The 2016 Oxford Film Festival has announced the full schedule and complete slate of films for this year’s edition. A record-breaking 144 films (25 features, 119 shorts and music videos) representing 14 countries were selected for the film festival taking place Feb. 17-21.

A series of special filmmaker panels, including a talk with film and television star Joey Lawrence, will be offered for Mississippi filmgoers to attend, 21 short films will screen for the first time anywhere, and 21 alumni filmmakers will see their latest work screen at Oxford with as many as 80 filmmakers planning to attend the popular film festival.

The presentation of the Oxford Film Festival’s Hoka Awards will take place on Saturday, Feb. 20 at The Lyric.

“The Oxford Film Festival continues to grow and this year’s selections — both in subject matter, representation from around the world, and the sheer number of films chosen — reflects that,” said  Oxford Film Festival Executive Director Melanie Addington.

“As always, we are celebrating our ‘home grown’ filmmakers and their work, but we are also screening films with provocative subjects, from different cultures and a myriad of genres in our effort to deliver a broad spectrum of experiences in the theater to our eager Mississippi film fans.

“We also are thrilled at the idea of having so many filmmakers attend the festival this year to be here in-person, see their work screened, and be available to talk to the public about their movies,” added Addington.

The series of panels offered are headed by a “Conversation with…Joey Lawrence” where he will discuss his career including his experiences being a teen idol and his new faith-based film “Saved By Grace,” and include additional compelling panel subjects  such as  “Casting Character  Actors,” “Producing Films in Mississippi,” “Casting Child Actors,” “Dissecting Hollywood’s Diversity Problem,” “How to Get Film Critics to review Your Film,” and “Independent Black Film Collective.”

Tickets and passes are available for purchase to attend the 2016 Oxford Film Festival.

For more information, as well as a complete list of entrants and events, go to www.oxfordfilmfest.com.