36th Annual VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL October 25-29, 2023

The Virginia Film Festival, now in its 36 year, is a program of the University of Virginia and is widely recognized as one of the leading regional film festivals in America and is known for its commitment to taking audience beyond the screen to explore some of the most important issues of our time. Known as one of the premier cultural events in the Mid-Atlantic, the annual five-day festival annually delivers more than 100 films from around the world, combining special previews of some of the hottest titles of the festival season with an array of fascinating documentaries, exciting new voices on the independent film scene, the best of the international film scene and more. In a fast-changing cinema landscape where the means of delivery have reshaped the way many experience the art of filmmaking today, the VAFF is deeply committed to presenting and celebrating the unique brand of magic that happens when audiences gather in person to create a community in which to experience a film. Central to this commitment is the yearly lineup of compelling conversations around its films that bring some of today’s leading film artists and cultural figures with subject area experts from the University and beyond to explore some of the most important issues of our time. Under the leadership of its Director and the UVA Vice Provost for the Arts Jody Kielbasa, the Festival continues to deepen its connections with and commitment to the community that helps shape and support its efforts year after year.

SCHEDULE LIST

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25

Black Barbie: A Documentary

Wednesday, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Violet Crown 5

Black Excellence

About Dry Grasses

Wednesday, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

International Oscar Contenders, Middle Eastern & South Asian Cinema

The Gullspång Miracle

Wednesday, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Women in Film

Maestro

Wednesday, 7:00 PM - 9:45 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Critical Conversations, Gala Screenings, Jewish & Israeli, LGBTQIA+, Music on FIlm

Booger

Wednesday, 8:15 PM - 9:40 PM

Violet Crown 5

2023 Opening Night Gala

Wednesday, 9:30 PM - 12:00 AM

Party

The Jefferson Theate

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26

Joan Baez I Am A Noise

Thursday, 4:30 PM - 6:15 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Music on FIlm

Rustin

Thursday, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Gala

Culbreth Theatre

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, Gala Screenings, LGBTQIA+

Light House Studio Shorts

Thursday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Free

Violet Crown 5

Shorts Programs

King Coal

Thursday, 5:30 PM - 7:15 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

Nature & Environment

Short Films: Fantastical Escape

Thursday, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Violet Crown 3

Shorts Programs

The Goldman Case

Thursday, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Jewish & Israeli

Anselm

Thursday, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Violet Crown 5

Jewish & Israeli

American Fiction

Thursday, 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, From Page to Screen, Gala Screenings, LGBTQIA+

All of Us Strangers

Thursday, 8:00 PM - 9:45 PM

Spotlight

Culbreth Theatre

From Page to Screen, LGBTQIA+

Cobweb

Thursday, 8:30 PM - 11:00 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

Korean Cinema

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27

A Suite of Short Films by Kevin Jerome Everson

Friday, 2:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Violet Crown 5

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, Shorts Programs

They Shot the Piano Player

Friday, 2:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

Music on FIlm

I Could Have Been A Tree Instead

Friday, 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Violet Crown 4

Critical Conversations, Virginia Filmmaking

Sleep

Friday, 4:45 PM - 6:45 PM

Violet Crown 4

Korean Cinema

The Persian Version

Friday, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Spotlight

Culbreth Theatre

LGBTQIA+, Music on FIlm, Women in Film

The Space Race

Friday, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Violet Crown 5

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations

Fingernails

Friday, 5:15 PM - 7:15 PM

Spotlight

Violet Crown 1 & 2

The Mission

Friday, 5:30 PM - 7:15 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

This World is Not My Own

Friday, 5:45 PM - 7:30 PM

Violet Crown 3

Black Excellence, Jewish & Israeli

Origin

Friday, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, From Page to Screen, Gala Screenings, Jewish & Israeli, Women in Film

Short Films: Best of Fests

Friday, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Violet Crown 4

Shorts Programs

Dream Scenario

Friday, 8:15 PM - 9:45 PM

Gala

Culbreth Theatre

Gala Screenings

Breakwater

Friday, 8:15 PM - 10:15 PM

Violet Crown 5

Critical Conversations, Virginia Filmmaking

Evil Does Not Exist

Friday, 8:30 PM - 10:45 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

Nature & Environment

Frybread Face and Me

Friday, 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Indigenous Cinema of the Americas

Immediate Family

Friday, 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Violet Crown 3

Critical Conversations, Music on FIlm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28

Next Generation Storytellers’ High School Short Films

Saturday, 10:30 AM - 12:15 PM

Free

Violet Crown 3

Shorts Programs

Robot Dreams

Saturday, 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM

Family

Violet Crown 1 & 2

From Page to Screen

Perfect Days

Saturday, 11:45 AM - 2:00 PM

Culbreth Theatre

International Oscar Contenders

20 Days in Mariupol

Saturday, 11:45 AM - 1:15 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

International Oscar Contenders

War Pony

Saturday, 12:00 PM - 2:45 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Critical Conversations, Gala Screenings, Indigenous Cinema of the Americas, Women in Film

Stamped from the Beginning

Saturday, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Violet Crown 5

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, From Page to Screen

Pay or Die

Saturday, 12:45 PM - 2:45 PM

Violet Crown 4

Critical Conversations, Women in Film

Time Bomb Y2K

Saturday, 1:45 PM - 3:45 PM

Violet Crown 3

Critical Conversations

Terrestrial Verses

Saturday, 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Middle Eastern & South Asian Cinema3

