About
Who?
Three former graduate students, Barbara Lang, Jeanne Kracher and Linda Balek, brought the Big Muddy Film Festival into existence in 1978/79. The "Big Muddy Mothers" conceived of, wrote grants for, curated and directed the first festival with faculty support from recently-retired Southern Illinois University faculty member Mike Covell and Tony Buba. Today it is run by graduate and undergraduate students of various backgrounds.
What?
The Big Muddy Film Festival is one of the oldest student-run film festivals in the United States. From the beginning it has been dedicated to encouraging grassroots filmmaking in local communities.
In its 30+ years of history, it has showcased thousands of independent works, big and small, from around the world.
When?
The festival runs from February 19 to March 1, 2009.
Where?
The Big Muddy film festival takes place in and around Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. It gets its name from a river in southern Illinois that empties into the Mississippi. The Big Muddy river flows about fifteen miles west of Carbondale, and is a major part of the region's ecosystem.
How?
Film Alternatives, a cinema-based RSO, is responsible for organizing the festival. It meets regularly n the sound stage of the communications building, and is open to all SIUC students. For more information, please visit the Cinema and Photography department at SIUC.
You can help out by donating to the Big Muddy Film Festival Endowment Fund. For more information, contact Ron Graves at rdgravesNOSPAM@siu.edu
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Links
Past Big Muddy Websites:
Thanks
Thanks to Damon Taylor, Danielle Williamson, Hong Zhou, Rafal Kos, Rick Leipold, Kwang-Woo Noh, Robert Michael Price, Christopher Shane Williams, Eriko Ami, Dustin Edmunds, William Komeshak, Jonathan Helms, Brent Alexander, Mike Covell, and anyone else who has helped out.
Thanks to Bridget Ryan for the header photo, Emily Lewis for the News photo, Tom Vasilj for the About photo, and Amanda Whitlock for the Friends photo.
Extended special thanks to Gary Kolb, Dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, and Deborah Tudor, Associate Dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts.
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