Sorry, but tickets for the Film Festival can no longer be purchased online.
Go directly to the MAD Music Hall to purchase them at the door.
101 E Locust St, El Dorado, AR 71730
Ticket sales are now live for the 2020 El Dorado Film Festival.
This two-day event is a celebration of independent cinema and the power of creativity. In response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the event, originally planned for October at SAAC, will instead be held November 13-14 at the Murphy Arts District’s First Financial Music Hall. Presented by SAAC and sponsored by Suddenlink, the festival is pleased to have the opportunity to work within MAD’s larger space in order to present an in-person event. Ticketing for this year’s festival will be limited to 200 tickets and every attendee has access to every event and screening all weekend long—no VIP passes or add-on tickets needed.
Weekend passes to the festival will be available for $30 and include access to all films. Attendees can purchase all seats in a full pod of 6 for $150, a $30 discount. Pods, which can accommodate up to six guests, must be purchased in a single transaction, and all seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Plan ahead. Know the names of all the guests in your group. Whether purchasing two tickets or a full pod, you will need to enter the names of all the guest in your group to facilitate checkin at the event site.
“El Dorado Film Festival has always been a home-grown event with an emphasis on relationships and hospitality. We’ve always had a pretty small footprint, for better or for worse, so we can remain adaptable in these uncertain times,” said Alexander Jeffery, executive director of the El Dorado Film Festival. “Being able to utilize this massive event space allows us to really spread people out and keep our audience safe, while still putting on in-person screenings for our filmmakers.”
Festival director Alex Jeffery and the event committee are excited to welcome a host selection of exciting new films. Throughout the two-day event, 30 films from 10 countries will be screened in competition for the festival’s prizes, along with the winning films from this year’s virtual Louisiana Film Prize.
NEW Social Distancing Protocols
At full capacity, the music hall is capable of seating up to 1,800 people. Festival organizers have worked to develop an adaptable seating plan that can accommodate 200 festival goers in socially distanced, reserved seating “pods” of up to 6, allowing groups to enjoy films together. Masks will be required (unless eating or drinking concessions), sanitization stations will be readily available throughout the venue, and surfaces will be sanitized every two hours.
“SAAC is thrilled to be able to present this event again this year, and we are so excited that Alex and his team have been able to work on such creative solutions to social distancing,” said Laura Allen, executive director of SAAC. “The El Dorado Film Festival will be a wonderful way to enjoy the connection and engagement that the arts provide, in a safe and accessible environment.”
About the Festival
The El Dorado Film Festival offers a curated selection of independent cinema to audiences in El Dorado, Arkansas: a small town with a unique history in the arts. The film festival started as part of the South Arkansas Arts Center’s 50th anniversary in 2014. Guests artist from previous years festivals include Joey Lauren Adams, Howard Klausner, Dennis Quaid, Kerri Elder, and Martha Stephens (To the Stars).
El Dorado Film Festival has brought filmmakers together and, in turn, created opportunities for those filmmakers to grow together. Last year, one filmmaker went to Nepal to work on a feature film due to a connection made at the festival. Another filmmaker produced and star in her first feature film last year. We put our heart into building these relationships, celebrating the amazing accomplishment of making a film, and giving the audiences a direct connection to you, the filmmaker. Who knows, you might meet your next big investor?
This festival is all about building community so that each filmmaker can continue to pursue their dreams.
Festival Committee • Paul Peterson, Richard Wharton and Alexander Jeffery