The 35th Annual Virginia Film Festival is November 2-6!

Scene & Heard: The Official Newsletter for the Virginia Film Festival

✨🍿The 2022 Virginia Film Festival is Just Around the Corner!🍿✨

Believe it or not, the 35th Annual Virginia Film Festival is only a week away! Starting next Wed, Nov. 2, the Festival will be in full swing with an exciting lineup of over 100 diverse films to enjoy. Join us and our amazing guests at venues across Downtown Charlottesville and UVA Grounds as we celebrate the art and impact of film.

Before you continue, have you… 

✅ Explored our 2022 Program and our Series & Themes?

✅ Checked out our stellar line up of special guests?

✅ Purchased your tickets?

There is still plenty of time to buy tickets and be sure to pick up a copy of our At-A-Glance insert in today’s issue of C-VILLE WEEKLY!

Keep reading for a taste of what we have in store for you!

MAMA'S BOY

LGBTQIA+ FOCUS

Mama’s Boy with screenwriter Dustin Lance Black

Join Academy Award-winning screenwriter and special guest Dustin Lance Black (winner of our Changemaker Award) for this powerful autobiographical documentary, that delves into his roots and identity as a gay man while paying homage to his mother, who supported him while fighting with her own physical and emotional struggles. Make sure to stay after the show for a discussion with Black about his film. Discussion with Dustin Lance Black, moderated by Bilal Qureshi (NPR)

Supported by UVA Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

MY FATHER'S DRAGON

CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS

My Father’s Dragon with screenwriter Meg LeFauve

Based on the beloved children’s novel of the same name, My Father’s Dragon is our Family Centerpiece Screening, and offers plenty of entertainment for all ages. This fantastical tale of a boy’s escape to an island filled with magical creatures, wild adventures, and fearless fun is delighting audiences on the festival circuit and destined to be a family favorite for years to come. Director and two-time Oscar nominee Nora Twomeysupervising sound editor Zach Seivers, and producer Julie Lynn (UVA alumni and VAFF Advisory Board Member) will join LeFauve for a post-screening discussion that you won’t want to miss!

Presented by UVA Arts: supported by the Office of the Provost & the Vice Provost for the Arts 

Supported by Nest Realty

LOWNDES COUNTY AND THE ROAD TO BLACK POWER

BLACK EXCELLENCE SERIES

Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power with director Sam Pollard

In a powerfully poignant piece, Emmy Award-winning directors Sam Pollard and Geeta Gandbhir combine first-hand accounts with striking archival footage to tell the story of a brave group of citizens in the 1960s who put their lives on the line to change history in rural Lowndes County, Alabama. This documentary is a signature program in our Black Excellence Series, which proudly celebrates and explores the African American experience. Special guest Sam Pollard will receive the Chronicler Award and will participate in a discussion after the screening with Robert Daniels of IndieWire.

Presented by United Way of Greater Charlottesville

Supported by UVA Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

STAY AWAKE

VIRGINIA FILMMAKING FOCUS

Stay Awake with director Jamie Sisley and actors Chrissy Metz and Wyatt Oleff

Writer, director, and Virginia native Jamie Sisley delivers a moving drama about a family dealing with the ravages of addiction. As two brothers gradually put their lives on hold to help rehabilitate their pill-addicted mother, Sisley sympathetically reveals the impact of addiction not only on the addict but their family as well. Sisley will receive the VAFF’s inaugural Governor Gerald L. Baliles Founder’s Award prior to this screening. Stars Chrissy Metz and Wyatt Oleff will join Jamie Sisley for a post-screening discussion. 

Presented by UVA Health

The Virginia Filmmaking Focus is presented by Virginia Film Office

Volunteer

VOLUNTEER

Want to be more involved with the Film Festival? We are in need of passionate arts lovers to volunteer and help the festival run at its finest. We have a variety of positions available, and each is a great way to meet fellow film lovers, guests, and festival regulars. Drive special guests to the movies, help set up events, manage venues and parties, and more! Apply today and be a part of the 35th Annual Virginia Film Festival.

Give

SUPPORT VAFF

We believe that sharing diverse stories and engaging audiences across the Commonwealth, the nation, and the globe is more important than ever before. Please consider helping us continue to celebrate the art of film while exploring a range of compelling topics with a donation to the VAFF. We hope to see you at the movies next week! 


A program of the University of Virginia. Presented by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation.