JAMES RIVER FILM FESTIVAL
Virginia’s Festival for the Independent-Minded
Monday, April 9 through Sunday, April 15, 2007

FESTIVAL IN BRIEF
For program details click on a date below.

Selections From Canyon Cinema
6:30 pm
Richmond Main Public Library, Basement Auditorium,
FREE admission
Five experimental and Avant-Garde films from the venerable Canyon Co-op in San Francisco.

Winners of the 2006 ASIFA-East Animation Competition
6:30 pm
Richmond Main Public Library, Basement Auditorium,
FREE admission
ASIFA is the Association Internationale du Film d' Animation. ASIFA-East is the Eastern U.S. chapter of ASIFA, based in New York City.

Film Memories: A Remembrance
6:30 pm
Richmond Main Public Library, Basement Auditorium,
FREE admission
A program of short films in celebration of the lives of filmmakers Helen Hill, Diane Bonder, and Richmonders Dika Newlin and Bryan Harvey.

The Real Cinema of John Porter
(Festival Special Guest)
7:30 pm
Firehouse Theatre, Admission $7
An eclectic evening of super-8 films by John Porter of Toronto. His filmmaking involves moving screens, swinging and shoulder mounted projectors and his famous "film busking" rigs he uses to project super 8 footage on the sidewalk or street.

Scorsese's Improbable Inspiration:
The Red Shoes (1948)
11 am
Richmond Main Public Library, Basement Auditorium,
Free admission
Martin Scorsese, Oscar winning director is known for his unusually violent depictions of gangster life. Yet it is the British director Michael Powell and his masterpiece of ballet, fantasy and obsession, The Red Shoes ('48), that holds a special spot in Scorsese's heart and has guided his style on screen. Introduced by film historian (VCU) and former Scorsese video librarian, Trent Nicholas.

Fifty Dollars: The Super 8 Budget with
Filmmaker-in-Residence John Porter
(Festival Special Guest)
1-4 pm
Martha's Darkroom, $25 registration fee
Get the inside-behind-the-scenes-nitty-gritty (in other words, get technical!) with John Porter in this three hour workshop on how to make super 8 films on a $50-dollar budget! To sign up for the workshop contact james@rmicweb.org. Registration fee ($25) payable by check or cash at the door. Limited enrollment of 10. Please sign up early!

Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for the Arts Student Screening
4:30 pm
Firehouse Theatre, Free admission
The student Digital Video Senior Seminar under the guidance of instructor Todd Raviotta (MFA, VCU). The program will be followed by a Q & A with the students and Mr. Raviotta.

Virginia Film Office Reception
6-7:30
The Camel, Open to the public
The public is cordially invited to meet festival guests and staff over hors d'oeuvres and drinks (cash bar) courtesy of the Virginia Film Office.

James River Film Festival Juried Competition Finalists
8 pm
Firehouse Theatre, Free Admission
Join us for this year's screening of the finalists and the designation of the cash awards – up to $2000 – and vote for this year's People's Choice Award! [Prize Winners Announced]

Accordions and Heavy Metal: The Wacky World of Jeff Krulik
(Festival Special Guest)
10 am
Byrd Theatre, Admission $7
Guest producer/ director Jeff Krulik returns to the JRFF for a screening of his latest film, The Legend of Merv Conn, the story of an accordianist extraordinaire and his now classic, Heavy Metal Parking Lot. Join Mr. Krulik for a Q & A after the screening.

The Devolution of Chuck Statler, Part 1
(Festival Special Guest)
Noon
Byrd Theatre, Admission $7
Guest director Chuck Statler is considered by many to be the father of music video because of his seminal work from 1975-early '80's with punk/ New Wave groups Devo, Pere Ubu, Elvis Costello, Madness, Suicide Commandos, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker and was honored with a retrospective at NY's Museum of Modern Art in Fall, 2006. Join Mr. Statler with a Q & A after the film.

