Arkansas filmmaker Jeff Nichols will serve as the opening keynote speaker at the 50th annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism, taking place Feb. 25-27 in Jonesboro. The opening session is titled “Natural State Storytelling: A Conversation with Jeff Nichols.”

Nichols is a feature film writer and director born and raised in Little Rock. His newest feature film, “The Bikeriders,” starring Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, will be released June 21. Nichols is a graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. In 2017, Nichols co-founded the Arkansas Cinema Society and serves as chairman of the board.