Way Down Film Festival: bringing Columbus into focus

“This year’s Festival will show 42 films, including local and national filmmakers, as well as films from India, Australia, the Middle East and Europe.”

by Tom Ingram

The Georgia movie industry has been gaining momentum for several years now, and Columbus is increasingly a major spoke on that wheel. Two years ago, three women sat down to figure out how they could help our community become an even more important part of the film industry.

Filmmaker Stacy Cunningham had just moved to from Los Angeles to Columbus. The move allowed her to be nearer her family. Seeing the potential for film industry growth in the area, she reached out to Jacy Jenkins and Cora King, of Electric City Life. The three wanted to grow community interest in film and filmmaking, help connect local talent to the larger industry, and attract film production to the area. Cora says, “before we knew it, the festival planning was in full swing.”

In its inaugural year, 47 films were shown at Way Down Film Festival, including 14 local films, and films from as far away as Europe and the Middle East. The team anticipated between 25 and 50 percent capacity for most screenings, and was amazed when almost every showing outpaced their expectations. The Springer Opera House, which believed in this vision from the outset, teemed with supporters. Our community showed up. If the energy flared, it was because Stacy, Jacy and Cora had recognized the smoldering enthusiasm.

The second Way Down Film Festival returns to The Springer Opera House Oct. 13 and 14. Cora is excited to “recreate the dynamic of hosting ten events over two days” and looks forward to celebrating the “thought provoking films and the people who work so hard to produce them.”

This year’s Festival will include six screening events, a VIP kickoff party and Friday night after party. There will be a Saturday morning coffee hour, and later, an awards gala. Building from last year’s success, this year’s Festival promises to, as Cora says, “add more creativity to the experience.” The events will be interspersed with networking opportunities and filmmaker question and answer sessions after each screening. The growth we will see between last year’s and this year’s Festivals is the direct result of the community’s full-throated support.

After last year’s Festival, Scott Phillips, moderator and programmer for the event, organized the Way Down Film Society, which meets each month at Columbus State University’s Cunningham Center. These events allow film enthusiasts to meet, watch great films and engage in discussion. Throughout the year, the Society keeps the local momentum moving by growing and engaging the local film community. Couple this momentum with the Georgia Film Academy partnership between CSU and The Springer, part of a statewide effort to train local film talent, and the potential for the Way Down Film Festival comes into focus. The Festival is certainly a crown jewel in our local arts and entertainment scene.

This year’s Festival will show 42 films, including local and national filmmakers, as well as films from India, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. Seven entrants will depart winners. There will be a Best Overall category, and six sub-categories, including Audience Choice. This year’s judges will be: Cody Cameron, an animator and storyboard artist for Dreamworks and Sony; Jessica Hinckle, a script supervisor and projects manager for the Atlanta Film Society; Anderson Martin, stunt coordinator on more the 100 major studio films and television; Brian Rawlins, filmmaker and 2016 winner of Way Down Film Festival’s Best Overall Film award; and Charlotte Stauffer, a screenplay guru and creative developer for the Georgia Film Academy.

For the Festival, Cora says, “no other place in town lends the ambiance and energy like The Springer.” She stresses how impressive it is to see a film screened on the Main Stage. Columbus Tape and Video, who handle the screen and sound, ensure that all the technical details are perfect.

The VIP Kickoff Reception will be held on the veranda of The Springer before the Friday night screening. VIP ticket holders will enjoy an array of locally sourced hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, hosted by Bare Roots Farmacy. After the evening’s screenings, festivalgoers are encouraged to walk across the street for a nightcap at Meritage, which will host the Friday night after party. The morning coffee hour will be in The Springer’s saloon, hosted by Iron Bank. On Saturday, in addition to the film screenings, patrons can enjoy an array of vendor’s tables, and The Saloon will be open all day. The event culminates in the Awards Gala at The Loft, where seven filmmakers will win cash, prizes and trophies.

Cora says that The Way Down Film Festival is an “unprecedented opportunity to build a cohesive platform for filmmakers and enthusiasts, as we engage our community and highlight its film-supportive business.” We couldn’t agree more. For tickets and more information, visit waydownfilmfest.com.

Special thanks to Cora King, for working so closely with us. We don’t say this enough: we love what she and Jacy do, not only with ECL, but all over our community.