Press Release:

2017 VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE 30TH YEAR FROM NOVEMBER 9-12

FESTIVAL OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF 2017 CALL FOR ENTRIES

Charlottesville, VA – March 8, 2017 – The Virginia Film Festival will celebrate its 30th year from November 9-12, festival officials announced today.

The Virginia Film Festival is a program of the University of Virginia and the Office of the Provost and Vice Provost for the Arts.

The VFF is coming off yet another record-breaking year in 2016 that included an extraordinary lineup of special guests that included Shirley MacLaine, Liv Ullmann, Werner Herzog, Danny McBride, Colin Firth, and more than 150 filmmakers from around the globe.

“We are very excited to announce that we will be celebrating our 30th year from November 9-12,” said VFF Director and UVA Vice Provost for the Arts Jody Kielbasa. “Our 2016 Virginia Film Festival was historic in so many ways, from the all-time highs in box office sales and attendance to a remarkably deep and vast program to a guest roster that was filled with true legends of the film and entertainment worlds. We continue to be honored by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our guests and our audience members alike. It is clear that the profile of the Virginia Film Festival as one of America’s premiere regional film festivals is on the rise, and we are already hard at work trying to build on that momentum for 2017.”

Festival officials also announced the Call for Entries for 2017 will launch on Thursday, March 16. Filmmakers can make their submissions online beginning that day. Once again this year, Virginia residents and students at Virginia schools are eligible to have their entry fees waived. The fees for non-Virginia filmmakers submitting by the regular deadline of Monday, June 12 will be $35 for features and $15 for shorts. Those submitting by the extended deadline of Monday, July 24 may do so for $50 for features and $25 for shorts. The fee for students outside of Virginia to submit a film is $10.

For complete submission guidelines, visit virginiafilmfestival.org/submit-a-film/ or contact VFF Programmer Wesley Harris at wesleyharris@virginia.edu or 434-243-6830.

For more information, visit www.virginiafilmfestival.org.