American Splendor (2003)
2:30 pm
Byrd Theatre, Admission $7
Cynical graphic-author Harvey Pekar, best known for the world-weary stories of his own dreary life, i.e. American Splendor, is wonderfully and sympathetically played by actor Paul Giamatti (Sideways). Mr. Giamatti is currently on location in Virginia starring as John Adams for a television mini-series and this screening is dedicated to him!

The Devolution of Chuck Statler, Part 2
(Festival Special Guest)
8 pm
1708 Gallery, Admission $7
Join festival guest Chuck Statler for Part 2 of a walk on the wild side of de-evolution with the second part of a retrospective of his seminal music videos for Devo, Madness, Elvis Costello, Tiny Tim and others.

American Hardcore (2006)
10 pm
1708 Gallery, Admission $7
Directed by Paul Rachman from, American Hardcore: A Tribal History by Steven Blush, relive the '80's hardcore scene from LA to NY to Richmond, starring the Bad Brains, Black Flag, Circle Jerks and more with appearances by locals Dave Brockie of Death Piggy and Gwar, Richard "Crispy" Cranmer of White Cross, and Greta Brinkman of Unseen Force. As a special bonus Richmond photographer Thurston Howes will show slides of his photos of the Richmond punk scene of that decade.

Virginia Production Alliance Workshop:
Low-budget, McD's-budget, or No budget?
Noon
Firehouse Theatre, Free admission
Join local director/producer Kevin Herschberger and fellow members of the VPA in a panel discussion on budgeting the low-cost, low-risk indie.

Gone to Texas: The Lives of Forrest Carter (2007)
(Festival Special Guest)
1:30 pm
Firehouse Theatre, Admission $7
Forrest Carter, author of The Outlaw Josey Wales and the national best-seller, The Education of Little Tree, a semi-autobiographical account of a young Cherokee's youth, was known in the seventies as a leader in the Native American revival, touching thousands of readers with his gentle tales. However, upon his death, a hidden past emerged – Forrest Carter was none other than Asa Carter, speechwriter for Alabama Governor George Wallace and fiery KKK spokesman. Join writer/producer Laura Browder (VCU, Department of English) and producer/director Douglas Newman for a Q & A session after the screening.

Killer of Sheep (1977)
3:30 pm
Firehouse Theatre, Admission $7
One of the most important films of the independent and African-American cinemas, this underground gem by Los Angeles director Charles Burnett was declared a national treasure and placed among the first 50 films entered in the National Film Registry for its historical significance. In 2002, the National Society of Film Critics selected the film as one of the 100 Essential Films of all time. It is a frank depiction of black life in Watts in the mid-70s and follow Stan from his job at the slaughterhouse to a life at home.

Kawashima's Curve (work-in-progress)
(Festival Special Guest)
5:30 pm
Firehouse Theatre, Admission $7
Richmond filmmaker David Williams screens his most recent work, a documentary on Japanese bamboo sculptor Shigeo Kawashima. Shot on location over 3 weeks last spring during the Tokyo-based artist's tenure as an artist-in residence at the Visual Arts Center in Richmond. Join Mr. Williams for a Q & A after the screening.

Bound for Glory (1976)
8 pm
Firehouse Theatre, Admission $7
The late Hal Ashby was hands down one of the most important directors of the '70s Hollywood Renaissance with Harold and Maude, Last Detail (which actually shot in Richmond at the Broad Street train station), Shampoo, Being There and Bound for Glory all released that decade. Starring David Carradine (Kung Fu, Kill Bill, Death Race 2000) as folk singer hero Woody Guthrie. The film won Academy Awards for cinematography, score, and a nomination for costume design.

FESTIVAL GUESTS 1994 - 2006
A complete listing of guests of the festival along with
special guests at other RMIC events.

2007 SHORT FILM COMPETITION
CALL FOR ENTRIES - deadline February 15, 2007.
Thanks to all who submitted films to the competition. The jury will contact all finalists to discuss the screening to be held Friday, March 24. Finalists are posted above. After the festival we will return screening copies to those of you who gave us postage paid return mailers.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL