Special: Nashville Film Festival

Something quite special is happening tomorrow at the Music City and thankfully I got to have some insight into this by interviewing Julia Kipnis – Documentary Programmer for the Nashville Film Festival.

-First of all, what drove you to be part of this amazing organization?

I’m immediately drawn to organizations that celebrate the art of cinema, especially in locations that aren’t necessarily known for a huge connection to film. With Nashville, what really made me excited is their dedication to platforming bold and innovative storytellers. For documentaries, the scope is so huge and I was really inspired to discover aspects of American culture that aren’t often explored, and share these stories with this community.

-What music-focused films will the festival be showcasing?

The festival has a specially dedicated section to music documentaries, and this year we have a really stacked and wonderful line-up that spans decades of iconic musical eras.

FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE explores alternative music of the 80s, New Wave, disco, and the underground LGBTQ nightlife scene all within the walls of the legendary Houston nightclub, Numbers.

MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM dives into the riotous music scene of early 2000s New York City with never before seen footage surrounding the rise of The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, and LCD Soundsystem.

IMMEDIATE FAMILY enters the lives of 70s rock n roll session musicians that worked in the studio with legends such as James Taylor, Carole King, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne and Neil Young, among many others.

AND I STILL SING tells the incredibly moving story of two women singers in Afghanistan who are competing for the title of Afghan Star, a popular singing competition show, while asserting their rights as women under the rule of the Taliban.

There is also the locally produced BIG OLD GOOFY WORLD – THE STORY OF OH BOY RECORDS, featuring the beloved John Prine. And of course our Opening Night film, THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER, and Closing Night film, LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S BLACK & BLUES.

-Which of these films would you say are sure to offer some extra insight into the artists for music lovers?

Both MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM and IMMEDIATE FAMILY are especially geared toward music lovers as they provide stellar insider access to the world of musicians – whether through touring on the road or huddled in the recording studio.

-What is the greatest joy/reward you have found working with the festival?

The greatest joy so far has been working with our incredible Programming team, including Programming Director Lauren Ponto and all of our dedicated screeners who spent countless hours watching films and providing their insights. The greatest reward will be when I can witness audiences being impacted by all of the filmmakers’ work during the festival. I can’t wait!

-What would you say is the ultimate goal for the festival?

The ultimate goal for the Nashville Film Festival, as I see it, is to connect audiences with stories. Whether those stories are steeped in reality and have been documented over several years, or whether they’ve been brewed inside creative minds, endlessly re-drafted and finally captured 24 frames per second. That’s always the goal – bringing people together to share in the collective experience of storytelling.

-What would you like for people to take from the festival? and if they would like to be part of it, how can they?
First and foremost, I think the best way to partake in a film festival is by attending screenings, but we also have many other ways to get involved. These include the Creators Conference, Music Program events, as well as NashFilm’s excellent year round programming. Details of which can all be found on our website https://nashvillefilmfestival.org/.

-What’s your all time top 10 songs to get you through a busy day?

They’re always fluctuating, but lately my go-to’s are (in no particular order):