Move over, Cannes

Get ready for the first annual Rappahannock Independent Film Festival

Date published: 5/8/2008

YOU WON'T NEED to pack the suntan lotion that might come in handy during the Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera. There's no need for the eye drops that soothe tired eyes at the New York Film Festival. But this fall's first annual Rappahannock Independent Film Festival promises plenty of treats for area film fans.

Indeed, if the Fredericksburg Athenaeum is able to gather the support it seeks, this new showcase for the arts could be an iconic annual event for the area. The 2008 festival, titled "Portraits in 24 Frames," will feature original short films highlighting portraits of people, places, or things. The Sept. 18-21 screenings will be held at several downtown venues.

The goals for the festival are ambitious but realistic: 2,500 attendees and 100 participating entrants. With that kind of turnout, the payoffs would be considerable. Fredericksburg would build on its reputation as a statewide leader in the arts. The area, and downtown in particular, would receive an economic boost. And creative filmmakers would find a valuable new forum for their work.

This latest initiative by the Fredericksburg Athenaeum complements its ongoing efforts in the literary and live-performance arenas, from poetry readings to an Arthur Miller play.

So grab the popcorn and toggle on over to rifilmfestival.com, the festival Web site, where you can learn about the program and opportunities to help. Who knows? Maybe the road to an Oscar will one day wind through Fredericksburg.

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Date published: 5/8/2008