains its chair, emphasizing building change over mere discussion.
- Drea Clark serves as artistic director, noting the festival demystifies Midwest myths and aims to broaden audience perspectives.
- Kevin Bacon opens the festival with “Family Movie,” a thriller he co‑directed and produced with his wife Kyra Sedgewick, starring their children Travis and Sosie.
- Netflix closes the festival with the “Little House on the Prairie” reboot and honors showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine with the Rising to the Challenge Award.
- Walmart is the founding sponsor, with Coca Cola as presenting sponsor, supporting both local Arkansas talent and international filmmakers.
- Competition films feature over 80 % female/gender‑non‑conforming creators, 53 % BIPOC, and 40 % LGBTQIA+ representation.
Why it matters: Underrepresented filmmakers gain a high‑profile platform and industry exposure, while Arkansas creators benefit from national visibility and sponsor support; Walmart and Coca‑Cola align their brands with a diverse, growing festival that showcases a majority‑female, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ slate. The emphasis on gender‑balanced, ethnic and sexual‑orientation diversity signals a shift toward inclusive storytelling that can attract broader audiences and future investment.
