Movie lineup ranges from religious apocalypse to redneck comic
The Indie Grits Festival ends Sunday with three blocks of the winning screenings at the Nickelodeon from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Earlier screenings are being held at multiple locations, including the Nickelodeon (1607 Main St.) and Tapp’s Arts Center (1644 Main St.).
Here are the feature film screenings for the rest of the festival:
“Liahona” —Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Nickelodeon
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Mormon faith are examined in this experimental documentary that showcases the history of the religion, including its largely hidden past of folk magic and life during the early stages of the church. The film also shows, through documentation, the stronghold the church has on culture in Utah today. Director Talena Sanders uses her personal life experience with the church to explore an often-misunderstood religion.
“The Road to Livingston” — Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Tapp’s
For years, Delia Perez Meyer has fought for her brother, who was convicted of a triple murder in 1999 and remains on death row in Texas. This documentary shines a light to show that she has endured for 15 years not just for her brother but to enact change to the current death penalty laws.
“As It Is In Heaven” — Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Nickelodeon
Another religion-themed film, this narrative feature follows a man who must lead his religious sect when its “prophet” dies. Members were told the end of the world is near, giving him some serious difficulties to deal with. The drama is beautifully filmed and sounds like a mixture between “Martha Marcy May Marlene” and “Melancholia.”
“Last Stop, Flamingo” — Friday at 3 p.m. at the Nickelodeon
The third film in Georg Koszulinski’s Florida trilogy examines the early history of the state, going all the way back to Ponce de León’s discovery of the state 500 years ago. It confronts how people and their quests have altered the state’s landscape.
“Surviving Cliffside” — Friday at 5 p.m. at the Nickelodeon
A family living in a trailer park in a town surrounded by guns and drugs help their daughter, who beat leukemia, to compete for Little Miss West Virginia.
“Limo Ride” — Friday at 7 p.m. at Tapp’s
A dark docu-comedy tells the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story of 10 friends who rented a limousine on New Year’s Eve, got kidnapped and wound up stripped and left for dead on a dirt road. The film is told through narration from the people who went through the ordeal and through reenactments.
“Lighter” — Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the Nickelodeon
Redneck comedian Roman Clower (Matt Hagan) wants to become a serious actor in this dark comedy. He decides to come back to his childhood home in rural South Carolina to star in a community theatre production of Hamlet. He is forced to face his family and friends and the reality of his career prospects.