Alexandria Film Festival
Pass the popcorn!
The Alexandria Film Fest kicks off Friday, Nov. 10, presenting a full weekend of dramas, comedies, thrillers, documentaries and more.
“We have a very strong program planned for this year’s festival, with several international films we’re really excited about, and we expect many filmmakers to accompany their films,” noted Dara Sanders, festival chair.
More than 50 films will screen at several locations in Alexandria, including the Charles Beatley Library (Nov. 10), The Lyceum (Nov. 11 and 12) and the AMC Hoffman Center (Nov. 11 and 12).
The Alexandria Film Fest is in its 17th year and features films from creators here in Alexandria and across the world. Here are a few of this year’s highlights:
Normal - Bright and industrious 14-year old Lucie does her best to juggle school, a part-time job and trying to write a novel while taking care of her dad, who has multiple sclerosis. When a social worker tries to intervene, Lucie and her dad concoct an elaborate scheme to make social services believe they are a perfectly normal family. (Drama)
Art Thief – After stealing a painting from a local museum, a passionate but untalented artist is thrust into the midst of an even bigger theft. The film was inspired by the 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. (Thriller)
Lousy Carter – Variously labeled as a deadbeat by his ex, a failure by his mother and a shell of himself by his best friend, Lousy Carter, a professor of English literature, suffers a moody reality that gets worse through a bad medical diagnosis. The film’s lead is David Krumholz who starred as Bernard the elf in The Santa Claus movies. (Comedy)
By My Side — By My Side tells a story of journey and return, of veterans and their families rescued by their service dogs from the pitfalls of PTSD to a promising sense of hope and restoration. (Documentary)
Two Lives in Pittsburgh — A blue-collar Pittsburgher struggles to open his heart and mind as his child explores their gender identity amid his mother’s final days. (Documentary)
The “Salute to Service Members” Showcase will be offered free of charge to active and retired service members in honor of Veteran’s Day, which is Nov. 11. More information is available through the festival website at alexfilmfest.com.
