Virginia Film Festival

16 Bars

Following three inmates at the city jail in Richmond, Virginia, 16 Bars offers a glimpse at…

1968: The Year that Changed America

Mapping the tumultuous events of the entire year, 1968 highlights monumental shifts in the modern landscape of…

55 Steps

When Eleanor Riese (Helena Bonham Carter) discovers that the medication she receives at St. Mary’s Psychiatric…

An Acceptable Loss

When former U.S. security advisor Elizabeth “Libby” Lamm leaves politics to pursue a university teaching position,…

Afghan Cycles

Following members of the National Cycling Team in Kabul and young riders in the Bamiyan region,…

América

When called upon to take care of their 93-year-old grandmother, three brothers from Colima, Mexico, realize…

American Dreamer

A former computer programmer, Cam (Jim Gaffigan) is now struggling to make ends meet as a…

Another Slave Narrative

Preceded by the short film Anna As part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal in 1936-1938, the…

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco

A native of Puerto Rico raised in the Bronx, Antonio Lopez gained international recognition as one…

At Eternity’s Gate

The renowned painter, Vincent van Gogh (Willem Dafoe), spends his prolific period in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise,…

The Ballad Of Shirley Collins

Considered an icon of English traditional song, Shirley Collins gained national recognition during the epicenter of…

Ben is Back

When Holly’s (Julia Roberts) 19-year-old addict son, Ben, returns home one fateful Christmas Eve, she must…

Best of Film at Mason

Best of Film at Mason returns for a fourth year to present a selection of recent…

Best of the VCU Arts Cinema Program

VCUarts Cinema showcases a collection of all female-directed films from its Summer Intensive program. In a…

The Biggest Little Farm

Preceded by short film Half a Chicken  When John and Molly Chester’s dog refuses to stop…

Birds of Passage

In 1970s Colombia, a narco-trafficking era known as “la Bonanza Marimbera” pulls an indigenous Wayuu family…

Black in Blue

Before 1967, the American Southeastern Conference boasted a roster composed entirely of white athletes. In the…

Bob Le Flambeur

Former bank robber and acclaimed gangster Bob Montagné (Roger Duchesne) is living in a dreary Parisian…

Bride of Frankenstein

In this classic horror film, author Mary Shelley reveals to her husband that the tale of Frankenstein…

Charlottesville

Produced by University of Virginia Center for Politics and the Community Idea Stations, this documentary revisits the…

Chef Flynn

Often called the “Justin Bieber of Food,” budding chef Flynn McGarry quickly emerged as a culinary…

Circles

After being displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Eric Butler moves to Oakland, California, in an impassioned effort…

Coby

Suzanna, 23, disrupts the delicate ecosystem of her small Midwestern town when she comes out as…

Coco

Preceded by the short film Steamboat Willie In the small town of Santa Cecilia, Mexico, aspiring…

Day Shall Dawn (Jago Hua Savera)

Restored with the help of the Nauman Taseer Foundation after being lost for decades, Day Shall…

The Defiant Ones

This four-part HBO documentary series follows the partnership of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, from their…

Drewary J. Brown: Working for a Better Day

Drewary J. Brown was a legendary figure in the struggle for racial justice in central Virginia.…

El Angel

Carlitos, a 17-year-old with a baby face and movie star swagger, discovers his true calling: to…

The Eyes of Orson Welles

Filmmaker Mark Cousins explores the visual world of filmmaking legend Orson Welles after gaining access to…

F for Fake

After agreeing to edit François Reichenbach’s documentary about renowned art forger Elmyr de Hory and his…

Family Day Short Films

This collection is a celebration of childhood packed with fantastic stories, breathtaking animation, and captivating characters.…

The Favourite

In early 18th century Britain, Queen Anne’s (Olivia Colman) gout renders her too weak to rule,…

Fiddlin’

Each year in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, musicians converge at the Old Fiddler’s Convention…

The Forcing

An insistent collage of images and sound that muddles the quiet detail of flora and fauna with the chaotic noise…

Free Solo

Free-solo climber Alex Honnold is determined to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the 3,200-foot El Capitan…

The Front Runner

Gary Hart, the charming U.S Senator from Colorado, was considered the frontrunner for the 1988 Democratic…

Gift

Abigail Phillips is an American farm girl who grows up to become a world-renowned pianist. Behind…

Good Manners

At a fancy apartment in São Paulo, Ana, in search of a nanny for her unborn…

The Great Buster

In the wake of the restoration of Buster Keaton’s iconic silent features, noted film director Peter…

Green Book

When Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a bouncer from an Italian American neighborhood in the Bronx, is…

