History

Cucalorus 3: Legendary cinematographer Jack Cardiff presented his classic "The Red Shoes" and North Carolinian Ross McElwee brought his film "Six O'Clock News"

Cucalorus 4: Actor and North Carolina native Nick Searcy screened his debut feature "Paradise Falls"

Cucalorus 5: Highlights included "Snake Tales" and "Tax Day," from female directors Francesca Talenti and Laura Colella, respectively

Cucalorus 6: Farhad Yawari's "Dolphins" screened outside, along the Cape Fear River, on the deck of the USS North Carolina

Cucalorus 7: David Gordon Green's directorial debut "George Washington" was the undisputed indie film of the year

Cucalorus 8: Wilmington-made "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys," from producer Jodie Foster, was an audience favorite

Cucalorus 9: Docs rule the day with Nick Doob's "Schooling Jewel," the street-fighting "The Backyard" and Chris Smith's "Home Movie"

Cucalorus 10: Gus Van Sant's "Elephant," the east coast premier of Tricia Brock's adaptation of "Killer Diller," which is based on a novel by Wilmington author Clyde Edgerton, and Ross McElwee's "Bright Leaves" were highlights

Cucalorus 11: Oscar-winning writer Jim Taylor's directorial debut, "The Lost Cause," a narrative short starring Nick Searcy, and Jonathan Caouette's "Tarnation" were favorites

Cucalorus 12: For the first time, Cucalorus opens in early November and the historic Thalian Hall Center becomes its primary venue

Cucalorus 13: Screened films "Taxi to the Dark Side" and "Freeheld" went on to win Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short, respectively. The closing night film "In Search of a Midnight Kiss" released in 2008 to critical acclaim.

Cucalorus 14: Erica Dunton presented her film "The 27 Club", Marianna Palka and Jason Ritter were here for the screening of their film "Good Dick", and the festival closed with a special screening of "Wendy and Lucy" with Kelly Reichardt on hand.

Cucalorus 15: Record busting crowds joined artists like Ray McKinnon (That Evening Sun) and Gary Lundgren (Calvin Marshall) for five days of salty celebration as Cucalorus celebrated fifteen years of renegade festival making. Four films from the festival went on to receive 10 Oscar noms and no one was seriously injured as far as we know.

Cucalorus 16: you decide.