Tupelo Underground Film Festival

Consider the Tupelo Underground Film Festival a look at the world through the eyes of Northeast Mississippi filmmakers.
The first year of the festival was a celebration of underground films; the second year, it focused on horror movies; this year, the short films have it.
“We had a lot of good stuff submitted, but most of it was shorts,” said April Perea, a Tupelo writer and musician who is putting together the festival. “We had a lot of 20-minute-plus shorts, so we’re doing a block of shorts, intermission, block of shorts.”
Films screened at this year’s festival include Rex Harsin’s “The Beefcake Burnout,” Kenny Cook’s “Bitter Shoes,” Michael Williams’ “Illumination,” “Zeitbombe” by Edward St. Pe and “Cyclone” by Mike Ashcraft.
There’s also a music video for Memphis singer-songwriter Cory Taylor Cox’s song, “If Snakes Were on Your Plane, I’d Be The First In Line To Administer the Anti-Venom.”
Also included is Perea’s own short film, “Gypsy Heart.”
“It’s very David Lynch,” she said. “It’s a strange, indie short film.”
The short stars Courtney Cheek and is directed by Daniel Lee. The version screened at the festival will be a very rough cut, so Perea and Lee will welcome any and all suggestions on making the film better.
She also hopes the short will soon be made into a full-length feature.
Perea also speaks highly of “Cyclone,” a revenge movie in the vein of the “Kill Bill” series.
Perea’s roller derby team, the Tupelo Honeys, will also be available for meet-and-greets.
The money made at the Underground Film Festival will be split between all of the filmmakers whose films are shown that night.
“You’re helping these filmmakers get more famous,” Perea said. “They’ll use the money to submit their films into film festivals, to buy new equipment, to make new movies. Show up, pay your $5 and help them out.”

Dim The Lights
What: Tupelo Underground Film Festival

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: Link Centre

Cost: $5

Info: tupelounderground@gmail.com

OK for kids? April Perea says a few of the shorts contain “racy scenes and language,” so parents should use their own judgment.