The inaugural edition of the Alexandria International Film Festival spans four days at the US Patent and Trademark Office Madison Building, 600 Dulany St. From Sept. 27-30, the festival offers an eclectic collection of fictional works, documentaries and short films from the variety of sources. Local filmmakers will have their work screened along with Sundance winners and Hollywood productions like "Black Hawk Down" and "I am David" starring Jim Caviezel of "The Passion of the Christ." In addition, there are several special events sprinkled throughout the festival, including director's discussions and presentations of student films.
Here is the full schedule for the 2007 Alexandria International Film Festival. All events are free and are on a first come basis.
Thursday, Sept. 27
Market Square, 301 King St.
7 pm: Official City Welcome and Festival Kick-Off — Performance by the Alexandria Singers: Featuring Music from Films You Know and Love!
"Alexandria: My Hometown" — Films produced by students of the Mt. Vernon Community and Samuel Tucker Elementary Schools.
"Green Pages" — A man, a woman and a company that forbids any personal interaction between employees. Not even talk. But a relationship is inevitable, under the very eye of the security camera. Executed in a single continuous take, this futuristic comedy is also the first ever film adaptation of the phone book. Written, produced & directed by Sasha C. Damjanovski, with original music by Nikola Kodjabashia; (0:17); 2006.
"DeLeon Crossing" — Dennis and Jewel have wanted to leave their home in DeLeon for the longest time, but if they do, the consequences for them and the town could be tremendous. Are they ready to take the step? Starring Gale Nemec; Directed by Bjorn Munson; (0:06); 2007.
"Ferocious Wildlife in a Two-Bedroom" — Two housecats imagine themselves to be lions on the Veldt. More than 400 drawings digitally animated by Ruth Dubb; 0:02; 2007.
"For Emily" — Written and performed by the band Porlolo. Filmed and edited by Stephanie Hafer; 0:03; 2006.
"Perle" — Since the death of her son, Perle is nothing but a pale copy of herself. To overcome it, she digs within herself and her memories, thus working a first passage towards the promise of inner peace. Directed by Bruno Pucella; 0:10; 2007.
International Film Festival "Coming Attractions"
Friday, Sept. 28
US Patent and Trademark Office
Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street
6 p.m.: "Black Hawk Down" — Based on a true story, the film tells the harrowing account of a group of elite U.S. soldiers in the Battle of Mogadishu. These soldiers were sent into Somalia in October 1993 as part of a U.N. peacekeeping operation with a mission to abduct several top Lieutenants there. What was expected to be an in and out mission, instead involved two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters being shot down, the deaths of 18 Americans, 73 wounded, and hundreds of Somalians dead. Starring Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Jason Isaacs, Ewan McGregor. Directed by Ridley Scott. Won two Academy Awards and was nominated for four. Rated R for violence; (2:24); 2001.
8:30 p.m.: Presentation by Pamela and Jim Viola — Pamela Viola is a 15-year veteran of the independent and studio film industry. She worked on the production of numerous films including: "Hannibal," "Forces of Nature" and "Natural Born Killers." In 2000, as Pamela Hochshartner, she went on location to Morocco to supervise an international cast and crew of 1500 for the filming of Black Hawk Down. Meanwhile, Jim Viola was sent by the Secretary of Defense to serve the film as military adviser. Hear about their adventures making the film and falling in love amidst one of the most realistic and compelling war movies ever made.
9 p.m.: "The Proposition" — In this bleak western set in the Australian Outback, soldier Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) gives outlaw Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) a choice: hunt down murderous older brother Arthur Burns and bring him to justice, or watch his younger brother hang for their crimes. Rated R for strong violence. Directed by John Hillcoat; (1:44); 2005.
Saturday, Sept. 29
US Patent and Trademark Office
Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street
2 p.m.: "Tell" — The "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy started well over a decade ago and banned gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. Director Tom Murray adds a human face to the debate as he set out across the country to talk with gay and lesbian veterans and their allies, about the struggles faced by dedicated and patriotic Americans who want to serve their country, but can only do so while not being honest about who they fully are. Directed by Tom Murray; (1:23); 2007.
3:30 p.m.: Presentation by Capt. Joan Darrah USN (Ret.) and Paul Tschudi, U.S. Army Veteran Spec. 5 and Asst. Professor at George Washington University, who appear in the film Tell and will share their experiences, both with "don’t ask, don’t tell" and in making the film.
4 p.m.: "Good Bye Lenin" — A poignant comedy about children who try to shield their socialist mother (who wakes from a long coma) from the fact that the Wall has come down and communism has vanished from Germany. Rated R for brief language and sexuality; in German, subtitled in English; (1:41); 2003.
5:30 pm: "Out of Obscurity: the Story of the 1939 Alexandria Library Sit-In" — Chronicles a watershed, but little-known chapter in civil rights history: The first sit-in in the United States, which took place at a library in Alexandria in 1939, 16 years before the famous 1955 Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, which is widely credited for igniting the civil rights movement. Directed by Matt Spangler; (0:39); 1999.
6:10 p.m.: Presentation by Matt Spangler, director of "Out of Obscurity," who tells of the making of the film and the protest engineered by a brilliant young African-American lawyer who was testing the legal theory that would later become the basis of Brown vs. the Board of Education and other major civil rights cases.
6:30 p.m.: "Alexandria: My Hometown" — Films produced by the students of Mt. Vernon Community and Samuel W. Tucker Elementary Schools.
