OFF Pairs Food and Film at the Powerhouse on February 17

There are 40 tickets, 40 opportunities for you to help kick-off this year’s Oxford Film Festival (OFF) at the Powerhouse on Wednesday, February 17.

And, what better way than to kick it off with an evening combining partying, film and food… which is exactly what OFF and YAC have in store at the Food+Film pairing event next Wednesday night.

Oxford Film Festival executive director Melanie Addington

“Southern Foodways Alliance, Oxford Film Festival and Blue Magnolia Films will pool their expertise as they host the Food Film Community party and City Grocery Restaurant Group as a fun kick-off event for the community,” OFF executive director Melanie Addington said. “On Wednesday evening, we will present food and beverage pairings with the short food films associated with them.”

“SFA films tell the stories of the men and women across the South who grow, make and serve great Southern food. We’re delighted to share the stories of Vishwesh Bhatt, Corbin Evans, Earline Hall and Helen Turner with the Oxford Film Festival,” Southern Foodways Alliance project coordinator Afton Thomas said.

Below, you’ll find listings of the short films to be featured at the event:

Filmmaker James Martin’s short film The New Orleans Sazerac will focus on the menu item, Sazerac

Filmmaker James Martin’s short film The New Orleans Sazerac will focus on the menu item, Sazerac

Filmmaker Danny Klimetz’s short film Vish will focus on an appetizer for the restaurant Vish

Filmmaker Danny Klimetz’s short film Vish will focus on an appetizer for the restaurant Vish

Filmmakers Brett Mizalle and Heather Richie’s Oxford Canteen Short film will feature the menu item Dirty Grains Soup

Filmmakers Brett Mizalle and Heather Richie’s Oxford Canteen Short film will feature the menu item Dirty Grains Soup

Filmmakers Molly Nemer and Alexandra Lampert’s Ready to Roll short film will feature rolls from My Guys

Filmmaker Joe York will screen two films: Pitmaster and Cut/Chop/Cook which will examine the Pulled Pork Sandwiches from Lamar Lounge

Filmmaker Joe York will screen two films: Pitmaster and Cut/Chop/Cook which will examine the Pulled Pork Sandwiches from Lamar Lounge

Filmmaker Alison Fast will also screen two films: Yalo and Delta Flavor 8 which will feature the menu item, Beer Floats

Filmmaker Alison Fast will also screen two films: Yalo and Delta Flavor 8 which will feature the menu item, Beer Floats

Molly Beth Shaffer, a popular OFF volunteer, has been tasked with coordinating the events of the evening and even managed to procure an entire Hospitality Management class to host the party.

Molly Beth Shaffer has been tasked with coordinating the ‘Food+Film’ event at the Powerhouse on Feb. 17.

“As a graduate of the Hospitality Management program at Ole Miss, I am so excited that professor Candis Varnell’s NHM Event Management class is working with us to make the OFF Food+Film event possible,” Shaffer said. “We have approximately 40 students involved, lead by two student managers, Andrea Forsythe and Sarah Weatherford, who are also involved with the planning and organizing of the event.”

“It really is an honor to head up the Food+Film event and to help bridge the gap between Ole Miss and the Oxford Film Festival,” Shaffer added.

Although the Food+Film event is sanctioned by OFF and actually helps kick-off the 5-day festival, admission is a separate ticket from any pass and is only $30 per person.

The $30 admission fee guarantees attendees an opening reception from 6-7 p.m. in the front room where guests will be allowed to sample Virtual Reality films that are new to OFF this year. These films won’t be available to other guests until Thursday, February 17. Attendees will also be able to check out the Hollywood art auction and the Made in Mississippi film display while enjoying appetizers featured in the films, which will be screened from 7-9 p.m. in the main theater of the Powerhouse.

“Since we have such great resources in town like the Southern Foodways Alliance, we wanted to combine our efforts with them to kick off the festival by featuring two things that pair so well together: food and film,” Addington said.

The 2016 Oxford Film Festival will take place February 17-21 and will be held predominantly at Malco Oxford Commons. Programs are available now at the Powerhouse and Shelter on Van Buren on the Oxford Square.

Curtains rise on the 2016 Oxford Film Festival on Wednesday, February 17.

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Jeff McVay is a staff writer and graphic designer for Hottytoddy.com. He can be reached at jeff.mcvay@hottytoddy.com.

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