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Documentary ties bands to presidential election

Documentary about marching bands opens film festival at University of Virginia

Date published: 11/10/2009

By Rob Hedelt

CHARLOTTESVILLE

But at the opening of this past weekend's 22nd annual Virginia Film Festival, a unique documentary on their schools' bands and last year's presidential election brought the Fredericksburg-area youths together for a special night.

Anderson, a Massaponax High School grad and junior who plays the cymbals in the University of Virginia marching band, performed in front of the theater with other members of the drum line.

Stanley Edmonds, a North Stafford High School grad and a sophomore who plays trumpet for the Virginia State University Marching Band, performed with a select group from the band, the Trojan Explosion.

The pair, music and music education majors who both hope to direct a high school band one day, said being involved with the documentary "Marching Band" was a fascinating experience.

"They were around us for a long time, several months up to the election," said Edmonds, who was featured in a segment of the film. "They were interested in what we did as a band, but also in how we all felt about taking part in our first presidential election."

Anderson said the French filmmakers seemed interested in just how the young people involved in the bands felt about an election that involved young people like none had before.

"They were with us from band camp through several football games and practices right before the election," said Anderson, who loves the idea that the band members at both schools were represented as one big family in the documentary.

Speaking after the film, which found more similarities than differences in youthful excitement for candidate Barrack Obama at both schools, director Claude Miller said the hope was to explore the unique nature of marching bands, as well as what became a unique presidential campaign.

A PLAYFUL BRODERICK

While "Marching Band" opened the festival at the University of Virginia, the new independent film "Wonderful World," with Matthew Broderick, was the 85th and final film of the four-day event, screened Sunday night.

The movie, which will be released Jan. 8, focuses on a former children's musician (Broderick) who has become jaded by the way he was treated by the business side of his industry.

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Date published: 11/10/2009