SUNDAY, April 10

Thursday, April 7

Devotional Cinema:
"Diary of a Country Priest" (1953, b&w, 105 min.)
3:30 p.m., Richmond Public Library, Main Branch Auditorium, Free Admission

The late French director Robert Bresson built a rigid style on few camera moves, long takes and underplayed acting. In fact, he referred to actors as models—and has often been grouped with Dreyer, Ozu, and Antonioni as belonging to a minimalist school of narrative cinema sometimes referred to as transcendental. Bresson explained his directorial style as "emptying the pond to get to the fish." In this, his third feature, a young priest deals with the problems of his first parish. JRFF guest Nathaniel Dorsky includes Bresson as one of the important directors in his book, Devotional Cinema, and will briefly comment on the film before the screening.

The Poetics of Loss:
Films by Diane Bonder
7:30 p.m., Plant Zero Art Center, Admission $5

Diane Bonder, an award winner from last year's JRFF, comes to Richmond for the first time with the world premiere of her latest film, "You are not from Here." This film is featured in a program that includes a selection of her short films & videos. Bonder has been making lo-fi experimental film and video for 10 years. Shooting Super 8 and 16mm in documentary, poetic and semi-narrative styles, she explores autobiographical content, addressing issues of identity, sexuality, addiction, memory, and loss. Her work has been screened at the Whitney Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Anthology Film Archives, San Francisco Cinematheque, and at festivals internationally. She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

"You are not from Here" (2005, Super 8 to video, 10 min.) World Premiere

"Closer to Heaven" (2003, 16mm film, 15 min.)

"If you lived here, You'd be home by now" (2001, 16mm, 15 min.)

"If" (2000, 16mm, 12 min.)

"Dear Mom" (1996, 16mm, 13 min.)

"Parole" (1993, Super 8 to 16mm, 9 min.)

"Dangerous When Wet" (1992, color/b&w Super 8, 5 min.)