2013 VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL SET FOR NOVEMBER 7-10

Charlottesville, VA – April 16, 2013 – The Virginia Film Festival announced today that it will be returning to Charlottesville for its 26^th year from November 7-10, 2013.

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia.

The 25th Anniversary year of the Festival shattered all previous records in box office, sales, attendance, and sold-out screenings. Ticket sales came in at $108, 043, topping the previous record by 20%. The Festival drew 27,299 attendances, more than 3,000 more than its 2011 record, and the 42 sold-out screenings were up from 27 the previous year.

Highlights from the 25^th Anniversary Virginia Film Festival included a special conversation with legendary Watergate reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein around a screening of the classic All the President’s Men. The event kicked off the new Presidency in Film Series, presented in partnership with The Miller Center at the University of Virginia.

Once again, audiences were treated to a dynamic mix of films that included some of the hottest titles on the festival circuit, including Silver Linings Playbook, The Sessions and Amour, among many others; plus acclaimed indies, cutting-edge documentaries, compelling short films, and an engaging and robust community outreach program. All in all, seven of the films screened at the Festival were nominated for Academy Awards® in 2013. The guest list for the 25^th Anniversary VFF, in addition to Woodward and Bernstein, included actor/director Matthew Lillard, actor and Albemarle County native Billy Campbell, actor Keith Carradine (with the locally-produced and directed horror film House Hunting), and musician and filmmaker Boyd Tinsley.

University of Virginia Vice Provost for the Arts and VFF Director Jody Kielbasa and his team are hard at work planning for 2013. “We look forward to building on the remarkable enthusiasm that surrounded our anniversary year,” he said. “We continue to be challenged and inspired by our growing audience and by this remarkable community, and look forward to another outstanding year.”

For more information on the Virginia Film Festival, visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.

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VFF Outreach and Education Program To Award $2,000 in Prize Money To Aspiring Filmmakers From Throughout the Commonwealth Winning Films Will Also Be Screened at 2013 Virginia Film Festival

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – April 2, 2013 – The Virginia Film Festival is once again encouraging high school students from throughout the Commonwealth to share their filmmaking talents in the second annual ACTION! High School Director Competition.

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia. ACTION! The Virginia Film Festival’s High School Director Competition is generously supported by the Virginia Film Office.

ACTION! The Virginia Film Festival’s High School Director Competition will return after a highly successful 2012 debut. The Festival will welcome submissions from rising 10^th, 11^th and 12^th graders from throughout the Commonwealth. The Grand Prize winner for the competition will be awarded a check for $1,000. Each of the two runners-up in the competition will be awarded $500, and all three winning films will receive a special screening at the upcoming 2013 Virginia Film Festival in early November. Each filmmaker from the three winning films will also receive a Participant Badge, which provides access to VFF screenings and the VFF Filmmakers and Sponsors Lounge.

The winner of the Grand Prize for the 2012 competition was Albemarle High School’s Tim Schauer, for his film Production Values, which was also awarded the VFF’s 2012 Audience Favorite Award for Best Narrative Short. Runner-up prizes went to A Dream’s End, directed by Tilden Lexa of Western Albemarle High School, and Caffeine, directed by Will Jones of Charlottesville High School.

“We were delighted with the quality of the films submitted for last year’s competition,” said Virginia Film Festival Director Jody Kielbasa. “We are looking forward to even more students participating this year, and taking advantage of this outstanding opportunity for students to follow their filmmaking passions, compete for significant prizes, and have the chance to screen their films for our audiences.”

ACTION! is  the most recent addition to the Festival’s acclaimed Community Outreach and Education program, which also includes the Young Filmmakers Academy, a filmmaking initiative for elementary and middle school students; the VFF’s annual Family Day festivities; and special middle and high school screenings both during the Festival and throughout the year.

The rules for ACTION! include:

• Students may submit a single application per person or team. Teams may consist of no more than three students serving as Directors of the submitted film. There is no limit to the number of participants contributing to or performing in the film.
• All films must be the complete original work of the students submitting them.
• Films are limited to six minutes in length, including credits. There is no minimum time restraint.
• Films must include a relevant theme and may not include profanity, graphic violence, or sexual content.

To apply to ACTION!, students must send a completed official entry form plus three (3) DVD copies of the submission film. All copies of the film must be provided on a standard DVD which can be played on a DVD player, and not only on a computer.

Applications and complete rules for entry can be found at http://www.virginiafilmfestival.org/outreach/action/.

Completed applications must be postmarked or hand delivered to the Virginia Film Festival Office by August 19, 2013, and winners will be notified by the VFF staff no later than October 4.

For more information, contact Jane Freeman, the VFF’s Community Outreach and Education Coordinator, at janefreeman@virginia.edu.

