The following article was published by Press Media Group and appeared in the Nov. 5-12 issue of The Lynchburg Ledger newspaper in my column: Life, Literature & the Arts. Is it a coincidence that the paper hit the stands hot off the presses Thursday and come Monday morning I heard on the radio (106.1 The Corner) that the annual Virginia Film Festival had set a new attendance record and that sales went up 87% over the previous year?

You be the judge. Me? I’m almost 100% positive my weekly column is the reason in this statistic. Not only did I single-handedly help set the attendance record for the 22nd annual Virginia Film Festival, I have also come to the conclusion that my writing may help us unearth ourselves from the rubble of these touch economic times. Call me, Obama. I’ll be the bird in Austan Goolsbee’s ear. Chirp chirp.

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The University of Virginia presents the 22nd Annual Virginia Film Festival November 5-8, 2009. Eighty films from around the globe will be screened including Locked Out: The Fall of Massive Resistance, Death at a Funeral, More than a Game, Some Like it Hot, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

This year’s topic at hand is “Funny Business,” which, to make a long story short, focuses through the medium of film on the comedy of everyday life—from our culture to our politics, cataloging in black & white and color cinematography alike, our social graces and social blunders as well as idiocies and transgressions.

“I would like to think that it’s a program that will be funny and entertaining, thought provoking and challenging, irreverent and eye-opening, inspirational and uplifting, all those things that make us love film in the first place,” says Jody Kielbasa, Director of the Virginia Film Festival.

Special guests and speakers at this year’s festival include Alan Ball, screenwriter for American Beauty and Six Feet Under; Annette Bening, Richard III and Being Julia; Matthew Broderick, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Producers; Norman Jewison, director of Fiddler on the Roof and The Thomas Crown Affair; Cherry Jones, Angels in America and Ocean’s Twelve; and John Waters, Pink Flamingos and Hairspray.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit the Virginia Film Festival online at www.vafilm.com.

LYNCHBURG – Think Charlottesville is too long of a haul this weekend? Then stick close to home and venture down to The Warehouse Theater at The Academy of Fine Arts at 600 Main St., Lynchburg, Virginia, November 6-8, as the Black Theatre Ensemble of Virginia puts on Nu Naybahood II: A Musical Comedy, written and directed by Gloria Cannady with special guest, author D. Munyungo Jackson.

I asked Jamal “Rise” Williams, one of the cast members of Nu Naybahood II, to give me three reasons why folks in Lynchburg and surrounding areas should come out to see the play.

Jamal responded, “1. It is unlike any musical play ever performed; 2. It displays the root of Ebonics across generations through music and real life scenarios; and 3. It’s funny as hell.”

For more information, visit http://bteofva.com or call 434-846-TIXX. Tickets are $18. Bring a friend. Support the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

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JEFFREY PILLOW (b. October 19, 1981) is a contributing writer for Press Media Group & The Lynchburg Ledger. His work has appeared in numerous publications including URGE Magazine, the Official Partner of the Arts Council of Richmond; Living Well; 16 Blocks; and Nick Taylor’s debut novel, The Disagreement (Simon & Schuster, 2008). Pillow holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature from the University of Virginia.

He lives in Charlottesville with his wife Allison and dog Mozzarella. His favorite hobby is driving his wife nuts at 6 o’clock in the morning whistling the tune to “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers. Visit him online at www.jeffreypillow.com

A shout out to our fellow UPC committee Cinematheque who are screening Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Sunday, November 8th in the amphitheater. If Ferris, hot refreshments, and free entertainment aren’t great enough stick around after for an appearance by the man himself, Matthew Broderick!

Interested in more great movies that are free to UVA students, check out the Virginia Film Festival’s website for some great ways to spend the weekend. The festival begins today, so make sure to check the line up as soon as possible before you miss any panel discussions of old favorites or exclusive screenings of new films.

The University of Virginia’s College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has announced that the upcoming 22nd annual Virginia Film Festival will be all about getting down to “Funny Business.” The Festival is set for November 5 – 8 at venues throughout Charlottesville.“There are no better times than these to appreciate and experience the healing power of laughter,” a Festival spokesperson said. “Films have a unique ability to allow us all to turn the world off for a couple of hours and lose ourselves in comic characters, situations and stories. Of course, in typical VFF fashion, we’ll take our exploration far beyond giggles and guffaws and explore a full range of issues surrounding merrymaking in the movies, from the serious business of making people laugh to the historical and social contexts of some of our greatest comedies and more.”

Nailgun previews the Virginia Film Festival.

HT: Rick Sincere

From the announcement at vafilm.com:

Virginia Film Festival organizers have issued an alert to all citizens: prepare for an alien invasion. Scheduled from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, the 21st annual Virginia Film Festival will explore the theme of “Aliens!” as more than 150 films and speakers address cinema’s fearful and alluring images of immigrants, outsiders and extraterrestrials .

Hosted by the University of Virginia, the Virginia Film Festival takes place at venues throughout Charlottesville. Designed as a four-day course on a cultural theme in which the public is invited to enroll, the festival brings major talents to Charlottesville each year. Recent guests have included Morgan Freeman, Vanessa Redgrave, John Sayles and Robert Duvall.

“The prominence of the immigration issue in this year’s election inspired us to tackle this theme,” said Richard Herskowitz, the festival’s artistic director. “There is a rich history of films about the alien-ness of immigrants and outsiders, including science-fiction films like ‘The Brother from Another Planet’ and dramas like ‘El Norte.’ And there are many great filmmakers, from Luis Bunuel to Ang Lee and Mira Nair, whose frequent border crossings and perpetual alien-ness, it can be argued, have sustained the vitality of their work.”

Want to participate? Buff away!

Cinema buffs are invited to submit their suggestions of alien films and filmmakers through the Director’s Blog, where Herskowitz will review recommendations and share behind-the-scenes stories as the program comes together. The site also includes year-round announcements about the Virginia Film Society.

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