Key facts
- Festival dates
- Aug. 12-16, 2026
- Venue
- Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Little Rock
- Sold-out screening
- The Rivals of Amziah King with Q&A featuring Matthew McConaughey and Jeff Nichols
- Anniversary screening
- 40th anniversary of Ruthless People (1986)
- Filmmakers in attendance
- Josephine Decker, Joe Swanberg, Judge Reinhold
- Arkansas-made films
- Hoop Street, Iron Pearls, The Robbery, Anniversary Roulette, I Love You This Much
Festival returns to Little Rock
The Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland festival is scheduled to return to Little Rock from Aug. 12-16, with the full lineup of screenings now announced. All events will be held at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.
The festival includes a previously announced screening of “The Rivals of Amziah King,” which has already sold out. That screening will feature a Q&A between Matthew McConaughey and Jeff Nichols.
Filmland will also spotlight many Arkansas-made or -connected films, including “Hoop Street” (Princeton James), “Iron Pearls” (E. Vincent Martinez), “The Robbery” (Ben Harrison), “Anniversary Roulette” (Molly Wheat), “I Love You This Much” (Raeden Greer) and more.
Lineup highlights and filmmaker attendance
The lineup includes “In Spite of Ourselves,” directed by Josh Loeb and starring Brett Dier and Conor Leslie. The romantic comedy follows a woman who falls into a whirlwind romance with an up-and-coming stand-up comedian who avoids commitment. Its cinematographer is Arkansas native Gabe Mayhan, who will join Loeb and composer Jim Fairchild, a former guitarist for Modest Mouse, for a post-screening conversation.
“Chasing Summer,” directed by Josephine Decker and written by comedian Iliza Shlesinger, stars Shlesinger as a woman who returns to her small Texas hometown after being publicly dumped and losing her job. The film premiered at Sundance in January, where Variety called it a “critic’s pick” that is “hilarious, perceptive and deeply relatable.” The Guardian was more critical, calling it “a swirl of cliches, unfunny comedy, stock characters and bizarre direction.”
“The Sun Never Sets,” directed by Joe Swanberg, stars Dakota Fanning as a woman whose relationship hits a rough patch as her ex reappears, leading to messy entanglements in the Alaskan wilderness. The film features Jake Johnson and Cory Michael Smith as competing romantic suitors. After its SXSW debut in March, Vulture said it contains the “best performance of [Fanning’s] career.”
“Mouse,” directed by Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan, follows an introverted high school sniper named Minnie whose life is upended after her best friend Callie is removed from her life, leading to a complicated bond with Callie’s mother. Set and filmed in Little Rock, where O’Sullivan grew up, the film was described by Variety as “intelligent, perceptive and true.”
The festival will also mark the 40th anniversary of “Ruthless People” (1986). Its screening is tied to the fact that one of its stars, Judge Reinhold, is a part-time Little Rock resident. Decker, Swanberg and Reinhold will all attend Filmland for post-screening Q&As.
| Film | Director | Notable cast/writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Spite of Ourselves | Josh Loeb | Brett Dier, Conor Leslie | Cinematographer Gabe Mayhan; composer Jim Fairchild |
| Chasing Summer | Josephine Decker | Iliza Shlesinger (writer/star) | Premiered at Sundance; mixed reviews |
| The Sun Never Sets | Joe Swanberg | Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson, Cory Michael Smith | Debuted at SXSW; Vulture praised Fanning's performance |
| Mouse | Alex Thompson, Kelly O'Sullivan | — | Set and filmed in Little Rock |
| Ruthless People | — | Judge Reinhold | 40th anniversary screening |
Who may be affected
Arkansas audiences will have the opportunity to see a range of new and classic films, with several screenings followed by conversations with filmmakers and actors. The sold-out “Rivals of Amziah King” event indicates strong local interest in the festival.
Filmmakers with Arkansas connections, such as Gabe Mayhan and Kelly O’Sullivan, will be able to engage directly with audiences. The festival also provides a platform for Arkansas-made films to reach local viewers.
The inclusion of “Ruthless People” may appeal to fans of the 1986 comedy and to those interested in seeing Judge Reinhold, who resides part-time in Little Rock.
What to expect
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
If the festival proceeds as scheduled, attendees can expect a mix of premieres, anniversary screenings, and Q&A sessions. The full schedule is available at arkansascinemasociety.org.
Depending on audience reception, films like “Chasing Summer” and “The Sun Never Sets” could generate further buzz, especially if they have already drawn attention from critics at Sundance and SXSW.
Should any changes occur, the Arkansas Cinema Society may update its website with revised schedules or additional events, though no such changes have been announced.
Source: arktimes.com
