Groundswell Pictures has announced the 7th annual Indigo Moon Film Festival will be returning in person to Fayetteville this year.  

The festival, will showcase over 50 films from around the world, will open on Friday Oct. 7  at 7:00 PM with a screening of the acclaimed documentary  “Mission: Joy — Finding Happiness in Troubled Times”  at the Cameo Art House Theater at 225 Hay St. in downtown Fayetteville followed by a reception at Skyview. This film was directed by Academy Award winning documentarian Louie Psihoyos, with collaborator Peggy Callahan, and features the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu discussing how to create joy in a world that was never easy for them. 

“Our Board chose our opening night films with great intent,” said Groundswell Board Chair and Festival Director Pat Wright in a press release. “Groundswell’s creed is Film Inspires Change. Mission: Joy embodies our own mission of affecting our neighbors with the power and art of film through and through, and we’re exhilarated to share it with the Fayetteville community, especially as we return to an in-person festival for the first time in two years - we all need more joy!”

This will be the first in person festival in two years as the past two festivals were held online due to the pandemic. 

“It’s great to be back live!” said Board of Directors member Michael Houck in a press release. “The ability to convene downtown with hundreds of fellow film enthusiasts for a weekend of new cinema experiences is such a joy. After two years off, it’s quite exciting to once again work with venues, stores, and restaurants to prepare for the festival weekend. Supporting the downtown economy has always been at the heart of IMFF.”

To celebrate the return of the festival’s in-person format, Indigo Moon Film Festival has added two new categories: First Time Filmmakers, including student and emerging filmmakers, and Local Filmmakers, featuring filmmakers with ties to North Carolina, including three Cumberland County based filmmakers: 

• Brian Adam Kline - “What If I Were You?” Short comedy that follows a pair of octogenarian actresses pounding the pavement of New York with as much gusto and hope as ever. 
• Jeremiah McLamb - “The Crux.” Feature length drama that explores the vices (and affects) of today’s teens, from sexting and guns to the effects of parental death.
• James Throssel - “Friends of the Skatepark.” A short documentary that looks at the history of skateboarding and how a non-profit organization has helped build public skateparks.

To view a full list of films and the schedule for the festival visit www.IndigoMoonFilmFest.com. 

Single film tickets, day passes, and student passes are also available online. 

As is tradition, Indigo Moon Film Festival will donate 100% of box-office proceeds to a regional non-profit organization with a social mission. This year’s festival supports The Veterans Farm of North Carolina.  

Indigo Moon Film Festival runs Oct. 7 - 9 with film screenings at the CAMEO Art House Theater, on both the Main screen and in the Loge. Additional screenings will take place at The Arts Center at 301 Hay Street.