For Immediate Release: October 26, 2010
Highlights:
For information:
"Race to Nowhere," the documentary sensation that is feeding a groundswell for change in schools and organizations nationwide, will be presented by the Alexandria Film Festival on Saturday, November 6 at the AMC Hoffman Theatre, 206 Swamp Fox Rd. at 1pm. First time filmmaker Vicki Abeles, a 48 year-old lawyer, was inspired to make "Race to Nowhere" out of concern for her children and the pressures that they face in school.
A mother of three and former Wall Street attorney, Abeles awakened to this crisis in a hospital emergency room as her 12-year old daughter was being treated for stress-related illness.
"We are thrilled to have "Race to Nowhere" in this year’s Festival," said Festival Chair Pat Miller, while making the announcement of the new selections recently added to the lineup of films scheduled to be screened over the course of the 4 day cinematic film fest.
"The Festival has something for everyone," said Ms. Miller. "We’ve got independent, short and feature length films, documentaries, animation and narrative films in every imaginable category, some of them starring well known actors and many of the films making either their East Coast or Washington, D.C. debut and in some cases, their World Premiere."
Among the other new additions to the Festival are: "Grassroots ," a documentary directed by Jeffrey Daniels, an entertaining look at the battle that ensued in Las Vegas over a ballot initiative to approve the regulation and taxation of marijuana.
"L’Affaire Farewell," an espionage film by Director Christian Carion is based on a true story about a KGB Colonel who became disenchanted with the Communist ideal and found a way to pass documents containing USSR secrets about the US to a French civil engineer working in Moscow.
Opening night of the Film Festival features the Washington, D.C. premiere of Griefwalker an unforgettable, feature length documentary by the award winning filmmaker Tim Wilson, who set his lens on his friend Stephen Jenkinson, a Harvard educated theologian and one of Canada’s leading palliative care educators.
Mr. Jenkinson, who travels throughout Canada providing grief counseling, believes that in order to love life, we need to love death. He will be in attendance for a follow up discussion with the audience.
Also being shown on opening night at the Old Town Theatre, 815 1/2 King St., will be Ride the Divide, directed by cinematographer Hunter Weeks, a visually stunning film about a 2,700 mile mountain bike race through the entire Rocky Mountain range weaving three characters’ experiences with immense mountain beauty and small town culture as they all attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border. Producer Joe Cantrell will introduce the film and be available for the after film Q & A.
On Friday night November 5, at 7 p.m., Leading Ladies, a zany romantic comedy about the pressures of competitive ballroom dance will make its Washington, D.C. premiere, at Hoffman Theatres followed by a party at Yves Bistro, just steps from the theatre where featured actresses Melanie LaPatin, Laurel Vail and actor Benji Schwimmer will give a live demonstration of an art form at the pinnacle of its popularity.
For further information about the films, descriptions, trailers, screening schedule, events, and locations, visit AlexandriaFilm.org.
The 2010 Film Festival is organized and presented by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the Alexandria Office of the Arts, a division of the Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities. Daily updates on Facebook.
For press related information, contact:
Terri Park Hyde, Marketing Committee Liaison
571.970.3693 (office)
parkhyde@aol.com
© 1995–2022 City of Alexandria, VA and others • Privacy & Legal • FOIA Requests
Translate