10th Annual James River Film Festival (2003) Thursday, April 3

10th ANNUAL
JAMES RIVER
FILM FESTIVAL
Virginia’s
Festival
for the
Independent-
Minded

2003 FESTIVAL HOME
FESTIVAL PROGRAM:
	MONDAY, March 31
	TUESDAY, April 1
	WEDNESDAY, April 2
	THURSDAY, April 3
	FRIDAY, April 4
	SATURDAY, April 5
	SUNDAY, April 6
Featured Guests
Festival Locations
Acknowledgments

ALL ADMISSIONS FREE UNLESS NOTED; DONATIONS ENCOURAGED

THURSDAY

APRIL 3

Blacklist Backlash: “Salt of the Earth”
(1953, 94 min.)
Hand Workshop Art Center, 1812 West Main Street, 2pm

Director Herbert Biberman, producer Paul Jarrico, writer Michael Wilson, composer Sol Kaplan and actor Will Geer (Grandpa Walton of the TV series) were all blacklisted by the Hollywood studios during the production of this 1953 independent classic. Subjected to federal and local harassment while shooting on New Mexico locations, this controversial look at labor and gender issues against the backdrop of a miner’s strike was financed entirely by the American Mineworker’s Union.

Blending actors (Rosaura Revueltas was a star in Mexico) and non-actors (star Juan Chacon had been part of the actual strike on which the film was based) with location shooting, “Salt of the Earth” has the look and spontaneity of a documentary, and at heart it’s the real story of human dignity and triumph in the face of the insurmountable that makes it memorable. Released to favorable reviews in only a few cities, but lacking studio distribution, the movie nearly vanished – except for perennial screenings at labor halls and film classes around the world. Yet “Salt of the Earth” is now ranked as one of the great independent films of all time. Introduction by Michael Jones, Film Studies, VCU.

Rare Treasures From the History of Film Animation
Virginia Commonwealth University Music Center, Grove Avenue Church, 1015 Grove Avenue (front entrance), 8pm

Festival guests Timothy and Stephen Quay curate this program of classic animation that has exerted an influence on their own work – these are from deep in the vaults so don’t miss this opportunity. Highlights include Ladislas Starewicz’s “Mascot” (’34), Charlie Bowers’ “It’s a Bird” (’32) and “Wild Oysters” (’41), Alexander Alexeieff’s “The Nose” (’63), Jan Lenica’s “A” (’64), Jiri Trnka’s “The Hand” (’65), Yuri Norstein’s “Hedgehog in the Fog” (’75), and Jan Svankmajer’s “Jabberwocky” (’72). Approx. running time 100 minutes.
[Featured Guests]

From Ladislas Starewicz’s “Mascot”