Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Encyclopedia
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival began as a cooperative effort between the Southern Film Alliance and a small group of Hot Springs
volunteers in 1992. Academy Award nominated films were shown free of charge to the public in the Historic District of Hot Springs. The pioneer's of this cinematic innovation were Sy Gomberg
of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
and actor James Whitmore
.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic public response the HSDFF was expanded in 1993 and screened 30 documentary film
s which included a gala fund- raiser featuring James Earl Jones
. That year, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival became a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization
.
An audience of more than 5,000 attended the 1994 HSDFF, attracted by Academy Award nominees and winners in a total offering of 31 films. Fourteen leading filmmakers attended the festival, meeting with the audience following screenings of their films and participating in a lecture
series. Year by year, the input of the attending filmmakers, helped the HSDFF organizers in establishing high standards of film selection and presentation to the public.
The 1995 HSDFF was attended by more than 10,000 Viewers. By 1996, with the generous donation of theatre equipment by First International Theatres, Inc, and a lease/purchase option with Sidney Nutt, owner of the Malco Theatre property, the HSDFF had its first permanent home. This acquisition provided a solid foundation on which the HSDFF began to build its future and realized the ambitious aims stated in its mission.
History of the Historic Malco Theatre
The Historic Malco Theatre was built on the site of the Princess Theatre
which had occupied the location at 817 Central Avenue,
Hot Springs from 1910 until it burned on Christmas Eve
in 1935. Sidney Nutt, Sr. bought the Princess Theatre from the original owners in 1927.
In 1929, Mr. Nutt updated the Princess to include "talkies", just beginning to make their appearance as replacement of silent motion pictures
. After the disastrous fire, Mr. Nutt rebuilt the theatre. It was purchased by the Malco Theatre group and renamed the Malco Theatre. The word "Malco" is an acronym, made from the initials of M. A. Lightman.
It re-opened on February 22, 1946, the Malco Music Hall was known as the showplace of the South with 1140 seats, and had the finest projection
and sound equipment. There were two entrances; one on Central Avenue and one on the Broadway side for "Coloreds" who sat in a section of the balcony. The segregated
arrangement ended with the 1960s Civil Rights Movement
. In researching the Malco for the National Register of Historic Places
, it was learned that the "Princess" entrance to the theatre may be one of only 2 in the United States
still in existence. In 2010 the Malco Theatre was put on the National Register.
The 30,000 building space to the right of the theatre has three stories; the first floor contains commercial spaces. The second floor was originally occupied by a radio station
, KWFC
, owned by Clyde Wilson Furniture Company. Directly behind these spaces was a small hotel
, which has been empty since the 1940s.
The Malco remained the local cinema showcase until the 1980s. At that time, the Malco was divided into twin theatres. Since the early 1990s it has been the home of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival as well as the year-round events presented by the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute.
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
volunteers in 1992. Academy Award nominated films were shown free of charge to the public in the Historic District of Hot Springs. The pioneer's of this cinematic innovation were Sy Gomberg
Sy Gomberg
Sy Gomberg was an Oscar-nominated film screenwriter and producer who taught screenwriting to University of Southern California students for over ten years....
of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
and actor James Whitmore
James Whitmore
James Allen Whitmore, Jr. was an American film and stage actor.-Early life:Born in White Plains, New York, to Florence Belle and James Allen Whitmore, Sr., a park commission official, Whitmore attended Amherst Central High School in Snyder, New York, before graduating from The Choate School in...
.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic public response the HSDFF was expanded in 1993 and screened 30 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
s which included a gala fund- raiser featuring James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
. That year, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival became a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
.
An audience of more than 5,000 attended the 1994 HSDFF, attracted by Academy Award nominees and winners in a total offering of 31 films. Fourteen leading filmmakers attended the festival, meeting with the audience following screenings of their films and participating in a lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
series. Year by year, the input of the attending filmmakers, helped the HSDFF organizers in establishing high standards of film selection and presentation to the public.
The 1995 HSDFF was attended by more than 10,000 Viewers. By 1996, with the generous donation of theatre equipment by First International Theatres, Inc, and a lease/purchase option with Sidney Nutt, owner of the Malco Theatre property, the HSDFF had its first permanent home. This acquisition provided a solid foundation on which the HSDFF began to build its future and realized the ambitious aims stated in its mission.
History of the Historic Malco Theatre
The Historic Malco Theatre was built on the site of the Princess Theatre
Princess Theatre
The Princess Theatre was a joint venture between the Shubert Brothers , producer Ray Comstock, theatrical agent Elisabeth Marbury and actor-director Holbrook Blinn...
which had occupied the location at 817 Central Avenue,
Hot Springs from 1910 until it burned on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
in 1935. Sidney Nutt, Sr. bought the Princess Theatre from the original owners in 1927.
In 1929, Mr. Nutt updated the Princess to include "talkies", just beginning to make their appearance as replacement of silent motion pictures
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
. After the disastrous fire, Mr. Nutt rebuilt the theatre. It was purchased by the Malco Theatre group and renamed the Malco Theatre. The word "Malco" is an acronym, made from the initials of M. A. Lightman.
It re-opened on February 22, 1946, the Malco Music Hall was known as the showplace of the South with 1140 seats, and had the finest projection
Projection
Projection, projector, or projective may refer to:* The display of an image by devices such as:** Movie projector** Video projector** Overhead projector** Slide projector** Camera obscura** Projection screen...
and sound equipment. There were two entrances; one on Central Avenue and one on the Broadway side for "Coloreds" who sat in a section of the balcony. The segregated
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
arrangement ended with the 1960s Civil Rights Movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
. In researching the Malco for the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, it was learned that the "Princess" entrance to the theatre may be one of only 2 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
still in existence. In 2010 the Malco Theatre was put on the National Register.
The 30,000 building space to the right of the theatre has three stories; the first floor contains commercial spaces. The second floor was originally occupied by a radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, KWFC
KWFC
KWFC is a radio station broadcasting a Southern Gospel format. Licensed to Springfield, Missouri, USA, the station serves the Springfield MO area. The station is currently owned by Baptist Bible College, Inc., and broadcasts from Fordland....
, owned by Clyde Wilson Furniture Company. Directly behind these spaces was a small hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, which has been empty since the 1940s.
The Malco remained the local cinema showcase until the 1980s. At that time, the Malco was divided into twin theatres. Since the early 1990s it has been the home of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival as well as the year-round events presented by the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute.