Movie fans will be in cinema heaven this weekend as the Fifth Annual Rails to Reels Film Festival comes to the historic Temple Theater in Meridian, beginning with an opening ceremony at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience Friday evening.

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For ticket information, visit the Rails to Reels Facebook page at tinyurl.com/y8of6lb6.

“What’s great about this year is there is a strong mix of Mississippi films,” said Thomas Burton, organizer of the festival. “The Max has been so wonderful to help us out by hosting the opening ceremony on the rooftop beginning at 4:30 p.m.”

Burton said the festival serves in the belief of the art of film-making and makes every effort to highlight independent filmmakers and share their works with the community.

“We are committed to bring independent film-makers to Meridian and showcase Mississippi and regional talent,” he said.

A total of 38 films will be shown Friday and Saturday. One of them, “My Son Hates My Boyfriend,” is by Meridian’s own Daniel Ethridge. Scenes from the film were shot at Magnolia Truck Stop and Bo Haarala Autoplex, said Ethridge.

“This is about a son who doesn’t like his mother’s boyfriend,” he said. “It’s a lot of good fun and a good comedy. The son, “Shep,” is played by seven-year-old Riley Kilgore and his scenes are hilarious. His mother, Allyson Kilgore, plays his mom in the movie as well, and her mom, Christine Webster, plays her mom in the movie.”

The movie features a cast of funny characters, including a wealthy real estate agent who marries the grandmother, then dies. The grandmother then takes up with an unsavory preacher, Ethridge said.

The film, which will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, is Ethridge’s first full-length effort, and he is excited that the scenes in the film and actors are all from Meridian. “There will be lot of great movies,” he said. “I’m glad I was a part of it and happy to show it to the hometown folks.”

Another film, “A Son Inherit,” by Michael Williams, was shot at old Jean’s Restaurant and Super Inn locations. The film centers around a father and son, both dealing with their own problems. Williams both wrote and directed the film.

The father is played by Gulf Coast native Jack Teague and the son is played by Matt Story.

“Jack did a really great job,” said Williams. “He caught the character who’s going through something inside and out.”

Both Williams’ and Ethridge’s films were chosen earlier this year when Meridian held the Flash Film Festival. They had 60 hours to shoot the film and show it.

The festival will wrap up Saturday night with an awards ceremony, with three judges selecting the winners. One will be noted actor Jeremy Sande, who has appeared in numerous television shows and movies, including “Deepwater Horizon.” Sandy will be joined by Melanie Addington, executive director of the Oxford Film Festival, and Miles Doleac, a professor of Classical Studies and Film at the University of Southern Mississippi.

The Temple Theater is located on the corner of 8th Street and 24th Avenue and there is plenty of free parking in the parking garage located across the street.