Films, no matter their plot, have the power to create change across communities, elicit emotions and start conversations. Fayetteville Film Festival and Walton Arts Center are thrilled to highlight these incredible films focused on sustainability and our environment on Saturday, May 11, at 8 pm.   

This mini-film festival, presented as part of Artosphere, showcases filmmakers and honors their stories and artistic expression. This is one of four collaborative film showcases between the two arts organizations this season.  

This screening features several short films by independent creators based on nature, enriching our understanding of the planet and sparking conversations about sustainability. Learn more about each film here: 

Directed by Ethan Edwards, Joan and the Rolling Stone follows a young woman who finds answers to her own grief when she embarks on a journey with a talking bowling ball. This film was screened at the Fayetteville Film Fest and the New York Shorts International Film Festival. Edwards got his inspiration for the film from reading lots of Sam Shepard one-acts. He felt the absurdity of the plays helped get him into a headspace where a talking bowling ball became a plausible storyline. When asked what he wanted viewers to take away from his film, Edwards said, “life is continually interesting.”   

Set in 1984, Radio Telescope, a former NASA scientist and his young son make a discovery in a make-shift laboratory located in their garage. The inspiration for Radio Telescope came from director Tyler Beard’s love of sci-fi mystery movies that he grew up watching. Beard also knew he wanted to create a film based in the 1980s, since it was something different than his other films. Ultimately, Beard hopes audiences can grab a bag of popcorn and just enjoy the film. 

The Countryman tells the story of bitterness that threatens to destroy a small farming community until a stranger arrives with a curious proposition. The film is set during the great depression and is a fantasy, drama style. Director Andy Kastelic is best known for creating iconic films such as The Misanthrope, St Augustine, Torchlight and Typhoon. He is hailed as an independent visionary and a brilliant filmmaker in the industry. 

Directed by Shayan Naghibi, The Last Snow shows how everything can disappear like the fall of the last snowflake. Naghibi is 22 years old and has directed multiple short animation films. Naghibi explained that The Last Snow is his first experimental film, and it has met with critical acclaim. He has won two awards for the film.  

Green Eyes, directed by Joe Ramos, is an exploration of the “what ifs” that appear in an ending relationship. Ramos can easily be described as a wholesome, adventurous and imaginative filmmaker. He loves to highlight interpersonal storytelling in his work as well as challenging both visuals and themeswith a fresh perspective. 

In The Perfect Day, Charlie Hoover, an aspiring ad man living in his van, eagerly answers a job posting to videotape Linda Lindell’s online life coaching series. However, the gig quickly evolves into indoctrination to Linda’s peculiar methodology as the two form an unlikely bond in pursuit of completing the ‘perfect day.’ This narrative short film is directed by Virgile Beddok, Daniel Breithaupt and Jonathan Frey, and the film has enjoyed a successful festival run including a screening at the Houston Comedy Film Festival in 2023.  

Mermagic, directed by Brian Du, is the story of Lucy who is granted three wishes by Marina the Magic Mermaid. The catch is, things don’t quite go according to plan. Du is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and he is an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker. He loves to create unique stories that pursue Asian American and Pacific Islander representation and diversity and inclusion. Du has won two awards for this film. 

The world has gone quiet, Three Ninety Five, directed by Nicholas Thurkettle, is about a nameless traveler who has no home, no memory and is searching for fellow survivors along a remote highway. When asked to describe his film in one sentence, Thurkettle said, “a nameless wanderer searches for fellow survivors in a world gone quiet.” Thurkettle shot his film near and along the actual U.S. Highway 395 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

Tickets to all these film showcases are available now for $15 plus applicable fees. Purchase tickets by visiting waltonartscenter.org, by calling 479.443.5600 weekdays 10 am until 5 pm or in-person at the Walton Arts Center Box Office weekdays 10 am until 2 pm.  

The last showcase for the season is LGBTQIA+ Filmmakers at 8 pm on Thursday, June 13.