The James River Festival is a program of the Richmond Moving Image Co-op, a non-profit organization formed in March 1999 through a partnership between the Festival and Flicker, a bi-monthly festival featuring short films (Super 8, 16mm and films transferred to video) by area filmmakers. The Richmond Moving Image Co-op is a 501(c) (3) organization that can accept tax-deductible contributions.

All events FREE unless otherwise noted, compliments of the Richmond Moving Image Co-op and its sponsors. Donations to the Richmond Moving Image Co-op are encouraged and appreciated – and tax deductible! Make checks payable to:
RMIC
PO Box 7469
Richmond, VA 23221

8th Annual
JAMES RIVER FILM FESTIVAL
Virginia’s Festival for the Independent-Minded

APRIL 2-8, 2001
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

MONDAY, APRIL 2
8 pm, VCU Business Building Auditorium
"Cane CapoVolto"
Founded in Catania, Sicily as a "philosophical brotherhood" of multi-media artists, the group first worked exclusively in Super 8 film, but more recently uses books, CDs, videos and live happenings to question the credibility of information itself. This collection owes a historical debt to surrealism, Stan Brakhage, and even Elvis! Curated by Anna Agostino and Sonia Campagnola; introduced by Ms. Agostino, a film producer and VCU graduate, who currently resides in New York.

TUESDAY, APRIL 3
8 pm, VCU Business Building Aud
Cocteau’s "Blood of a Poet," with recent work by Joanna Priestley and Janeann Dill
Probably the multi-faceted Jean Cocteau’s most personal film, "Blood of a Poet" (‘30) explores the links between artist, mask and muse. Extremely stylized, Cocteau revels in his mastery of artifice and manages some effective special effects. It was denounced by the Surrealists and quite correctly – for it is more akin to the "psychodramas" of the American avant-garde of the ‘40s and ‘50s, and could indeed be its Continental prototype. Preceding will be a new animated short, "Surface Dive," by Joanna Priestley, which recently premiered at Sundance and "Paris is a Woman," an experimental live-action short by VCU Communication Arts and Design professor Janeann Dill. Ms. Dill will introduce.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4
8 pm, VCU Business Building Aud,
$5 Admission
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" with special guest Gunnar Hansen
Now an acclaimed travel and history author, Mr. Hansen will be forever etched in the minds of horror fans as the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface in this 1974 classic. Perhaps THE "splatter" prototype (with a nod to Lewis and Romero), Tobe Hooper’s film begins self-consciously with an eerie pre-credit sequence and then spins wildly into a Psycho-like-lost highway nightmare. As a midnight movie "Texas" was a hit and is now in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. Mr. Hansen will sign autographs from 7:30-8:00 pm and answer questions after the screening. Introduction by local cult aficionado and WCVE-FM talk host, John Porter.

THURSDAY, APRIL 5
10 am, VCU Commons Theatre
Jean Cocteau’s "The Beauty and the Beast"
Cocteau etched this stylized ‘46 version of Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s fairy tale with his usual fanciful touches. More for adults than for children, Cocteau weaves surrealistic touches with his own vision to create an enchanted other world. The film contains a marvelous white horse with magical powers, candelabra sconces with human traits, and teardrops transformed into diamonds It is Cocteau’s statement on the power of love. In French with sub-titles. Introduction by Trent Nicholas, who teaches film history at VCU’s Department of Art History.

10 am, R-MC, McGraw-Page Library, Randolph-Macon College.
Short Films by Les Blank and Richard Myers
Get acquainted with the films of festival guests Les Blank and Richard Myers. Blank’s "Blues Accordin’ to Lightnin’ Hopkins" (‘69) portrays the legendary bluesman in his Texas digs, and Meyer’s "37-73" (‘74) shows us why the filmmaker is considered one of the truly innovative conceptual artists of the avant-garde. Introduced by Dr. Marieke Herrmann.

1 pm, UR’s Boatwright Library, Adams Auditorium
More Short Films by Blank and Myers
Blank’s "Hot Pepper" (‘74) takes us to the juke-joints of Louisiana in his portrait of Zydeco King Clifton Chenier; Myers’ "Allison," remembers Kent State student Allison Krause, slain by guardsmen in 1970, and "37-73," in the words of Los Angeles Times film critic Kevin Thomas, evokes "an entire panorama of the specifically American imagination, as if he’s tapped our collective subconscious." Introduced by Dr. Irby Brown, retired professor in the Department of English, UR.

