“Last year we were delighted with both the number and the quality of features and documentaries we received,” said Virginia Film Festival Director Jody Kielbasa, who is heading into his second year at the festival’s helm. “One of the most exciting things about attending a film festival is the opportunity to be among the first to discover new filmmakers, and our call for entries is a perfect way to do that.  Last year’s record attendance of more than 19,000 is evidence that this is a festival on the rise, and I hope our continued growth will allow us to continually expand our pool of filmmakers as we move forward.”

All submissions will be considered as long as they are received by September 8th.  All entries must be submitted through Withoutabox.  Rates for film submissions will be $45 for the general public and $40 for Withoutabox members. Submissions are FREE for Virginia residents, including students. Submissions for out-of-state students are $10.

Kielbasa said the call for entries has allowed for many exciting discoveries from the festival’s home base.  “Last year we launched a Virginia Filmmakers Showcase, which I plan on making an annual tradition at the festival. The film scene here is growing and vibrant and we want to make sure the festival always provides a platform for these filmmakers.”

The Virginia Film Festival, presented by the University of Virginia’s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, is a four-day celebration of cinema’s unique power to inspire, enlighten and entertain. It’s a chance to see first-run-features and revisit timeless classics. It’s a chance to discover new films and filmmakers, a place to hear from high-profile industry insiders and up-and-coming stars, and a forum for talented filmmakers from around the world and throughout Virginia. It’s an opportunity to hear cultural experts lead fascinating lectures and discussions that illuminate the films and themes in the context of the world in which we live today. And to top it all off, the festival features a series of special events that invite the entire community to come together and revel in the magic of the movies.

The Virginia Film Festival will announce its program for the 2010 festival in early October.

Tickets are $6 ($5 for UVa Staff, Faculty and Students) and free for existing Film Society members. Book now on 434 979 1333 or online at www.theparamount.net

2009 Festival Attracted More Than 19,000 Attendees;
Ticket Sales Top $71,000 – 87% Increase Over 2008 Festival

The Virginia Film Festival made history last year by topping its all-time attendance record. Today it is making history again by announcing its 2010 dates and a major change in its longtime format.

The 23rd Annual Virginia Film Festival will return to Charlottesville from November 4-7, engaging the entire community in a four-day celebration of cinema and its unique power to inspire, enlighten and entertain. The festival features a wide variety of films and filmmakers from around the world, highlights the extraordinary wealth of talent in Virginia’s own thriving film scene and spotlights the formidable intellectual firepower of the University of Virginia.

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

Virginia Film Festival Director Jody Kielbasa, now entering his second year on the job, has also announced a major change in the festival’s format.

“This year we have decided to begin a new tradition in that the Festival will not feature an overarching theme. This is a decision we made after careful consideration and extensive consultation with faculty, students, our advisory board and festival patrons and participants. I am particularly excited about this new format. It allows us to do something that is central to my vision for the festival moving forward. That is, it allows us to look at film through a contemporary lens, and continually engage our audiences in contemporary issues and topics.

The other thing it allows us to do is expand the festival’s cultural and intellectual reach by exploring a wider variety of themes. I envision addressing various issues through series of sidebars and programs that allow us to dive into topics using the vast resources we have at the University, the rich cultural traditions here in Charlottesville and throughout Virginia, and our deep connections throughout the film industry.”

Kielbasa arrived in Charlottesville last June after ten years as the Founding Executive Director of the Sarasota Film Festival. He had only five months before opening night of his first VFF.

“Last year, coming to town in June, there was a bit of a steep learning curve for me in terms of getting my head and heart around Charlottesville, the state and regional film scene, the University and more. What I have learned is that all the things that made me and my family fall in love with this community are more true and real to us every day. Of course, six months in any place does not qualify one as a full-fledged community member nor does it make for a festival that can fully represents its community. I still have much to learn and I look forward to continuing to discover even more about the rich cultural, historical and intellectual landscape that makes this place so unique.”

In addition, he said, the year has taught him that the Virginia Film Festival has all the potential he imagined it would when he came here…and much more.

“The more I learn about the rich talent here in the Virginia film scene and the more I see all that the region has to offer as a tourism destination, the more I realize that this is a festival that can and should take its place among some of the industry’s highest profile annual events. When you add to this the treasure trove of cultural and intellectual resources afforded us by the University, and by this extraordinary community, there are virtually no limits to the festival’s artistic possibilities.”

Kielbasa is also quick to point out that while the festival will always pack a powerful intellectual and cultural punch, it will also always treat the community to plenty of good old fashioned entertainment. “Film can and should be a transformative experience, but I never want to lose sight of its innate ability to entertain us. With this in mind, we will continue to explore the influence of film on popular culture and vice versa. I am incredibly heartened by the way this community embraced last year’s festival and want to program in a way that embraces them right back by delivering a dynamic experience that truly features something for everyone.”