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The excitement and glamour of Hollywood are once again coming to Charlottesville on Oscar Night^®.  Residents of Charlottesville can experience the thrills and surprises of the 85^th Academy Awards^® on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Oscar^® Experience: Charlottesville party benefitting the Virginia Film Festival’s Outreach and Education Program.

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia and its College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

The Charlottesville event is one of 45 parties officially sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that will be held across the country on Oscar Night^®.

Benefiting the Virginia Film Festival’s Outreach and Education Program, Oscar^® Experience: Charlottesville will be hosted by Wells Fargo and held at The Paramount Theater, beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $45.00 for general admission and $100.00 for VIP access and go on sale Thursday, January 10 online only at www.virginiafilmfestival.org.  Beginning Tuesday, January 15, you can also purchase tickets by phone at 434-924-3376 and in-person at the U.Va. Arts Box Office in the lobby of the Drama Building, Monday through Friday from Noon to 5:00 p.m.

The Charlottesville audience will watch the Academy Awards telecast live on large screens courtesy of ABC-16, the Charlottesville affiliate of the ABC Television Network, which broadcasts the Academy Awards presentation.  This is the 20th year that the Academy and ABC have cooperated with local charities to support official Oscar^® Experience: Benefits viewing parties throughout the country.  This year marks the fourth year that Charlottesville’s party has been sanctioned by the Academy.

“Oscar^® night is meant to be a shared with others, we are thrilled to be able to celebrate the movies with fans nationwide while supporting charities around the country,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  “The Oscar^® Experience: Benefits network of fundraising parties across the nation represents the year-round philanthropic work the Academy does.”

Oscar^® Experience: Benefits parties last year raised more than $3.1 million in 49 cities.  All money raised stays in the local community.

The Academy will provide VIP guests in Charlottesville the same official program distributed to guests at the Oscar^â presentation at the Dolby^TM Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center^® in Hollywood.

Charlottesville  guests may feel like stars themselves as they walk the red carpet, enjoy some of the finest Virginia wines and sample the delicious cuisine of the newly-launched Glass Haus Kitchen, before sitting back and enjoying the presentation, which will be hosted by Charlottesville Newsplex and Charlottesville Radio Group personalities.

“Oscar^® night generates excitement all over the world,” said Virginia Film Festival Director Jody Kielbasa. “For the past three years, with the Academy’s help, we have given our community the literal red carpet treatment while providing a unique and fun-filled Academy Awards experience. We look forward to another great turnout this year as the event will benefit our outstanding Outreach and Education Program, which brings the magic of the movies to thousands in our area each year.”

Fresh off a record-breaking 25^th Anniversary year, the Virginia Film Festival (VFF) has grown into one of Virginia’s premier cultural landmarks  and earned a reputation as one of the nation’s leading regional festivals. Each year, the VFF presents a unique collection of films and events, including some of the hottest titles on the festival circuit, cutting-edge documentaries, beloved classics, acclaimed foreign films, and more – accompanied by fascinating discussions with a diverse collection of special guests and cultural experts. The Festival’s acclaimed Outreach and Education Program features a robust, year-round series of programs and events, including:

• The Young Filmmakers Academy student filmmaking initiative
• The Action! High School Filmmaking Competition
• The Adrenaline Film Project
• The Digital Media Gallery
• Student screenings of culturally and historically relevant documentaries for area students
• Community partnerships that encourage understanding and conversation around important issues in our community and society
• The VFF’s annual Family Day presentation, featuring free screenings and family-friendly performances, activities and events

Oscar^® Experience: Charlottesville is presented by Wells Fargo and is supported by presenting media partner Charlottesville Newsplex.

For more information on Oscar^® Experience: Charlottesville visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.

THE SESSIONS TAKES AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE; ESCAPE FIRE: THE FIGHT TO RESCUE AMERICAN HEALTHCARE EARNS TOP DOCUMENTARY HONORS

Local High School Filmmaker And ACTION! High School Filmmaking Competition Winner

Tim Schauer’s Production Values Voted Best Narrative Short

Charlottesville, VA – November 13, 2012 –  The Virginia Film Festival announced that The Sessions has captured its Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.  The moving drama, directed by Ben Lewin and starring John Hawkes and Helen Hunt, received similar honors at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia and its College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

The full list of 2012 VFF Audience Award winners includes:

Narrative Feature: The Sessions (Ben Lewin)

Narrative Short: Production Values (Tim Schauer)

Documentary Feature: Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare (Susan Frömke, Matthew Heineman)

Documentary Short: Willie (Zac Grigg)

“Our audiences have come to really enjoy and appreciate the chance to get a first look at some of the most talked-about films of the coming awards season,” Virginia Film Festival Director Jody Kielbasa said, “and The Sessions is one film that is clearly at the heart of those conversations.”