8 pm, Cafine’s
$3 Admission
Flicker’s 3rd Anniversary!!!
After three resoundingly successful years, Flicker celebrates its sixteenth screening of 16mm and Super 8 films by Richmond and central Virginia filmmakers. Since April ‘98, more than 170 works by 125 filmmakers have been presented. What makes Flicker truly unique is the variety – from amateur to polished professional, comic to meditative – and the overwhelming audience enthusiasm. Don’t miss this special edition!

FRIDAY, APRIL 6
10 am, VCU Commons Theatre
Les Blank’s "Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers" and "In Heaven There is No Beer?"
World-renowned documentarian Les Blank will screen and discuss two of his most popular titles. Polka enthusiasts will love "In Heaven There Is No Beer?" (‘84), a look at the avocation of music, dance and food that borders on religion. Blank’s attraction to cultural pockets is also evident in "Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers" (‘80), which examines the history, cultivation, and consumption of the "stinking rose". Both have won numerous international awards – and audiences! Introduced by Flicker founder and filmmaker James Parrish.

1 pm, UR’s Boatwright Library, Adams Auditorium
Richard Myers’ "Deathstyles and Monstershow"
One of the most talented and overlooked filmmaker in the American avant-garde, special guest Richard Myers will screen two features. "Deathstyles" (‘71) is a simultaneous assault on the American lifestyle and an involving, Felliniesque, personal film – the Whitney Museum’s David Bienstock called it an "American Gothic horror tale". "Monstershow" (‘96) is an homage to a trilogy of literary and cinematic horror – Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Myers says, "they scare us, but they shape our imagination. I was 12 years old when I made my first Frankenstein movie, using an 8mm camera. I used scenes from that in 'Monstershow'." Introduced by Dr. Irby Brown, University of Richmond.

6 pm, Va Museum of Fine Arts, Sculpture Garden Lobby
Virginia Film Office Reception
Join us for light fare, meet festival guests and staff, courtesy of the Virginia Film Office. Don’t forget the Les Blank screening later!

8 pm, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium
A Look at the Films of Les Blank
A two-hour program of representational works by a filmmaker whose fascination with life is equaled by the diversity of his subjects seemed a tall order. Blank and his camera are equally at home in the Amazon as the French Quarter, and though food and music are often the focus, overall his films chronicle the endeavors of outsiders and dreamers, collectively or individually. The following shorts span twenty-one years, capturing a slice of Americana not often pictured in the commercial media – "The Blues Accordin’ to Lightin’ Hopkins" (‘69); "Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe" (‘79); "Sprout Wings and Fly" (‘83), featuring old-time fiddler Tommy Jarrell; "Gap-Toothed Women" (‘87); and "Yum, Yum, Yum!" (‘90), Blank’s ode to the spicy Cajun food he loves.

SATURDAY, APRIL 7
10 am, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium
Richard Myers’ "Akran"
Winner of major awards at the ‘69 Ann Arbor Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival, "Akran" remains a heavyweight of the American avant-garde. Film author, Amos Vogel, compared the mosaic-like narrative style to James Joyce. Roger Ebert said "it is so radically original, it is beyond our previous experience." Join the filmmaker as we screen a true classic. Introduced by Robert Ellis, Department of English, VCU.

11 am, Children’s Museum of Richmond Pavilion
Children’s Multicultural Animation, Program #1
Featuring three animated folktales from African and Native American cultures plus Chato’s "Kitchen and Yo! Yes?." Recommended for ages 4-10; total running time 48 minutes. Introduced by local animator, Janet Scagnelli.

1 pm, UR’s Boatwright Library, Adams Auditorium
Les Blank’s "Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers" and "Spend It All"
The first of his Acadian tales, "Spend It All" (‘71), follows the Cajuns of southwest Louisiana through their life pursuits – horse racing, coffee roasting, accordion making, cooking and playing music. Blank’s fascination with Louisiana lifestyles dates to his days at Tulane University and a Mardi Gras celebration that sent him scurrying for a camera to record it all. "Garlic..." (‘80) examines the cult-like obsession with everything connected to the "stinking rose," and a history as old as mankind. Intro by Dr. Irby Brown, UR.

3 pm, The National Theatre, corner of 7th and Broad Streets.
Admission is $12; $8 with a valid student I.D.
LIVE at the NATIONAL THEATRE, the ULULATING MUMMIES!!!!
Once part of a thriving entertainment district, this beautiful Richmond theatre sat idle for more than 18 years. In the ‘90s, the National was purchased and saved from demolition by the Historic Richmond Foundation. Once the stage of Basil Rathbone, Orson Welles, Eddie Cantor and countless others, the National Theatre will make history again by hosting its first live performance in more than fifty years. Join us as the incredible, multi-dexterous Ululating Mummies perform a live score to a series of silent shorts – Orson Welles’ "Hearts of Age," a surrealist short made at age 19; "Ballet Mecanique," Fernand Leger’s filmic cubist equivalent; and Rene Clair’s "Crazy Ray," where a mad scientist stops time and all of Paris except a small group of people on the famous Eiffel Tower. This marks the first installment of the Richmond Moving Image Co-op’s "Silent Society", an on-going program of silent films screened with live musical performances.