7 p.m.: "War/Dance" — Set against the backdrop of Uganda's 20 year civil war, and the abduction of 30,000 children by a rebel army, this documentary tells the story of Dominic, Rose, Nancy and their school in the Patongo refugee camp as they take a historic journey to compete in Uganda's national music and dance festival. Premiering at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, Sean and Andrea Nix Fine's documentary explores the war from the perspective of three children. Born into battle, and surviving the slaughter or disappearance of their families, the children know no other life. Not rated; language, war violence. Directed by Sean Fine; (1:45); 2007.
9 p.m.: "I am David" — The story of a 12-year-old boy who escapes from a Communist concentration camp with nothing but a compass, a sealed letter, a loaf of bread and instructions to carry the letter to Copenhagen, Denmark. David is thrust into the free world for the first time in his young life as he travels across Europe. It is a spiritual voyage of discovery, where David slowly sheds his mistrust of humanity and begins to smile, share, trust and ultimately, love. Starring Joan Plowright and Jim Caviezel. Rated PG for thematic elements and violent content; Directed by Paul Feig, a former writer for the TV series "Freaks and Geeks"; (1:30); 2004.
Sunday, September 30
US Patent and Trademark Office
Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street
1 p.m.: "Viet Nam: the Next Generation" — Three decades after the "American" war, optimism is high in Vietnam. Peace has brought prosperity and a cocky self-confidence, but the country is still agrarian, 50 percent of homes are without electricity and only one narrow pockmarked highway links North with South. Is this optimism justified? The Next Generation asks six Vietnamese — all under thirty — to share their hopes and dreams. They come from all walks of life, but together they embody the hopes, dreams and frustration of this new Vietnam. Directed by Sandy Northrop, part of the "Independent Lens" series; (1:00); 2005.
2 p.m.: Presentation by Sandy Northrop — Sandy Northrop has been a documentary filmmaker for twenty-seven years, primarily involved in programming for PBS. Her first work for PBS was as a location manager and editor for the National Geographic Society on its acclaimed television specials. From 1976 to 1985 she covered topics from endangered elephants and gorillas in Africa to the impact of the computer on our lives. From 1997 to 2001, Sandy lived in Vietnam and shares with us the extraordinary story behind The Next Generation. 1:00; 2005.
2:15 p.m.: "Churning the Sea of Time: A Journey Up the Mekong to Angkor" — One of the most mythic and potent journey of our time, through the exquisite, complicated and surprising terrain of Vietnam and Cambodia to the great ruins at Angkor. The magnificent Khmer temples are being painstakingly restored deep in the jungle. A stunningly filmed High Definition odyssey up a river far distanced in time from the corridor into the heart of darkness portrayed in Francis Ford Coppola’s "Apocalypse Now." Directed by Les Guthman; (1:08); 2006.
3:30 p.m.: "The Last Greeks on Broome Street" — This film tells the story of New York’s Greek Jews: a little-known culture with 2,000 years of history and its own language, liturgy, and customs. This community thrived on Manhattan’s Lower East side only a century ago, but is now on the verge of disappearing. Filmmaker Ed Askinazi journeys there to learn more about his past and discovers a community determined not to disappear. Directed by Ed Askinazi; (0:28); 2006.
4 p.m.: Presentation by Ed Askinazi — What is happening to ethnic communities throughout America? Is "tradition" simply a song from a popular musical? Can we know where we're going if we don't know where we've been? Ed shares the insights he gained filming "The Last Greeks on Broome Street."
4:15 p.m.: "I Have Never Forgotten You: the Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal" — A comprehensive look at the life and legacy of Simon Wiesenthal, the famed Nazi hunter and humanitarian. Narrated by Academy Award winning actress Nicole Kidman, it features interviews with long-time Wiesenthal associates, government leaders from around the world, friends and family members--many of whom have never discussed the legendary Nazi hunter and humanitarian on camera. Previously unseen archival film and photos also highlight the film. What was the driving force behind his work? What kept him going when for years the odds were against his efforts? What is his legacy today, more than 60 years after the end of World War Two? Rated PG for disturbing images of the Holocaust. Directed by Richard Trank; 1:45; 2007
6 p.m: Presentation by Charlene Schiff — Charlene Schiff is an Alexandria resident and a survivor of the Holocaust.
6:20 p.m.: Presentation by John and Ginger Quinn — The parents of director Christopher Quinn share their experiences raising an award winning filmmaker in Alexandria. John and Ginger know John, Daniel and Panther, the boys profiled in "God Grew Tired of Us," and have thoughtful insights to share on their story.
6:30 p.m.: "God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan" — Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, God Grew Tired Of Us explores the indomitable spirit of three "Lost Boys" from the Sudan who leave their homeland, triumph over seemingly insurmountable adversities and move to America, where they build active and fulfilling new lives but remain deeply committed to helping the friends and family they have left behind. Narrated by Nicole Kidman, the film was produced in part by actors Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney and Brad Pitt. The San Francisco Chronicle called the film an "affecting and well-made culture-shock documentary." Rated PG for some disturbing images. Directed by Christopher Quinn; (1:29); 2006
8 p.m.: Screening of Winning Student Short.
8:05 p.m.: Awards Presentation and Closing Remarks.
8:15 p.m.: Closing Reception
Please be advised that some films may contain violence, language and adult themes that are inappropriate for younger audiences. Schedule is subject to change.