From June 10 to June 16, actress and activist Geena Davis, along with festival director Wendy Guerrero and many others, will be hosting the 10th anniversary of the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas. This year, the festival expects to attract 65,000 people. Like in previous years, it will focus on promoting films and voices of women, non-binary individuals, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, API, and people with disabilities in entertainment and media. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter to promote the festival, Davis mentioned that while the festival’s work is in a good place, there is still more to do.
“We’re making tremendous progress with gender, race and ethnicity-based inclusion,” said Davis. “Unfortunately, representation for people with disabilities is still in the low-single-digits, despite one in four Americans identifying as being disabled.”
Although enjoying movies might not seem political, focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at a festival in a very conservative state like Arkansas during an election year could be seen as risky by some.
“I don’t want to get into politics, but I will say that BFF is staying the course, and our mission has never changed,” Davis said when asked about the importance of holding such an event in this place and time. “Our corporate partners and studio partners haven’t backed down. The idea that you should be able to watch a movie and see yourself and your experiences reflected back at you is inherently not controversial.”
With festivals finding it hard to survive after the pandemic and still dealing with the effects of last summer’s strikes, Davis remains committed to helping independent artists succeed, even as the task becomes tougher.
“I’m an incorruptible optimist when it comes to having high hopes for festivals,” said Davis. “One thing that’s helped us is having a fierce devotion to our original mission, which is very much focused on underrepresented voices. You need to know that you’re serving a specific function and stay very passionate about that goal. Also, having enthusiasm from the community is crucial. Bentonville locals love the festival. I feel it each year the minute I get on the plane. People say, ‘Hey, I know where you’re going!’”