Due to restoration limitations this very special program is limited to 300.
Advance tickets available at Plan 9 Music in Carytown, or at the door.
Street parking available on Grace or Franklin Streets; pay parking deck at 7th and Marshall.

5 pm, VUU’s Ellison Hall, Wall Auditorium
Oscar Micheaux’s "Body and Soul"
Although Oscar Micheaux is hardly a household name, movie fans are increasingly aware of the ground-breaking work done by the African-American "Father of American Independent Film". Micheaux not only wrote and directed but produced and distributed as well. Ever mindful of his slim budgets, he usually shot on location and solicited non-professional actors to perform. His fourth silent feature, "Body and Soul" (‘24), was one of his most popular – starring the inimitable Paul Robeson in a dual role embodying good and evil. Introduced by Ted Salins, ardent student of the silent film.

8 pm, VCU Business Building Auditorium
Richard Myers’ "Jungle Girl"
A chance screening of this 1940’s Republic serial from childhood, combined with the demolition of his old neighborhood theatre, prompted Myers’ tribute to Frances Gifford, the star of the series. It is a wonderful homage to the old Saturday serials and Republic Studios, "a gentle work of haunting visual beauty, and as original as Cocteau." – Sheila Bensen, The LA Times. It will be preceded by "Tarp," a short film by Myers on the various covered forms – trailers, cars, etc. – he noticed along the roadsides. Comments by the filmmaker.

SUNDAY, APRIL 8
12:30 pm, VCU Business Building Auditorium
"Fernando"
This feel-good comedy of triumphant misfits is Virginia filmmaker Luke Fannin’s first feature. Fannin whet the festival circuit with "Puberty: Benji’s Special Time," a satiric look at adolescence ala the educational film, winner of several awards, including a $1,000 at the James River Film Festival juried competition in 1998. Filmed locally, and financed primarily by selling grosses of T-shirts, this first feature bodes well for Fannin and perhaps the future of Virginia independents in general.

2:30 pm, VCU Business Building Auditorium
"The Ralph Stanley Story"
Kentucky filmmaker Herb E. Smith grants us an in-depth look at the life and music of Virginia-born bluegrass legend, Ralph Stanley. Smith’s film, released in 2000, could not have been more timely, as Stanley’s voice graces Joel and Ethan Coen’s "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack and a recent edition of "A Prairie Home Companion." Mr. Smith will discuss his film following the screening.

3 pm, Children’s Museum of Richmond Pavilion
Children’s Multicultural Animation, Program #2
A diverse collection based on international folktales and legends, this program includes "Duke Ellington", "Who’s in Rabbit’s House?", "John Henry", and more. Recommended for ages 4-10; total running time 48 minutes. Introduced by local animator, Janet Scagnelli.

4:30 pm, VCU Business Building Auditorium
"Stranger with a Camera"
Yet another provocative work from Kentucky and Appalshop, Elizabeth Barret’s film revisits the tragic death of Canadian documentarian Hugh O’Connor in Jeremiah, Kentucky in 1967. O’Connor and crew were completing a film on poverty in the U. S. and Appalachia was a last stop. Suddenly, the irate tenant lord arrived, and without provocation, shot O’Connor in the chest. Ms. Barret, who grew up just forty miles away, found that "there is a complex relationship between social action and social embarrassment". A discussion will be conducted after the screening with Ms. Barret, co-producer Dr. Judi Jennings and Dr. Stephen Hannah, a specialist in regional identity and place at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg. This presentation is made possible with support from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy.

5 pm, VUU’s Ellison Hall, Wall Auditorium
"This Black Soil: A Story of Struggle and Change"
Five years ago the residents of Bayview, a tiny unincorporated hamlet on Virginia’s Eastern shore, stood up to a governor’s desire to build a maximum security prison in their backyard. With representation and determination, they won – and that’s just the beginning! Produced and directed by Teresa Konechne, professor in VCU’s Department of Communication Arts and Design, with help from students in her video class, This Black Soil was more than two years in the making, and well worth the wait.

