The 20th annual Virginia Film Festival takes place November 1-4 with the theme “Kin Flicks.” Over the past 20 years, the festival has paid homage to classic and cult films, shocked audiences with experimental art, and imported Hollywood’s finest talent. This year, it does it again with a focus on the fam.
The goal is to educate as much as it is to entertain. As part of 1999’s Technovisions program, audiences experienced Odorama with John Waters’ Polyester. Every year, a film’s production is broken down in a shot-by-shot presentation by someone who contributed to its making or who should know. In 2003 I was captivated listening to Frank Pierson, then the president of the Academy, talk about recreating a bank robbery in Dog Day Afternoon. Roger Ebert did it with Antonioni’s Blowup in 1998. The stars who come always teach, from Sydney Pollack (2001) to Sandra Bullock (2004).
Of course, people do love the stars who show up.
What do I recommend? Everything, because there’s something for everyone. Be the first to see Honeydripper, with John Sayles. See Dirty Dancing on the bigscreen. Ask Alan Berliner talk about his inner demons. Bring your kids to see Charlie Chapman in The Kid with live musical accompaniment on Sunday. Tickets are $6 and $9 (day and evening). Buy online at www.vafilm.com. Charlottesville, we’re lucky to have this.
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i can’t wait to see Honeydripper and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. there are so many awesome films showing this year, and som ereally interesting guests. JOHN TURTURRO being far from the least of them!!
Chaplin
I KNOW, RIGHT?