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First ever Piedmont Filmmakers Festival gets rolling in Warrenton

Date published: 4/6/2006

By KATY HERSHBERGER

Virginia is the new Los Angeles.

Or so say the members of George Mason University's Friends of Film, which will present the inaugural Piedmont Filmmakers Festival in Warrenton this weekend.

The festival will showcase the cinema of Virginia, featuring movies made by filmmakers from the state's scenic Piedmont region, as well as films about the area.

"When we founded this thing we realized to our surprise how many filmmakers there were--really successful professional filmmakers--in the Piedmont area," said Amy Gerber, executive director of Friends of Film. "What we wanted to do was come up with a festival that showcases those filmmakers' work. It's really a way of opening the area's eyes to the filmmakers already in this area."

The Piedmont region may be popular for filmmaking because of the beauty of its landscape, said Bonnie Matheson, president of the board of directors for Friends of Film.

"It's probably the most attractive place in the United States if you like hills and trees and streams," she said. "It's not desert and not a beach, but it's absolutely, positively gorgeous."

Director Ron Maxwell, who is also on the Friends of Film board, surveyed the region for locations to shoot his major motion pictures "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals." After getting to know the area, Maxwell moved from Los Angeles to Rappahannock County three years ago.

"It's a place obviously rich in heritage and history," he said. "It's not an exaggeration to say it's a cradle of American liberty, as far as Virginia, from the Potomac River down to Charlottesville."

Since many people in the region have already seen his Civil War films, Maxwell said, he will show one of the movies he made in his youth--"Verna: USO Girl."

The 1978 film, which will be followed by a discussion and reception Saturday night at the festival, stars Sissy Spacek as Verna, a USO performer who falls for an American soldier, played by William Hurt, during World War II. The film earned Maxwell an Emmy nomination for best director.

Maxwell is not the only member of the board of Friends of Film who is also a filmmaker. Gerber will screen her documentary "Public Memory" on Sunday.

The hourlong film analyzes American memorials and how Americans remember tragedies such as Sept. 11 and the Trail of Tears.

WHAT: Piedmont Filmmakers Festival WHERE: Highland Center for the Arts' Rice Theater, 597 Broadview Ave., Warrenton WHEN: Tomorrow through Sunday COST: Individual tickets cost $5-$15. An all-inclusive festival pass can be purchased online for $50. INFO: Call the Highland school at 540/347-1121, ext. 1033, or visit piedmontfilmmakersfestival.com.

Date published: 4/6/2006