The Audience Award winners also included a number of films with deep local roots. Tim Schauer, an Albemarle High School student, was the inaugural winner of the Festival’s ACTION! High School filmmaking competition. “Tim’s win is a perfect example of the kind of inspiration a competition like this one can give a young filmmaker,” Kielbasa said. “The simple fact of it is that he made a terrific film and I couldn’t be happier that our audience recognized that, and him, with this award.”

Other winners with local ties included Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue the American Health Care System and Willie. The former featured the University of Virginia’s Department of Emergency Medicine and Dr. Pamela Ross. Willie, from local resident and Christopher Newport University student Zac Grigg, won raves for its heartwarming story of Willie Greenough, a locally-renowned model maker whose work and life is evidence that even in the case of developmental disabilities such as autism, we are all much more alike than we are different.

This year, Kielbasa and VFF Associate Programmer Wesley Harris once again saluted their own “Best of Fest” picks with Programmer’s Award winners, including:

Narrative Feature: Ape (Joel Potrykus)

Narrative Short: Mira’s Night (Elyse Kelly)

Documentary Feature: The Harvest (Gabriel DeLoach)

Documentary Short: Black Damp (Lydia Moyer)

“I love that, in addition to popular first-run features, we are able to share cinematic experiences like Ape with our audiences,” Harris said. “This is a gonzo feature debut from a very talented director follows a pyromanical stand-up comedian who is equal parts David Lynch, John Cassavetes and Louis C.K. It was one of my favorite films of the whole Festival.”

Harris called Gabriel DeLoach’s arresting documentary The Harvest another favorite. “Here is a movie that tackles the strange and difficult subject matter of children with terminal illness hunting wild game, and yet it never feels exploitative or easy. It’s a completely non-judgmental, and really fascinating film.”

The Programmer’s Awards also celebrate a pair of U.Va.- related talents, including alumna Elyse Kelly, whose lyrical animated short film Mira’s Night preceded the Family Day screening of Show White; and U.Va. Art Professor Lydia Moyer, whose Black Damp offered a an experimental meditation on meditation on the life, history and infrastructure of the coal town of Centralia, Pennsylvania.

For more information on the Virginia Film Festival, visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.

Premiere sponsors for the 2012 Virginia Film Festival are The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the AV Company, The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation (Richard M. Adler and Joseph Erdman, Trustees), Flow Automotive Companies, Regal Entertainment Group, and the Virginia Film Office.

ALL-TIME RECORDS IN SALES, ATTENDANCE AND SOLD-OUT SCREENINGS

2012 Festival Earned $108,043 in Box Office Sales,
Topping Previous Mark By 20%

Attendance of 27,299 Up 13% From Last Year’s Record;

41 Sold-Out Screenings Bests 2011 Record of 27

Charlottesville, VA – November 8, 2012 – The 25^th Anniversary Virginia Film Festival started off by celebrating its outstanding history, and finished off by making some of its own.

Festival officials announced today that the 2012 VFF shattered all previous records in box office sales, attendance and sold-out screenings. Box office sales this year came in at 108,043, which represents a 20% increase over its previous record of 90,077, set in 2010. This year’s Festival drew 27,299 attendees, topping the previous all-time record of 24,077, set in 2011. Finally, this year’s Festival featured 42 sold out-screenings, up from 27 last year.

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia’s College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

“We could not be more thrilled with the results from this year’s Festival,” said VFF Director Jody Kielbasa. “We had a truly extraordinary four days, are so thankful to live and work in a community for whom the arts are so vitally important. We are also so grateful to be supported by a University which adds immeasurably to our efforts in so many important ways. Our continued growth is evidence that we are on the right track when it comes to our mission to celebrate and share the magic of the movies with our community, both on and off the University Grounds.”

The Festival’s success this year will last long after the final films were screened, thanks to a pair of important fundraising developments.

VFF officials announced today that the 25^th Anniversary Challenge campaign, created thanks to the generosity of the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, earned $35,799.25 in gifts for the Festival. The campaign, which matched all gifts given to the VFF from late August through the Festival’s conclusion, featured 93 participants, including 57 new donors to the Virginia Film Festival.

“We are so grateful for, and humbled by, the support of those who answered the call for our 25^th Anniversary Challenge,” Kielbasa said. “This campaign would never have happened without the Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, and we could not be more thankful for their remarkable commitment.”

And last night, in a special reception to mark the opening of the new Regal Cinemas Imax at Stonefield, Regal officials presented VFF Director Jody Kielbasa with a check for $28,500 as the first of three local be beneficiaries of its Charity Preview Events.  Regal Cinemas donated all proceeds from Monday, November 5 to the Festival, when it welcomed 7,000 local patrons in to enjoy $2 movies, popcorn and soft drinks.

