AFF’s October 2021 Newsletter
Welcome to the Alexandria Film Festival’s October 2021 newsletter! Our 15th annual festival’s events take place starting November 6! Here’s our news this month:
Our Virtual Film Festival’s Program Is Now Available!
October’s Streaming Film: “Chasing Childhood”
Moving Pictures at an Exhibition: AFF and the Alexandria Symphony: “Homegrown”
OUR VIRTUAL FILM FESTIVAL’S PROGRAM IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Acceptance letters have gone out to filmmakers for the 40 films to be screened online from November 11 through November 25 this year. Soon we’ll start recording interviews with filmmakers to accompany the films online. Films are grouped into “showcases” with most showcases including two or more films:
Burke & Herbert Bank Family Showcase
Freedom of Expression
Girl Power
In the Time of Covid
International
Point of View
Political Showcase
Sci-Fi-ish
Social Justice
Veterans Showcase
For a complete list of this year’s festival films — and to reserve your tickets — go here: https://festival2021.eventive.org/welcome .
OCTOBER’S STREAMING FILM: “CHASING CHILDHOOD”
Remember when childhood was less curated than it is now? Maybe you’re old enough remember a time when your parents would send you out in the morning and expect you back by dinner time? Clearly times have changed!
In today's highly charged world of structure, stranger danger, and helicopter parenting, free play in childhood has disappeared, giving way to unprecedented anxiety and depression. This phenomenon impacts kids from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Children's lives are consumed with wall-to-wall activities and constant monitoring-the overprotected, over-directed, over-pressured childhood is the new normal.
Margaret Munzer Loeb and Eden Wurmfeld’s documentary CHASING CHILDHOOD documents how some are trying to change the potentially negative impacts of structure and over parenting. The film includes an introduction from CNN correspondent Van Jones and concludes with a panel presentation by middle school experts. Check it out!
To see a short trailer of Chasing Childhood go here: https://vimeo.com/540299971 .
To rent and watch Chasing Childhood online (price: $12) click here: https://watch.eventive.org/chasingchildhood/play/6164d2acb5ed1700692f462e
ONE NIGHT ONLY: MOVING PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION: Alexandria Symphony Orchestra Presents “Homegrown: American Stories in Music and Film”
In partnership with the Alexandria Film Festival, the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) will present music of American composers on Saturday, November 6, 2021 (6:00 p.m.) at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center. The performance will feature six original short films screened in tandem with music including:
MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition
COPLAND: John Henry
COPLAND: Our Town
GRIFFES: “Clouds” from Roman Sketches
IVES: “The Housatonic at Stockbridge” from Three Places in New England
HIGDON: Blue Cathedral
GRANT STILL: “Manhattan Skyline” from The American Scene
Filmmakers will participate in a post-screening panel.
Adult tickets start at $20. Student tickets $15 (with ID). Youth tickets $5 (age 18 & under) with adult purchase. Military, senior and group discounts available. Purchase at www.alexsym.org or call 703-548-0885. Film Festival patrons can receive 15% savings with the discount code “filmaso21”.
KEEPING UP WITH AFF
To keep up with the AFF check out these links:
The Official AFF Web Site: https://alexfilmfest.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexfilmfest
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandriafilmfestival/
