Take 5 with ... "Eating Alabama"

Andrew Beck Grace

As we gear up for the 10th anniversary Oxford Film Festival, we wanted to introduce you to the filmmakers and their films you will experience on Feb. 21-24, 2013. Meet Andrew Beck Grace, writer/director of "Eating Alabama."

#1: In 140 characters or less, describe your movie and why someone should see it.
Eating Alabama is a film about food and community and memory. It's also funny.  

#2: Biggest lesson learned in getting the film made? Best part in getting the film made?
Like any documentary, the biggest lesson learned in making this film was that you may think of yourself as the director, but you actually control very little until you get in the edit room. It's good to know that, to go forth and to be constantly surprised. That's the greatest joy of this kind of filmmaking.   

#3: Tell us about you. What is your movie making background?
Before I was a filmmaker I wanted to be a photographer and then a musician and then a writer. I was always interested in film but never really pursued it academically. I made my first documentary as a senior in college and then made another and another and another. They weren't very good, but it was such an incredible process that I got hooked. I've never made a fiction film - for now I'm still too interested in how we shape real life into compelling stories. I also teach documentary filmmaking - which is a great thing for my own process, to be constantly inspired by young aspiring filmmakers. 

#4: What's your dream distribution plan for the film?
I'm actually pretty pleased with how things worked out. I was fortunate to recieve funding from ITVS (the Independent Television Service), which is essentially a process whereby ITVS licenses your film for public television. So the film will air nationally on PBS this summer. And as for festivals, I was thrilled to premiere at SXSW last year and have had a wonderful time sharing the movie across the country the past year.

#5: What does the future hold in store for your film and for you?
After the PBS broadcast this summer we'll be selling the movie on DVD and various platforms, and I'll continue sharing the movie at festivals and on college campuses. But frankly, as much as I'm proud of this movie and excited for folks to see it, I'm really itching to work on my next film. I've come to realize over the last year that I really like making movies a lot more than I like traveling with them. But still, festivals are a hell of a lot of fun! Especially festivals in the South!