Virginia Film Festival

Program followed by Q&A with filmmakers and subjects from Tuning René Marie (Polina Buchak, Rachel Kessler, René Marie).

Freedom Swimmer
2021. Australia. 15 min. Director: Olivia Martin-McGuire.

The story of a grandfather’s perilous swim from China to Hong Kong parallels his granddaughter’s own quest for new freedom.

Blind Angels: Richmond Virginia
2022. USA. 9 min. Director: Umbreen Butt. Featuring: Zakia McKensey.

In Richmond, Virginia, Zakia McKensey works as an advocate to increase HIV testing and awareness access.

Little Berlin
2021. Germany, France. 14 min. Director: Kate McMullen. Featuring: Christoph Waltz.

When the Iron Curtain cuts his tiny German village in half, Peter the bull separates from his 36 cows—based on a true story and narrated by Christoph Waltz.

Tuning René Marie
2022. USA. 14 min. Director: Rachel Kessler. Featuring: René Marie.

The extraordinary life story of René Marie, Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist told old through a series of animated vignettes over 16mm plates.

The Originals
2022. USA. 10 min. Director: Cristina Costantini, Alfie Koetter. Featuring: Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Walter Woodman, Alfie Koetter, Cristina Costantini.

Matty “Square” Ruggiero and his childhood friends tell their story of what it was like to grow up in South Brooklyn, where money was tight but friendships were tighter.

A Haircut for the Hina Doll
2022. Japan. 30 min. Director: Minoru Mizoguchi. Featuring: Riku Tanaka.

An assistant hairstylist makes an effort to keep his promise by cutting his first love’s hair as his first customer.