CLARKSDALE, MS – This weekend, Clarksdale hosts its annual Clarksdale Film Festival, and as usual the lineup is dominated by films about music. The festival opens at the Delta Cinema at 5 p.m. Thursday with a performance by Terry “Harmonica” Bean, followed at 6:15 p.m. by a showing of “The Rolling Stones: Crossfire Hurricane,” which examines the development of the band’s career.
Screenings start at 11 a.m. Friday, and highlights that day include “Dixieland,” filmed in Pearl with a cast including country music stars Faith Hill and Steve Earle, and “Mavis,” a documentary about the Staple Singers’ dynamic lead singer.
Director Robert Mugge will be on hand Saturday at 6:15 p.m. to introduce his new documentary, “Zydeco Crossroads: A Tale of Two Cities,” which examines the relationship between Mississippi blues and the Creole traditions of south Louisiana. Featured artists will include McComb’s Vasti Jackson, Buckwheat Zydeco and C.J. Chenier.
At 2 p.m. Saturday is the new documentary “Rev. Gary Davis: Harlem Street Singer,” and at 3:30 p.m. there’ll be a showing of the documentary “America’s Blues,” which features Mississippians Leo “Bud” Welch and Jimbo Mathus.
Tickets are $5 per day, or $15 for a weekend (Thursday–Saturday) pass. For more information visit clarksdalefilmfestival.com.
