2024 Winners Announced

Congratulations to the winners at this year's George Lindsey UNA Film Festival 
Best of Show  - Handle With Care
Professional Narrative Feature - Sam's World
Professional Narrative Short - Room Tone 
Professional Documentary - Homeschooled
Student Narrative Short - Bless the Child
Student Documentary - Portrait of MeMe
Vanguard - Rad Dad
Youth Film - Bus Stop 
Feature Screenplay - Kara Doesn't Stand a Chance in the Wild, Wild, West by Meredith Johnson
Short Screenplay - Slice of Heaven by Ella Neal 
Clyde "Sappo" Black Sweet Home Alabama Award -  Second Chances
Jason Flynn Memorial Award for Best UNA Film - Clancy's Puppet Club by Trevor Peck 
Mitchell-West Award for Inclusion: Second Chances
Mitchell-West Award for Women in Film: Lakebed
George Lindsey Jr. Comedy Award - Poetry Night by Grayson Waggoner
Festival Spirit Award - Hell of SE by Sawa Kawakami 
GLUNAFF Announces
​2024 Finalists
​Professional Narrative Feature
   Failed State
   Hell of SE
   Sam’s World
 
Professional Narrative Short
   Half Sisters
   Handle With Care
   It’s Murder
   Lakebed
   Paper Planes
   Room Tone
 
Professional Documentary
   An Open Door
   Homeschooled
   Window Treatment
 
Student Narrative
   Bless the Child
   Blue Hour
   The Spirit Became Flesh
 
Student Documentary
   Forward Fast
   Portrait of MeMe
   Remembering John A Andrew Memorial Hospital
 
Vanguard
   A Body Appeared at the Lake Today
   Good Condition
   Rad Dad
 
Youth Film
   Bus Stop
   Late Night Edit
   Pickles
 
Feature Screenplay
   The Assassination of President Duke
   Kara Doesn't Stand a Chance in the Wild Wild West
   The Match
 
Short Screenplay
   Fire Talker
   Slice of Heaven
   The World Revolves Around Meka
 

About the festival

Bringing Southern Hospitality to the Best in Independent Film!

The George Lindsey UNA Film Festival is hosted each year by the University of North Alabama in Florence, one of the four cities comprising the culturally rich Shoals. The Shoals is an entertainment Mecca with long roots, which reach to the heart of rock and roll, southern rock, and the blues. It is the birthplace of “America’s First Lady of Courage” (Helen Keller), "The Father of the Blues" (W.C. Handy), and the legendary “Father of Rock and Roll” (Sam Phillips), who first recorded the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the list goes on.

The Shoals area has always been known for its creative spirit and energy. It is now building on its rich musical heritage by devoting many of its resources toward enhancing its emerging film industry.  Since 1998, The Lindsey Film Festival has contributed to that effort through the exhibition of independent films from across the world and the appearances of many special guests, including Oscar winners Billy Bob Thornton and Ernest Borgnine; "Sling Blade" co-stars Lucas Black and Natalie Canerday; character actors Rance Howard (“Cool Hand Luke”) and Stephen Root ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?"); renowned film critic and Florence native Jonathan Rosenbaum; makeup-effects artist Robert Hall (“Angel” and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), actors Michael Rooker (“The Walking Dead,” “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer),  James Tolkan ("Back to the Future" and "Top Gun"), Lee Majors (“The Six Million Dollar Man”) and Cedric Pendleton (“The Shield"); Music Supervisors Dave Jordan, Julianne Jordan, Thomas Golubic, and Andrea von Foerster, screenwriter and producer Bob Gale; radio personality Mark Thompson (of "Mark & Brian" fame), and many more.

As a competitive film festival, we welcome local, national, and international entries.  First place winners in each category receive a substantial prize.  A special award, gifted in memory of George Lindsey’s dear childhood friend, Clyde “Sappo” Black, is given to the best film made in Alabama.  Past winners have included Shane Acker's Oscar nominated "9," Steve Guttenberg's "P.S. Your Cat is Dead," Robert Hall's "Lightening Bug" and the Kathryn Tucker Windham documentary "Kathryn: A Story of a Teller."

The George Lindsey UNA Film Festival was founded by celebrated entertainer George Lindsey, along with now deceased Communications professor Bobby Hurt and now retired Director of University Relations Bill Jarnigan, George Lindsey is well known for his role of Goober Pyle on the "Andy Griffith Show" and many other credits in television, including episodes of “Hee Haw,” “The Twilight Zone," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Gunsmoke," "M*A*S*H," and as the host of Turner South's Emmy award-winning "Liars & Legends."

We encourage you to submit your film and come experience southern hospitality at its finest!

Mission and Objectives

The festival, presented in a university setting and around the beautiful Shoals area, provides attendees with an exceptional lineup of quality workshops, panels, screenings, networking opportunities and informal interaction among filmmakers and all guests. Our priority is to discover emerging talent and promote their work by reaching, educating, inspiring, and entertaining audiences with the best in cinematic art. Our hope is that a representative of each selected work will be in attendance for the invaluable opportunity to discuss their work with other attendees in provided forums. We strive to be as eco-friendly as possible and we support our submitters and guests in being equally as mindful.