Editor

“As Presenting Sponsor, we at Coca-Cola are excited to see BFF’s evolution from an annual festival to a year-round program. This change will greatly enhance BFF’s impact, both locally here in Arkansas as well as across the broader film industry. We are proud to support BFF and help champion its mission of diversity, inclusion, and racial and gender equity,” said Louis Martin, President Global Walmart/ Sam’s Club Customer Team.

Davis will serve as Chair of the Festival. Wendy Guerrero, who has served as President of Programming for BFF since the inaugural year in 2015, will now take on an additional leadership role as the President of the Festival and the BFFoundation—spearheading its year-round initiatives and inclusive programming.

Additionally, independent film producer Kristin Mann has been brought on as head of content for the Bentonville Film Foundation overseeing the new production arm. Mann will be responsible for the development and creation of films and television shows with a special focus on championing female and underrepresented voices on screen as well as behind the camera. Mann will also serve on the advisory board for the BFFoundation.

"I'm honored to partner with the foundation and am excited to be a part of growing the festival, developing content and helping build a sustainable film production ecosystem like this in my home state of Arkansas where I grew up dreaming of one day working in the film industry,” said Head of Content Kristin Mann.

Key board members include Madeline DiNonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media; Jason Netter, festival producer for BFF since 2016 and CEO of Kickstart Productions; along with other regional and industry stakeholders who will be joining during the coming year. Year-Round regional staff will include Ashley Edwards, Director of Programming; Tracie Flink, Controller; and Sativa Vela, Programmer, with additional team members onboarding as the festival kicks into gear.

The BFFoundation recently opened a new office space in the Market district of downtown Bentonville, Arkansas with close proximity to the region’s rapidly-growing arts and culture ecosystem. Public office hours will be held leading up to the festival in August to support community engagement. The 7th annual BFF will take place as a hybrid edition with virtual and safe on-ground activations in Bentonville, AR and the surrounding areas, August 3-8, 2021. Film screenings, panels, filmmaker events and industry engagements will take place virtually and be accessible globally.

Responding out of caution to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film festival shifted to a hybrid platform in 2020 and rescheduled its dates to August. In 2020, over 30,000 active viewers engaged during the week of the virtual Bentonville Film Festival which had the most diverse and inclusive film program to date. More than 80% of the films showcased were directed by women (including three of the four Spotlight selections), with 65% from BIPOC and 45% from LGBTQIA+ filmmakers.

About The Bentonville Film Foundation

BFFoundation is a non-profit organization focused on promoting underrepresented voices of diverse storytellers. We want to amplify storytellers who identify as female, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and people with disabilities in entertainment and media. We do this through research, education, and supporting the production and distribution of inclusive content. BFFoundation is focused on working with its partners to foster inclusivity in media and entertainment to produce a positive influence in the community at large. BFFoundation produces the annual Bentonville Film Festival (BFF), chaired by Academy Award® winner Geena Davis.

About The Bentonville Film Festival

Chaired by Academy Award® winner Geena Davis’ the Bentonville Film Festival is a one-of-a-kind annual event that champions inclusion in all forms of media. BFF is a year-long platform with the BFFoundation, culminating with a six-day festival, in partnership with the founding sponsor, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola. The Bentonville Film Festival is held annually in Bentonville, Arkansas.

BFFOUNDATION acknowledges Indigenous peoples were forced to leave their ancestral lands, including the Osage, Caddo and Quapaw Nations with ties to Northwest Arkansas. We further recognize that a portion of the Trail of Tears runs through this area, and that the Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw and Seminole Nations passed through what is now Arkansas during this forced removal. We acknowledge all Indigenous storytellers and residents in our community and region.

BFFOUNDATION denounces white supremacy and unequivocally supports Black Lives Matter. It is at the very core of our mission to promote and amplify underrepresented voices in media, supporting pathways that help end racial inequality. We stand in solidarity with these voices, along with all unheard voices, that are silenced by racism and systemic biases.