7 pm, VCU Business Building Auditorium
The Wacky World of Corky Quakenbush
You know his stuff, so meet the man. A veteran of the Sundance Film Festival, Quakenbush’s wit and daring can be seen anytime you’re punching the remote – the title sequence in "Disney’s Even Stevens", "Discovery Kids’ Mr. Chi-Chi’s Guide to the Universe" and Fox’s "Mad TV". Working with his wife Linda through their independent company, Space Bass Films, Mr. Quakenbush still finds time to produce and direct commercially on NBC, HBO, MTV, and PBS, among others. Join Mr. Quakenbush for a fresh tour of his works. Intro by Bob Kaputof, Dept CA&D, VCU.

9 pm, VCU Business Building Auditorium
Jean Cocteau’s "Orpheus"
Set in modern France, this ‘50 version of the Orpheus myth is strikingly cinematic. A celebrated poet and favorite of the coffee-house crowd falls in love with the mysterious Princess of Death, who is accompanied through the busy streets by two motorcycle guards. After his first rendezvous with her, Orpheus receives cryptic poetic messages from the beyond via his car radio. Thought by many to be Cocteau’s finest film, it underscores his belief that an artist must be a conduit between art and muse, and life and death. Introduced by Michael Jones, Department of Art History, VCU.

FEATURED GUESTS

LES BLANK has been producing his unique documentaries since '60, but it was "The Blues According to Lightning Hopkins" in '69 that captured wide audiences. "Burden of Dreams", winner of the British Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in '82, chronicles the making of Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo" over several arduous years in the Amazon. What makes Blank one of the world's most regarded documentarians is his keen ability to find a space for himself and his camera without hindering the elbow-room of his subjects. The resulting revelations are 100% magic! In '90, Mr. Blank received the American Film Institute's Maya Deren Award for outstanding, lifetime achievement as an independent filmmaker.

RICHARD MYERS also began making films in the '60s, exhibiting his personal-yet-universal experimental shorts in the Ann Arbor Film Festival and San Francisco Film Festival. In '69, his feature, "Akran", caught the attention of nationally renowned critics Roger Greenspun, Arthur Knight and Roger Ebert, "the most influential film since Godard's early work." While teaching film at Kent State he continued to produce independent feature-length films - his latest is "Monstershow" ('99). Mr. Myers is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship as well as grants from the American Film Institute and the National Endowment for the Arts.

CORKY QUAKENBUSH is best known for the dozens of short films he produced and directed for Fox's Mad TV, but he also directed the award-winning "One Hand Left" frequently aired on FXM Network. A specialist in comedy and stop-motion animation, Mr. Quakenbush's work has been screened at the Guggenheim Museum and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

GUNNAR HANSEN starred as the masked "monster" of Tobe Hooper's horrific "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", now in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. Currently, Mr. Hansen resides in Maine and is the author of several travel and history books including "Islands at the Edge of Time."

ELIZABETH BARRET has pursued an abiding interest in her native Kentucky with the documentary "Quilting Women" ('76) and "Hand-Carved" ('80); her latest, examining the nature of social documentation, is the award winning "Stranger with a Camera" ('00).

HERB E. SMITH was one of the first students at Appalshop (founded in '69) to use a movie camera. His subjects have included a teacher's strike and a coon dog race; twenty films later he captured one of the true original musicians of our time, bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, in "The Ralph Stanley Story."

SPONSORS, COMMITTEE AND THANKS

SPONSORS
In-kind sponsorship from the above locations; Virginia Film Office; our advertisers; and the Friends of the Festival -- Steve Pricker and Associates, Commonwealth Film Labs and Transfer, a Henninger Media Services Company; and our loyal individual donors!

FESTIVAL COMMITTEE 2001
Publicity: Caryl Burtner & Ann Henderson
Design/Production: Michael Clautice & Christopher Hibben
Publications: Nell Chenault, Brian Toler & Ken Hopson
Programming: Erica Farrell, Janet Scagnelli, Trent Nicholas, Irby Brown, Bob Ellis, Ted Salins, Bob Kaputof, Ashley Kistler, James Parrish & Michael Jones
Treasurer: Kerry Mills

SPECIAL THANKS
Jim Whiting, Historic Richmond Foundation; Ululating Mummies; Janet Howell, Reservations and Events, VCU; Judy Little, Art Dept., VUU; Andrew Mann, VAE; Ron Epps, Adult Programs, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; A.C.T. Printing; Anna Augustino; Alyssa Salomon; Janeann Dill; Robert A. Cox, Jr.; VCU Libraries' Media Resources and VCU Media Support Services; Paul Porterfield, Media Resources, UR; Rita McClenny & Mary Nelson, Virginia Film Office; Shirley Meade, VCU Dept of Art History; Hand Workshop Art Center; Va Commission for the Arts; and our entire volunteer staff.