The Big Muddy Film Festival, based at Southern Illinois University Carbondale has become one of the best-respected, wholly independent, community-focused film festivals. In its 34th year, Big Muddy is among the oldest student-organized film festivals in the United States.

The Big Muddy Film Festival celebrates the innovative works of emerging and established filmmakers and media artists, and is dedicated to encouraging grassroots filmmaking in local communities, and to bringing independent film to the rural Midwest.

This year, as of the second submission deadline, almost two hundred submissions have been received from all over the world—including submissions from Japan, Spain, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Australia, Singapore, and South Korea. With one deadline to go, the festival will screen many more exciting new films, the best of which will be programmed in the 34^th annual film festival, to be held February 22-26, 2012.