A still from "16 Bars" (Image courtesy Lightyear Entertainment)
Let’s try this again. That’s the sentiment that seems to guide the producers of the Richmond International Film Festival. After restrictions caused by the pandemic halted their April plans for the event, the festival returns this month with virtual screenings as well as physical events – along with some precautions.
“It is [going to] look different because it’s that hybrid model between the virtual and physical events, and it will be socially distancing even at those physical events,” says Heather Waters, founder and producer of the festival. ”Everybody … know[s] ahead of time, please come with your face mask.”
Staging a film festival under typical conditions is challenging; producing one during a pandemic adds another layer of difficulty. Waters says that canceling the festival was a serious consideration, but the event is something that the city needs now.
“We owe it to our talent and our film and music side and to our partners and to the city,” she says. “I know it’s not going to be the big grandiose thing, we’re going to make it as incredible as we can.”
"The Zen Speaker" (Photo by Emily Wilson)
Waters says that organizers followed pandemic mitigation guidelines when planning the events, which include 30 screenings at The Byrd Theatre, a venue that has been closed for several months. Precautions that will be taken at the theater include cleanings between screenings, temperature checks of patrons as they enter and seating moviegoers 6 feet apart.
The lineup includes the majority of the more than 70 films that were originally scheduled for April, including the locally produced “16 Bars,” a music documentary filmed at the city jail about inmates that collaborate with rapper Speech from the group Arrested Development. Also on the schedule is the 2019 French film “Place des Victoires,” about a man who tracks down the youth who stole his mobile phone and starts a friendship. The dark side of gaming is explored in “Ticket,” where a mysterious woman manipulates a group of people recovering from online game addiction. The festival’s slate includes several short films along with the features and documentaries.
Jouwala Collection (Photo courtesy Richmond International Film Festival)
Opening events include a virtual concert at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 from In Your Ear Studios, with local African rhythm makers Jouwala Collective. On Saturday, Sept. 12, Mike Thomas Band, Pariah Wilderness, Gina Brooklyn and Photosynthesizers perform at Tang & Biscuit. Petersburg native Rodney the Soul Singer performs at The Diamond at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, which is also the site of a family-friendly double feature that day.
The festival will also feature Q&As with filmmakers, virtual panels, industry mixers and the annual FLOW Creative Conference that consists of a mixture of arts and industry panel discussions.
“We’re trying to work with what we have to work with,” Waters says, “and we’re just hoping it’s great. And meanwhile … we’re already open for submissions for 2021, which is a little crazy.”