“We are truly astounded by the generosity shown us by our longtime friends and partners at Regal Entertainment as they debut what is a stunningly beautiful new facility. What an extraordinary gesture, and one that will help us continue to expand what we are able to offer all aspects of this community not only during the Festival, but all year around.”

For more information on the Virginia Film Festival, visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.

Premiere sponsors for the 2012 Virginia Film Festival are The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the AV Company, The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation (Richard M. Adler and Joseph Erdman, Trustees), Flow Automotive Companies, Regal Entertainment Group, and the Virginia Film Office.

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Campbell To Appear Along with Director Matthew Lillard To Discuss New Film Fat Kid Rules the World on Sunday, November 4 at 7:00 P.M. at Newcomb Hall Theater

Virginia Film Festival Set for November 1-4

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – October 24, 2012 – The Virginia Film Festival announced today that noted actor and Charlottesville native Billy Campbell will join director Matthew Lillard to discuss Lillard’s debut film Fat Kid Rules the World. The film, in which Campbell co-stars, will be shown on Sunday, November 4 at 7:00 p.m. at Newcomb Hall Theater.

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia and its College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Billy Campbell, a graduate of Western Albemarle High School, recently won raves for his portrayal of politician Darren Richmond in the critically-acclaimed AMC series The Killing.  He won a Golden Globe nomination for his lead role in the popular ABC series Once and Again and played Dr. John Fielding in the  acclaimed Tales of the City series. Campbell will star as Abraham Lincoln in the National Geographic Channel television movie adaptation of Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s book Killing Lincoln, set to air in early 2013. His film credits are highlighted by his lead role in the science fiction fantasy The Rocketeer and his role as a vampire hunter in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Billy Campbell back home to Charlottesville,” said Virginia Film Festival Director Jody Kiebasa, “and having him join director Matthew Lillard to discuss this great new film, in which Billy gives a terrific performance as a strict, but loving father concerned about his son’s new friendship and interests.”

For a full schedule and complete information regarding the Virginia Film Festival, visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org or look for the official 2012 VFF Program, available in this week’s C-Ville.

Tickets are currently on sale on that site, in-person at the U.Va. Arts Box Office (at Culbreth Theatre) and at the Festival Headquarters Box Office at the Main Street Arena on the Downtown Mall, and via phone at 434-924-3376.  Press images are also available at www.flickr.com/photos/virgniafilmfestival/.

Premiere sponsors for the 2012 Virginia Film Festival are The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the AV Company, The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation (Richard M. Adler and Joseph Erdman, Trustees), Flow Automotive Companies, Regal Entertainment Group, and the Virginia Film Office.

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Charlottesville, VA – October 23, 2012 – The Virginia Film Festival has tapped Filament Productions to produce the Festival’s 25^th Anniversary television commercial, which will run throughout the Commonwealth, and the Festival trailer, which will run prior to every screening and event during the upcoming Festival. The 25^th Anniversary Virginia Film Festival is coming up from November 1-4.

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia and its College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

“We are delighted to be working with Filament once again,” said Jody Kielbasa, Director of the Virginia Film Festival. “Their vision and creativity are a great match for who we are, and they have done a great job of capturing the energy of this dynamic and exciting anniversary year.”

Filament last partnered with the Film Festival in 2010, Kielbasa said, when their commercial and trailer helped lead the VFF to what were then all-time-records in both sales and attendance.

“Working with the entire team at the Virginia Film Festival is always a pleasure,” said Fenton Williams, President at Filament Productions. “It’s great how they support the filmmaking community in Virginia and it’s an honor to be involved with such a special festival.”

About Filament Productions

Filament Productions was founded in 2005 by Fenton Williams, long time Production Designer and Creative Director of the Dave Matthews Band. Fenton has been with DMB for over 20 Years and Filament’s success with the band has allowed them to expanded their clientele. Most recently Tim McGraw and grammy award winning Zac Brown Band.

About the Virginia Film Festival

The Virginia Film Festival is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with an exciting program featuring more than 120 remarkable films being presented in numerous venues in Charlottesville, and engaging events with top leaders in the cinema industry.  Some of the Festival’s special guests include the legendary journalistic duo of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (who will participate in a post-screening discussion of the classic political thriller All The President’s Men to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Watergate scandal); actors Matthew Lillard, Marc Singer and Keith Carradine; noted documentarian Ross McElwee; acclaimed journalist Nick Clooney and Dave Matthews Band’s Boyd Tinsley, in his filmmaking debut.

For more information on the Virginia Film Festival, visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.

VFF Director Jody Kielbasa Announces Silver Linings Playbook As Festival’s Centerpiece Film And The Sessions As Closing Night Film

Other Additions Include Rust and Bone, Starring Academy Award®-Winner Marion Cotillard; and Two-Time Academy Award-Winner Dustin Hoffman’s Directorial Debut, Quartet, Along With Acclaimed Documentary Liv & Ingmar