Selected Comments from Participants in the 1995 Virginia Festival of American Film
"I'd forgotten what real Virginia hospitality was like until this past weekend. I must say that I found screening in Charlottesville to be a delightful experience, and the fact that there were more real moviegoers than industry types, critics and acquisitions people made it all the more pleasant-and useful in terms of gauging what a regional audience's response might be."
- Brian Fox, director, Scorpion Spring
"Thanks for inviting me and Mari to the festival. It was really among the best festival experiences I've had yet. The programming was really well thought out, the staff was wonderful (especially all the drivers), the audiences warm and receptive, and the setting beautiful. Congratulations on an outstanding job!"
- Kayo Hatta, director, Picture Bride
"This is just to say thank you, thank you for the invite, and more, thank you for the Festival, which I found to be stunning, complex, human. Helped, of course, by that perfect double rainbow on Saturday afternoon, and Ruben Blades' gospel salsa service early Sunday morning. Congrats to you and that crack staff and the laid-back (feeling) efficiency of the fest."
- Bob Holman, producer, United States of Poetry
"The discussion about Closer to Home was without doubt the best I have ever participated in or even observed in any of the film festivals I have known. It had...mostly to do with director and actor, who were fabulous, and the audience....But it was those two guys who spoke with incredible candor and depth who made the discussion take off and not stop until I felt obliged to stop it at 1:15am. And even at that time people milled around for another 20 minutes reluctant to let it go."
- Ann Lane, Director of Women's Studies, University of Virginia
"Thank you for a glorious day at the University. I found it enormously stimulating and the reaction to my film Canadian Bacon could not have been more euphoric."
- David Brown, producer, Canadian Bacon
"It was a great experience. The audience and the questions for The Young One were challenging, informed and exciting. You really have an intelligent, curious and diverse audience. It was far from the run of the mill questions one gets at similar events....Then, to be on a panel with Paul Jarrico talking about Salt of the Earth was great. To see a man of his principles, intelligence and integrity is a rare thing these days. The Festival offered a special opportunity to see new independent work as well as classics and to meet a lot of people who love the movies as much as we do."
- Dr. Margarita de la Vega-Hurtado, Latino Studies Program, University of Michigan
"I had a wonderful time...It made me glad to be a filmmaker (sometimes I wonder)."
- Robb Moss, director, The Tourist
"This is a terrific festival-we met a lot of great people and had a great time-the total opposite of a typical festival experience. Good luck keeping things this way...I look forward to returning someday, with or without a film."
- Gordon Eriksen, co-director, Scenes from the New World
"A superb job of organization-all smooth sailing. Also challenging and exciting. I hope to see you every year."
- Frank Pierson, screenwriter and director, AFI Film School
"Can't put in words how wonderful everyone has been here. It's so lovely here, so much love and genuine interest in the arts it's inspiring. Hope to return soon and get to see more of this state. Anything I can do to help advance the goals of the Festival, please let me know. Un abrazo enorme!
- Ruben Blades, singer, politician, actor