The Parthenon. The Ryman Auditorium. The Hermitage. These are landmarks that help define an area. A region. A city. A state, even. But one that’s conveniently forgotten in the 21st century is Opryland. This little-known theme park that opened to the public in 1972 was originally intended to be a 120-acre companion to The Grand Ole Opry that featured musical shows, concerts, rollercoasters, amusement rides, arcades and plenty of great Southern food. Known as the “Home of American Music,” the attraction was demolished after the 1997 season, making way for a soulless outlet-heavy shopping mall.

If you’re a Child of the ’80s who lived in or around Middle Tennessee during its glory years, like me, you probably share my feelings toward the park. But at the time of its closing, I was a college student, and the prospect of Nashville finally catching up with the times and getting a brand-new mall that people from all walks of life would come to visit did interest me, somewhat. Only later would I realize, after college, the soul of the city was slowly disappearing, as one landmark was either destroyed or remodeled into something else entirely and the city where I grew up was no longer recognizable.

And my question lingered: Why? What was the purpose of tearing it down?

For one weekend, 28 years later, the beloved theme park will return to Middle Tennessee, this time via the big screen. The 56th Nashville Film Festival welcomes Opryland USA: A Circle Broken as an entry in its Tennessee Features division to be shown on Saturday, September 20th at 2:00 PM at Regal Green Hills Stadium 16 — IT’S ALREADY SOLD OUT! — and I could not be any more excited. In fact, this documentary is my most anticipated entry at the entire festival this year!

I contacted Programming Director Lauren Thelen to help me get a little background information about the 2025 festival.

Originally joining NashFilm in 2019 as a programmer, she helped curate a diverse, dynamic and engaging lineup of films that reflect the spirit and interests of the city to ensure a wide range of perspectives are represented. From January through July, submissions are reviewed, partnering with both independent and major distributors to bring high-profile presentations to the festival, along with filmmaker Q&As that enrich the audience experience.

I wondered aloud about the general process for selecting each year’s films and questioned if it changed during the age of COVID. I was pleasantly surprised to learn it has remained largely consistent throughout the years. Submissions are opened every January on FilmFreeway and their final call happens in June.

“With approximately 4,000 submissions each year, the process is extensive and highly thoughtful. We consider a wide range of factors, including diverse perspectives, thematic relevance, current events and local significance. Our approach goes far beyond simply deciding whether a film is ‘good’ or ‘bad;’ it’s about curating a program that resonates.”

In order to preview Opryland USA: A Circle Broken, Graveyard Shift Programmer and Tennessee Features programmer, Jennifer Bonior gave me a little insight about the movie. Even though Bonior wasn’t lucky enough to experience Opryland USA firsthand, after watching this film, she’s even more jealous of her friends who had. 

“It’s clear why this ‘showpark’ left such a lasting impact on their childhoods and on our city.”

“This film is a passionate and nostalgic journey that brings the once famous ‘showpark’ back to life, by reminding us of the incredible legacy it left behind, and how it helped forge Nashville into the city it is today. It’s a must-see for any Nashvillian, new or old.”

That quote only solidifies my original feelings toward the film. I cannot wait to see it!

NashFilm briefly describes the feature thusly:

The unexpected closure of Opryland USA in 1997 remains one of Nashville’s greatest losses. The public was promised that part of the park would remain intact — it didn’t. For 25 years, Opryland was the cultural centerpiece of the city. The community is still asking: “Why was Opryland closed and replaced with a mall?”

I asked if this film was the first one featuring Nashville in the spotlight that had received a world premiere at NashFilm and Bonior responded, “Many of our Tennessee features tend to be world premieres. Last year, we presented The Day the Music Stopped, which was a world premiere about the historic Nashville venue, Exit/In.”

Impressive, indeed.

The 56 Nashville Film Festival takes place from September 18th – 24th at multiple locations throughout the city. Make sure to get your tickets now, as its screenings are selling out quickly! And with a little luck, this native Tennessean will get to experience the nostalgia of my youth by reliving Opryland one more time, but this time in a movie theater. Maybe you too will experience the joy many Tennesseans had throughout the years as visitors to Opryland USA.

It’s definitely a must see for me!