Nickelodeon Theatre hosts Columbia event with independent documentaries, bands, crafts
The talents of independent filmmakers, artists and performers will be showcased at the Nickelodeon’s sixth annual Indie Grits Festival.
The Nickelodeon, Columbia’s non-profit art house theater, will present a number of cultural events. The festival, created in 2007 by executive director of the Nickelodeon Andy Smith, has expanded this year to 11 days, which is twice as long as last year’s festival.
“Over the last few years, the festival has expanded to include the best in progressive cultural life in South Carolina’s capital city including film, music, crafts, food, puppets, interactive, art and parties,” said Festival Operations Co-Director Debi Schadel.
Part of the Indie Grits Festival will include film screenings every day of the event at the original Nickelodeon Theatre at 937 Main St. and screenings many days at the newly-built theater located at 1607 Main St.
Throughout the entire festival, Southern filmmakers will compete in a juried film competition for the top prize, or Top Grit, of $1,000. The jurors for the competition will be Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, a writer for the San Francisco Bay Guardian; Sarah Finklea, the head of distribution at Janus Films and Martha Stephens, a filmmaker and festival award-winner.
In addition to film screenings, the festival will also have live musical entertainment at multiple locations around Columbia. These musical events will include two national touring bands The Olivia Tremor Control performing at New Brookland Tavern and DJ Quintron & Miss Pussycat at 5 Points Pub
“This year’s purpose was to grow in scope and turn into a regional festival, bringing in top named bands like The Olivia Tremor Control and Quintron and Miss Pussycat, and by throwing what is going to be the best party of the spring semester,” Schadel said.
The festival’s musical events will also include CINEMOVEMENTS, a partnership between Indie Grits and the South Carolina Philharmonic. The event will feature celebrity conductor Morihiko Nakahara leading the S.C. Philharmonic orchestra at Drayton Hall through six compositions that will accompany a brand-new silent film commissioned by Indie Grits, an event that Schadel described as the coolest event of the festival.
“Basically, it’s like a silent film score in reverse,” Schadel said. “Morihiko gave some music to the filmmakers and they made a film based on that music. Then they’re going to be playing it live on stage. I also hear there will be a pond on stage.”
But the variety of events does not stop there. Attendees will also be able to enjoy multiple showcases from artists at events like Craft Feast, where attendees can view vendors featuring handmade items from objects like recycled wine bottles and old record sleeves. There will also be a puppet show, where puppeteers from all over the Southeast will come together for the Spork in Hand Puppet Slam.
The festival will begin tonight at 701 Whaley’s Grand Hall with the Indie Grits Festival Kickoff & 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios Preview Party. Attendees will have the chance to mingle with the entire Midlands cultural scene while also enjoying music provided by DJs like WUSC’s Will Flourance, as well as slideshows of Columbia Open Studios artists, Indie Grits film trailers and much more.
To purchase tickets for the festival’s individual events, visit the Indie Grits website at indiegrits.com.