Gurrumul

Preceded by short films Gapu Ga Gunda and Galka Praised by audiences spanning the globe, indigenous artist…

The Heiresses

Chela and Chiquita, together for over thirty years, find their relationship tested by financial difficulties despite…

Hell in India (Gahim Fel Hend)

When the Egyptian ambassador to India and his family are kidnapped by an evil billionaire, the…

If Beale Street Could Talk

In the film adaptation of the James Baldwin novel, Academy Award winning director Barry Jenkins depicts…

In the Last Days of the City (Akher Ayem El Madina)

Khalid, a 35-year-old documentary filmmaker, is struggling to complete a film that captures the spirit of…

The Independents

A chance encounter of three unintentional collaborators reignites their aspirations of making it in the music…

An Indian Father (Bir Baba Hindu)

In this Turkish Bollywood-style musical comedy, Fadil, a fierce and renowned Turkish mobster, falls in love…

Ingrid

Preceded by the short film The Home for Wayward Babydolls At seventy-six years old, Ingrid Gipson compares…

Inside Job

In 2008, the United States saw the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Millions of…

Into the Okavango

In an effort to save the Okavango Delta, a World Heritage site in Africa, a conservation…

Jason and Shirley

In response to Shirley Clarke’s 1967 Portrait of Jason, filmmaker Stephen Winter offers an imaginative look…

Kevin Everson Short Films

From internationally renowned filmmaker Kevin Everson comes a selection of short films that combines historical observations…

Kinesthetic Montage Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s thriving film culture is a direct product of the physical reality of the city.…

Know Your Neighbor

Highlighting the essence of nine locals who proudly call Charlottesville their home, Know Your Neighbor offers insight…

The Last Race

Once the hub of American stock-car racing, Long Island is now home to a single track,…

Light House Studio Shorts

A nonprofit filmmaking center dedicated to teaching students self-expression through filmmaking, Light House Studio’s work has…

Little Woods

In a quaint North Dakota oil town, sisters Ollie and Deb must break the rules in…

Looking for Oum Kulthum

Mitra is an Iranian filmmaker living in exile, who has long yearned to make a film…

MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A.

Drawn from a cache of personal video recordings from the past 22 years, director Steve Loveridge’s MATANGI…

Narcissister Organ Player

Mixed-media and performance artist Narcissister serves as both director and subject of this documentary. Through her…

Night of the Living Dead

In its 50th anniversary year, George Romero’s cult classic provides thrills and chills as an icon…

Oblivion Verses

After discovering the body of an unknown woman killed during protest, an elderly caretaker of a…

The Other Side of the Wind

Nearly half a century after production commenced on renowned director Orson Welles’ unfinished movie, producer and…

Over the Limit

Elite rhythmic gymnast Margarita Mamun nears the end of her competitive career, but has one final…

Producers Forum

A panel of leading Hollywood producers and members of the Virginia Film Festival Advisory Board. Discussion with VAFF…

The Providers

In rural America, many people struggle to find adequate access to healthcare. Set in northern New…

Rafiki

Tomboy and daughter of local politician, Kena, has always been “one of the guys.” Defying Kenya’s…

Relaxer

Unaware of the imminent Y2K apocalypse, Cam convinces his brother, Abbie, to remain on the couch…

Revolutionizing Dementia Care

After being diagnosed with dementia, many people’s lives change dramatically. Revolutionizing Dementia Care explores how those…

Rich Kids

Matías is a bright teenager whose family struggles with harsh financial troubles. When he discovers “Los…

Road to Kabul

After four unemployed Moroccans suffer harassment from a crooked former cop, they set out for Holland…

Roma

As a maid caring for four school-aged children in the middle-class Roma district of Mexico City…

Run While You Can

In 2011, Sam Fox embarked on an unbelievable challenge: to run along the Pacific Crest Trail…

Same God

In 2015, Dr. Larycia Hawkins, an African-American political science professor at Wheaton College, wanted to show…

Sauvage

22-year-old Leo works in Strasbourg as a prostitute. Working mostly on a quiet road in a…

Science Fair

Delving into the lives of the teenagers responsible for future scientific and technological advancements, Science Fair follows nine…

Seats at the Table

At the University of Virginia, Andrew Kaufman has taught the acclaimed class Books Behind Bars: Life,…

Shoplifters

Osamu Shibata and his son Shota are on a shoplifting expedition trying to make money for…

Sorry Angel

Arthur, an eager 22-year-old student studying in Rennes, meets 35-year-old Jacques, a writer living in Paris…

Spider Mites of Jesus: The Dirtwoman Documentary

When Donnie “Dirtwoman” Corker passed away in 2017, the city of Richmond, Virginia, lost one of…