The 7th Annual Jacksonville Film Festival is May 14-21, 2009.  The festival continues the mission to connect Jacksonville to its early “Hollywood of the South” movie-making roots, promote independent film, and revitalize the downtown area. The festival kicks off this year with Like Dandelion Dust.  Based on Karen Kingsbury’s best-selling novel and starring Mira Sorvino and Cole Hauser, the film tells the story of the blue-collar Campbell family. The festival continues with Skills Like This, the dark comedy about a failed writer who robs banks by threatening suicide before their unwitting employees, and Anywhere USA, an intimate look at passive racism and geopolitical vagrancies in small town America. This year’s Jacksonville Film Festival promises to be a celebration of Southern and independent film. Check out the schedule online.

Festivals starting this week include:

Little Rock Film Festival (May 13-17)

Festivals coming up next week include:

Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival (May 21-24): Presented by The Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation and celebrating its 20th year, the festival seeks to educate the community about gay and lesbian culture and highlight the unique cosmopolitan ambiance of Honolulu. In addition to over 25 features, documentaries, and shorts, the festival will present guest appearances by comedian Bruce Vilanch and Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Delray Beach Film Festival (May 19-24)