Each October, amid the fall colors of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Virginia Film Festival takes the stage at Thomas Jefferson's University of Virginia in Charlottesville. In its first ten years, the Festival has attracted national recognition for its unique mix of entertainment and education.
A Different Theme Each Year
Each year, the Festival explores a particular theme, which illuminates the social and artistic impact of moviemaking. Directors, actors, scholars, and writers, through panel discussions and special events, further enrich the Festival experience. Festival themes have included Music and the Movies (1990), The Reel South (1992), Love and Other Obsessions (1994), and U.S. and Them (1995).
From Classics to Premieres
Festival selections range from Hollywood premiers to classic, documentary, and experimental films and videos. Through the presentation of rare classics restores by archives and studios, the Festival calls attention to the importance of preserving America's film heritage, and of displaying early films with the proper screening equipment and musical accompaniment for which they were designed. Reflecting Charlottesville's lively literary climate, the Festival gives special attention to the perspectives of noted screenwriters, novelists, and critics.
Celebrations of classic films and their creators have included a study of film noir, opening with Out of the Past and its star Robert Mitchum; a 25th Anniversary tribute to In the Heat of the Night and Sidney Poitier; a 50th Anniversary encore premiere of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; Distinguished Filmmaker presentations to Robert Altman, John Sayles, Albert Maysles, and Emile de Antonio; and Roger Ebert's "shot by shot" workshops on classics such as Vertigo, Sunset Boulevard, and The Third Man. Memorable premiere events have included an advance screening of The War Room with filmmakers D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus joined by George Stephanapolous; White Man's Burden featuring director Desmond Nakano on a panel with Julian Bond; and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle addressed by Mary Lee Settle, novelist and friend of the film's central character, author Dorothy Parker.
Bringing Filmmakers and Tourists to Virginia
Working closely with the Virginia Film Office, the Virginia Film Office, the Virginia Film Festival brings filmmakers from throughout the United States and abroad to Virginia to take advantage of its outstanding locations, communications, and talent. Filmmakers find the Virginia Film Festival a rare opportunity to screen and discuss their work with colleagues and bright, appreciative audiences. The Festival also brings many visitors to Charlottesville, an increasing number from out-of-state, producing a significant impact on the local economy.
The Past and Future of the Film Festival
Created in the early 1980s, the Virginia Festival of American Film (renamed The Virginia Film Festival) was endorsed by the state's Department of Economic Development and adopted by the University of Virginia. The intent was twofold: to stimulate economic development by encouraging film production in Virginia and increasing tourism, and to meld the creative interests and crafts of the American film industry with the intellectual resources of a nationally ranked university. Sponsored for the past eight years by the University's Division of Continuing Education, the Festival has grown into an event of national significance, engaging a large number of University faculty and attracting substantial film industry and public attention.
In 1996, the University decided to make the Film Festival a more integral part of its academic program. The Festival was moved under the umbrella of the Department of Drama, where it would become the centerpiece of a year-round film studies and exhibition program. The focus on American film was retained, but expanded to encompass a broader range of international films which American cinema influences and reflects. Among the new programs instituted and planned are:
An expanded films studies program, including two courses related to the Festival theme taught by Festival staff, and open to students and adult learners,
Eminent screenwriting fellows teaching month-long courses and receiving Festival tribute screenings,
An annual publication of Festival essays and proceedings, inaugurated by a 1995-96 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, &
Broader student participation in the management and operation of the Film Festival through internships and volunteer programs.
Your Support
Consolidating Festival operations with those of the Drama Department has resulted in considerable savings; however, ticket sales and public and private underwriting do not currently meet budgetary needs. To succeed, the Festival must have the support of individuals, businesses, and organizations concerned and committed to the arts, film culture, and the economic climate of Central Virginia. Such support will provide the following benefits:
Assure the future of the Festival, offering an enhanced opportunity the further its regional and national reputation, and increase public participation,
Promote the significance of the Virginia Film Festival's exhibition, study, and preservation of classic films, and their essential role in inspiring future cinematic innovators and enlightened audiences,
Strengthen the Film Festival's role in economic development for the region, &
Allow Festival staff to expand their vision and creativity in future programs.
As the Festival achieves financial stability, its economic impact will increase, its international reputation will grow, and it will become an ever-greater source of education and entertainment for a growing audience.
Please join us in this exciting opportunity. You can ensure the intellectual growth and financial health of this special cultural resource. Lend your support to the Virginia Film Festival.