From You

Saturday, 2:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

Korean Cinema

Sometime, Somewhere

Saturday, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Culbreth Theatre

Critical Conversations, Latinidades, Nature & Environment, Virginia Filmmaking

OnBoard

Saturday, 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM

Violet Crown 5

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, Women in Film

Impossible Town

Saturday, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Violet Crown 4

Nature & Environment

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project

Saturday, 4:15 PM - 7:00 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, Gala Screenings, LGBTQIA+, Women in Film

Going Varsity in Mariachi

Saturday, 5:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Violet Crown 3

Critical Conversations, Latinidades, LGBTQIA+, Music on FIlm, Women in Film

Four Daughters

Saturday, 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

International Oscar Contenders, Middle Eastern & South Asian Cinema, Women in Film

The Settlers

Saturday, 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

International Oscar Contenders, Latinidades

Fallen Leaves

Saturday, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Culbreth Theatre

International Oscar Contenders

The Gilded Age: Season 2 Sneak Preview

Saturday, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Violet Crown 5

Critical Conversations

Café Daughter

Saturday, 7:00 PM - 9:15 PM

Violet Crown 4

Critical Conversations, Indigenous Cinema of the Americas, Women in Film

Tótem

Saturday, 8:00 PM - 9:45 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

International Oscar Contenders, Latinidades, Women in Film

La Chimera

Saturday, 8:15 PM - 10:30 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Women in Film

Dusty & Stones

Saturday, 8:30 PM - 10:15 PM

Violet Crown 3

Critical Conversations, Music on FIlm

Eileen

Saturday, 8:30 PM - 10:15 PM

Spotlight

Culbreth Theatre

From Page to Screen, LGBTQIA+

The Holdovers

Saturday, 8:30 PM - 11:00 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Critical Conversations, Gala Screenings

Tapawingo

Saturday, 9:00 PM - 11:05 PM

Violet Crown 5

Critical Conversations, Virginia Filmmaking

2023 Late Night Wrap Party

Saturday, 9:30 PM - 1:00 AM

Party

Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29

The Taste of Things

Sunday, 12:00 PM - 2:30 PM

The Paramount Theater

International Oscar Contenders

The Disappearance of Shere Hite

Sunday, 12:45 PM - 3:30 PM

Spotlight

Violet Crown 5

Critical Conversations, Women in Film

Monster

Sunday, 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

LGBTQIA+

No Ordinary Campaign

Sunday, 2:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Culbreth Theatre

Critical Conversations

Animalia

Sunday, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Middle Eastern & South Asian Cinema, Women in Film

Hummingbirds

Sunday, 2:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Violet Crown 3

Latinidades, LGBTQIA+, Women in Film

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt

Sunday, 2:45 PM - 4:30 PM

Violet Crown 4

Black Excellence, Women in Film

May December

Sunday, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Gala Screenings

Breaking the News

Sunday, 4:30 PM - 6:15 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

Black Excellence, Indigenous Cinema of the Americas, Latinidades, LGBTQIA+, Women in Film

Radical

Sunday, 4:45 PM - 7:15 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Latinidades

For the Taking

Sunday, 4:45 PM - 6:45 PM

Culbreth Theatre

Critical Conversations, Virginia Filmmaking

Faulkner: The Past is Never Dead

Sunday, 4:45 PM - 7:15 PM

Violet Crown 5

Critical Conversations, From Page to Screen

We Start With the Things We Find

Sunday, 5:00 PM - 6:45 PM

Violet Crown 3

Critical Conversations, Nature & Environment

Short Films: Heroes You Should Know

Sunday, 5:45 PM - 7:30 PM

Violet Crown 4

Critical Conversations, Shorts Programs

American Symphony

Sunday, 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Gala

The Paramount Theater

Black Excellence, Critical Conversations, Gala Screenings, Music on FIlm

The Teachers’ Lounge

Sunday, 7:45 PM - 9:15 PM

Culbreth Theatre

International Oscar Contenders

On the Adamant

Sunday, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Violet Crown 6 & 7

Gumbo Coalition

Sunday, 8:15 PM - 10:15 PM

Violet Crown 3

Black Excellence, Latinidades, Women in Film

Short Films: Our Wealth in Common

Sunday, 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Violet Crown 5

Shorts Programs

Fancy Dance

Sunday, 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Violet Crown 1 & 2

Indigenous Cinema of the Americas

Asog

Sunday, 8:45 PM - 10:30 PM

Violet Crown 4

LGBTQIA+

Buy Tickets

Date: October 25-29, 2023

VENUES

Culbreth Theatre (Also the location of the UVA Arts Box Office)

UVA Drama Building - 109 Culbreth Road Charlottesville, VA 22903

Irving Theater at CODE Building - 225 W. Water Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

All attendees will access the theater through the Water Street entrance.

The Jefferson Theater - 110 East Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 2290

The Paramount Theater - 215 East Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

The Paramount Theater offers an infrared audio enhancement system.

Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery - 520 2nd Street SE, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Violet Crown Charlottesville (Also the location of the Downtown Box Office)

200 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Click here for more information