EL DORADO, November 5, 2025 — The Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS) and the University of Central Arkansas Film Department are teaming up with the El Dorado Film Festival to present the Filmland: Arkansas Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 19th at 6:00 pm at Stars Cinema 6, located at 2600 W Hillsboro St. in El Dorado. This free event will feature short films by Arkansas residents and natives along with a discussion on how people can get involved in filmmaking in the state. A FIlmmaker Mixer will take place at the theater beforehand at 5:00 pm.
“Growing up in south Arkansas, I never thought of filmmaking as a career because it just seemed so out of reach,” said ACS Education Director Kody Ford. “But the El Dorado Film Festival has really changed the game and brought independent movies to the region. And now, students can enroll in top notch filmmaking programs at schools like UCA. So, we are very excited to team up so anyone interested, young or old, can learn more about filmmaking in our state and how they can get involved.”
The evening will feature films by Smackover natives Clayton Henderson and Javion Lee alongside selections from the El Dorado Film Festival and ACS’s Filmland: Arkansas program. Ford will discuss career paths in Arkansas for anyone interested in filmmaking. UCA professor Emily Railsback will also talk about the school’s undergraduate and graduate programs in filmmaking. Alexander Jeffery will preview the upcoming El Dorado Film Festival, taking place in early 2026 at the South Arkansas Arts Center.
About The El Dorado Film Festival
Established in 2014, the El Dorado Film Festival offers a curated selection of independent cinema to audiences in El Dorado—a small town with a unique history in the arts. EDFF has brought filmmakers together and, in turn, created opportunities for those filmmakers to grow together. Look for narrative and documentary features along with short films from around the
world. Past guests have included actor/director Joey Lauren Adams (Come Early Morning, Big Daddy) and producer Kristin Mann (What Happens Later, To the Stars).
About the University of Central Arkansas Film Program
The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) offers both an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) and Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA) in Film. UCA Film’s mission is to develop creators, innovators and leaders for the future of filmmaking by combining new technology with the fundamentals of storytelling to produce creative, original stories, with an eye towards emerging technologies that enhance the production, distribution, and exhibition of those works in the global marketplace. The 22nd Annual UCA Film Festival will premiere top student work at Reynolds Performance Hall on April 24th, 2026.
About Arkansas Cinema Society Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS) is a non-profit committed to building a film community in Arkansas where film lovers can watch films, share ideas, connect with each other, and nurture the new and existing film talent within our state through increased exposure to filmmakers and their art. Memberships are available to the public at large who may wish to dive into educational videos, member-only tickets, movie swag, and more. Those interested in supporting ACS can visit their website at www.arkansascinemasociety.org.
