Napa Valley Film Festival 2011

In 1997, Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman offered to pay for the senior prom at Charleston High School in Mississippi under one condition: the prom had to be racially integrated. His offer was ignored. In 2008, Freeman offered again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Charleston High School had its first-ever integrated prom - in 2008. Until then, blacks and whites had had separate proms even though their classrooms have been integrated for decades. Canadian filmmaker Paul Saltzman follows students, teachers and parents in the lead-up to the big day. This seemingly inconsequential rite of passage suddenly becomes profound as the weight of history falls on teenage shoulders. We quickly learn that change does not come easily in this sleepy Delta town. Freeman's generosity fans the flames of racism - and racism in Charleston has a distinctly generational tinge. Some white parents forbid their children to attend the integrated prom and hold a separate white-only dance. "Billy Joe," an enlightened white senior, appears on camera in shadow, fearing his racist parents will disown him if they know his true feelings. Prom Night in Mississippi captures a big moment in a small town, where hope finally blossoms in black, white and a whole lot of taffeta. -David Courier, Sundance Film Festival As part of NVFF's mission to provide opportunities for local students, and in partnership with over a dozen local educational and community-based organizations, Prom Night in Mississippi will be shown in area schools with filmmakers Paul Saltzman and Patricia Aquino guiding discussions about racism following each screening.

In 2007, Canadian filmmaker Paul Saltzman set out on a road trip from Toronto to Mississippi to revisit the Delta where - in the summer of 1965 - he helped register voters with SNCC (Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee). The highly personal documentary project, tentatively titled Return to Mississippi , found itself placed on hold when Saltzman stumbled upon another story so compelling it had to be recorded then and there. The resulting film was Prom Night in Mississippi , which premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win a slew of awards. After touring Canada and the United States doing screenings and workshops on racism, Paul and his producer-wife Patricia went back to work on the original project. NVFF is honored to present a pair of work-in-progress screenings of Return to Mississippi with Paul and Patricia in attendance. NOTE - The "buy tickets" button(s) lead to our shopping cart where you can purchase passes that get you into any and all films and panels. We do not offer advance individual screening tickets; BUT you can purchase $10 RUSH TICKETS at the theater doors after passholders have been admitted.