The Virginia Film Festival is made possible through generous leading sponsorships from Acura, Regal Entertainment Group, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS), the Virginia Film Office, the City of Charlottesville and the County of Albemarle and the AV Company.

The Festival will unveil its 2010 program in late September. In the meantime, visit www.vafilm.com for the latest news from festival, including schedules and announcements regarding the Virginia Film Society at the Paramount, a year-long series at the historic theater.

On April 5 the inspirational documentary More Than a Game returns to the Paramount after its huge success during the 2009 Film Festival.  The film follows the rise of NBA superstar LeBron James, and will be followed by a live screening of the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Finals on the Paramount’s large screen immediately after and included in the price of the ticket.

April 12 we are delighted to welcome film writer Peter Biskind to the Paramount, introducing Warren Beatty’s 1978 comedy Heaven Can Wait.  After the screening, Biskind, author of the new biography Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America, will discuss Beatty’s career as well as sign copies of his new book.

April 19 features the boxing biopic Raging Bull, directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro.  Full of rage and destruction, this violent and intimate look at middleweight champion Jake LaMotta’s rise and fall in both his career and personal life has become an all-time classic of the cinema.

On April 26 the sporting theme comes to a close with The Natural, starring Robert Redford.  The Natural follows the life of Roy Hobbs, a man with great “natural” talent but must overcome a great deal of obstacles before he can realize his baseball dreams.

All screenings are at 7pm, and tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for UVa staff and students and $4 for children 12-years-old and younger. Tickets are available from the Paramount on line at www.theparamount.net or call 434.979.1333. Look out May and June movie listings, coming soon!

Doors will open at 6 pm, patrons can enjoy wine, beer, and food from 6-8 pm, and the live HD broadcast starts at 8 pm.

The Charlottesville event is one of only 51 parties officially sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that will be held across the country on Oscar Night.

“We are honored and thrilled to have the Virginia Film Festival and The Paramount Theater chosen as one of only 51 venues nationwide officially sanctioned to broadcast Hollywood’s biggest night!  Oscar Night generates excitement all over the world, and with the Academy’s help, our guests will feel like they are on the A-list,” says Jody Kielbasa, Virginia Film Festival Director.

The audience will watch the Academy Awards telecast live in HD on large screens courtesy of ABC16, the Charlottesville affiliate of the ABC Television Network, which broadcasts the Academy Awards presentation.  This is the 17th year that the Academy and ABC have cooperated with local charities to support official Oscar Night viewing parties throughout the country.  This year marks the first year that Charlottesville’s party has been sanctioned by the Academy.

“I can’t think of a grander night to be watching TV at the Paramount, live in HD, on the largest screen in Central Virginia,” says Mary Beth Aungier, General Manager of The Paramount Theater.

“Oscar Night America parties give communities across the country the opportunity to both share in the excitement of Oscar Night and support worthy causes,” said Academy Executive Director Bruce Davis.  “The Academy is very proud that our worldwide television event can benefit so many charities on a local level.”

Official Oscar Night parties last year raised more than $3 million in 52 cities.  All money raised stays in the local community.

The Academy will provide party guests in Charlottesville the same official program distributed to guests at the Oscar’s presentation at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood.

Charlottesville guests can feel like stars themselves as they walk the red carpet into the Theater and sample tastes from some of Charlottesville’s top restaurants including The Melting Pot, Bonefish Grill, Maya, Escafe, and Topeka’s Steak House.  There will also be a raffle that evening with items from merchants such as Belk, Gearharts Fine Chocolates, and The Inn At Court Square.

Tickets are General Admission and $25.  Tickets include admission to the broadcast with emcees Dan Schutte and Tiffani Sargent (Newsplex News Anchors); food, beer and wine; the official program; coffee, popcorn and soda.

Tickets will be on sale to Paramount Supporters Tuesday, 2/2, and go on sale to the General Public on Friday, 2/5.

To purchase:

* click here
* call 434-979-1333
* come to the Box Office, 215 East Main Street in Charlottesville (10 am – 2 pm)

Presented by:

Thank you to our media sponsors:

Thank you to our sponsors:

Belk
The Melting Pot
Maya
Great Graphics
Sephora
Bonefish Grill
Topeka’s Steakhouse
Inn at Court Square
Oasis Day Spa & Body Shop
Ambassador Limousine
Gearharts Fine Chocolates
Bikram Yoga Charlottesville
Keller & George
Escafe
Men & Boy’s Shop

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Paramount Theater for this exciting series of films,” said Virginia Film Festival Director Jody Kielbasa.  “Both of our organizations are totally committed to bringing the arts to our entire community and this series is a great way to do that.  After all, how often do you get a chance to see these classic and favorite films in a setting that captures what the magic of the movies is all about?  We look forward to the launch of what we hope becomes a great tradition for movie lovers from throughout our area.”

