Currently on a break from the documentary that he and the True/False Film Festival’s David Wilson have been making in Missouri this summer, Schnack enlisted Wilson and “Branson” collaborator Nate Truesdell to help him here in Denver. He is producing the film with partner Shirley Moyers, the Denver Film Society’s Britta Erickson, Jenny Chikes, and Truesdell.

Pictured above are Left to right: Nate Truesdell, Julia Reichert, AJ Schnack, Jennifer Poitras, Laura Poitras, Steven Bognar, Paul Taylor and David Wilson. Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE

For the past two months, I’ve been spending the majority of my time not in Los Angeles, but in Branson, Missouri, at work on a new nonfiction feature about the community that Bart Simpson once referred to as “Vegas if Ned Flanders ran it” and once famously dubbed “the live entertainment capitol of the world”.

For the first time in my filmmaking career, I am co-directing with my good friend David Wilson (on left in the photo), whom most of you know as the co-conspirator behind the popular and influential True/False Film Festival, but who I have known for years as an accomplished artist in his own right. David and I have been talking for a while about working on a project together and he had long wanted to make a film about Branson, specifically about those who make their home in Branson – a town of 7,000 that draws more than 8 million visitors a year with its mix of music shows, outdoor recreation and self-described family friendly values (read: patriotism and religious values worn proudly on sleeve).

We hope that our film – one that looks to the future of what Branson may soon become – is one that will challenge pre-conceived notions and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone in the community that has opened their door to us, particularly our main subjects who are constantly putting up with our cameras and our questions and what may sometimes appear to be stalker-like behavior.

Welcome back to the Ozarks AJ

AJ Schnack ranks it #10 in his listing of Top 30 International Documentary Film Festivals

The most convivial and intimate of the big US documentary festivals. Puts a premium on quality and diversity over premiere status. Most of its films have played elsewhere (although primarily films have come from Sundance or Toronto or IDFA) or are about to play SXSW or Tribeca and screen here as secret screenings. The community (Columbia, MO) supports the fest in a way that shocks newcomers – this may be the biggest audience you’ll ever have.

Dan chimes in with his review of the weekend he and Nicole enjoyed at the Festival

Indiewire adds photos and a story as well

The annual festival, described by many fans as a sort of Telluride for documentaries, was born at the eight year-old storefront Ragtag Cinema in downtown Columbia. This year the event moved into the brand new Ragtag, housed in a 10,000 square foot former soda bottling facility that now contains two movie theaters, a bar, bakery, offices, soon a video store. The site was an immediate hub of activity for the increasingly popular festival and sent a signal that the fest is settling in for the long haul.

Just in time for the 5th annual True/False Film Festival