Mary Beth Aungier, the General Manager of The Paramount Theater, said: “We are thrilled to partner with the Virginia Film Society to bring back film to the Paramount Theater.  The Paramount opened 78 years ago this past November with a film, and to partner with Jody and the entire staff of the VFS is exciting.  Mr. Kielbasa and the staff bring with them a knowledge base that will benefit our entire community.”

January is Blockbuster movie month

January 18: Gandhi
Lord Attenborough’s magisterial study of Mahatma Gandhi’s life with a towering central performance by Ben Kingsley.

January 25: The Wizard of Oz
No introduction is needed for one of cinema’s true classics. Breathtakingly imaginative, and effortlessly iconic even after 70 years.

February is Black History movie month

Feb. 1: Locked Out: The Fall of Massive Resistance (2009) FREE COMMUNITY EVENT!
Co-produced by WHTJ-TV and the UVA Center for Politics, this powerful documentary comes to the Paramount fresh off its highly successful world premiere at the 2009 Virginia Film Festival.

Feb. 8: Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
A life-affirming tale of a young girl from South Los Angeles trying to make it to the National Spelling Bee.

Feb. 15: Lilies of the Field (1963)
Sidney Poitier in Oscar-winning form as an unemployed labourer whose life is transformed by an unlikely meeting with a group of nuns.

Feb. 22: The Wiz (1978)
An all-star cast including Diana Ross, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne and the late Michael Jackson in Sydney Lumet’s retelling of the Wizard of Oz.

The movies for March and beyond will be announced in February.

Congratulations to the filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals who attended and contributed to this year’s Festival.

Our heartfelt thanks to this year’s  sponsors, volunteers, interns, employees and especially Film Festival patrons.

For a selection of photographs from this year’s Festival see our 2009: Festival Round-Up album.

You can also enjoy the extraordinary Digital Media Lounge for today only.

A limited number of t-shirts and Festival tote bags are still available for sale at the Downtown Visitors’ Center.

We hope those of you who have already joined us have enjoyed the Festival and that those of you who haven’t yet will take advantage of the last few screenings.

Keep an eye out for Virginia Film Society screenings taking place during the rest of the year!

The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming screening with director Norman Jewison – 1:00pm, Regal Downtown

Academy Award winning director Norman Jewison (Moonstruck, In the Heat of the Night, Fiddler on the Roof) will Q&A a screening of his 1966 comedic classic The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.

The UVa Arts Assembly presents John Waters’ “This Filthy World,”- 4:30pm, Culbreth

John Waters’ joyously devious one-man show celebrates his film career, early negative influences and fascination with true crime, fashion lunacy, exploitation films, and contemporary art world extremes.

An Evening of Corkscrew Comedy, Corked! screening at 5:30pm, Regal Downtown

Savor a screening of Corked!, a mockumentary about the Northern California wine industry.

Second Street Gallery Wine Event from 5:30pm-8:00pm, 115 Second Street SE (on the Downtown Mall)

Continue your evening with a wine tasting of Virginia whites presented by Second Street Gallery right around the corner in the Center for Contemporary Arts (beneath Live Arts).

“Dirty Pink Polyester” Dance Party at The Southern w/ Special Guest John Waters – 10:00pm – 2:00am

The Virginia Film Festival is delighted to celebrate John Waters’ visit with a special dance party at the newly opened Southern (formerly Gravity Lounge). DJ group Luke and Zach Go Boating will set the scene with dance music “ranging from New York disco classics to Cologne Techno.” The evening will include a special performance by CLAW and an appearance by the Charlottesville Derby Dames.

Tickets $10 / $5 (UVa students – over 21 only)

Tickets available at the door only.

Tickets to Marching Band and the Opening Night Gala are still available at the Main Festival Box Office at Culbreth Theatre and at the door (cash and check only at the door)

Festival Box Office hours during the Festival:

Nov 5: 12 pm to 5 pm, 6 pm to 7 pm, 9 pm to 10 pm
Nov 6: 9 am to 5 pm, 6 pm to 7 pm, 9 pm to 10 pm
Nov 7: 9 am to 5 pm, 6 pm to 7 pm, 9 pm to 10 pm
Nov 8: 9 am to 5:30 pm