THE FILM SERIES

This year-round seasonal film series provides our audience with the opportunity to experience otherwise-unseen films that address topics – both social and artistic – which are relevant to themselves and to the larger community. We show both feature-length works and shorter films and videos; our focus is primarily on films that are experimental, avant-garde, underground, and independent, ranging from local to international.

The Series was founded in the summer of 2006 by Sarah Lawson, Jordan Taylor and Max Fenton; James Ford joined the group soon afterwards as a co-curator and volunteer projectionist, and has been the series’ creative director and coordinator since January 2007. We have also recieved much technical assistance and support from the Virginia Film Society.

Our Film Series is organized by a small group of volunteer curators; we also actively invite and recruit local filmmakers and enthusiasts to get involved, to contribute to our schedule, or even to host a night of films at our space. Read this to learn more about how you can get involved with the Film Series.

Upcoming Film Screenings:

Shorts for Shorties

Thursday, August 28 at 6pm

Bring the kids, or embrace your own inner child, for our screening of kid-friendly short films on August 28th! We’ll enjoy classic Fleischer Brothers cartoons from the golden age of 1930’s animation, films made specifically for children by two of our favorite experimental filmmakers Rudy Burckhardt and Robert Breer, as well as animation by local youth from the Lighthouse Studio… and a few other surprises.

In addition to the films, Shaun Cullen, a Charlottesville folk singer and songwriter, will be performing a selection of new and classic rock songs for kids.

PLEASE NOTE that this screening will begin at 6pm, rather than 8:00pm. We’re trying not to keep anyone out past their bedtime.

The Phantom of the Opera with Matt Marshall

Thursday, October 9th at 7pm

The Fall Film Series gets off to a horrifying start with this screening of the 1925 silent film horror classic The Phantom of the Opera, featuring live accompaniment by Matt Marshall.

The Phantom of the Opera stars the legendary Lon Chaney, Sr., “Man of a Thousand Faces,” in a career-defining role. His groundbreaking, self-applied make-up shocked 1920’s audiences, reportedly causing them to scream or faint at the moment of the Phantom’s unmasking. This highly influential film paved the way for the great Universal Horror films of the 1930’s, and is a well-respected horror classic in it’s own right; it’s the perfect way to kick-off the Halloween season.

The film will have a live score performed by Matt Marshall, renowned for his regular performances at the Scottsville Victory Hall Theater; Marshall also teaches Film and Music courses for UVA’s Continuing Education School, and is the founder of the Reel Music Ensemble.

Please remember that our Fall screenings begin at 7pm rather than at 8:00; admission remains a $5 suggested donation.

Hooliganship present: Cartune Xprez

Friday, October 24

The multimedia dance duo Hooliganship will be presenting the freshest incarnation of Cartune Xprez, a 70-minute program of short animated videos that celebrates the wilderness of imagination through motion pictures. Featured artists include Bruce Bickford, Eric Dyer, Shana Moulton, Takeshi Murata, and more. Alongside this cartoon theater they will be performing their most recent piece entitled Realer in which audiences strap on a pair of 3D glasses to bear witness to a televised parade gone awry.

This touring program, which roughly mirrors an upcoming Cartune Xprez DVD publication, will provide a rare opportunity to see videos by emerging artists as well as internationally known artists. Collectively, their resume includes collaborations with Frank Zappa and major exhibitions at the Whitney Biennial, the MOMA in New York, the Sundance Film Festival, and many other institutions throughout the world.

Unnatural Causes: When the Bough Breaks

Thursday, November 6 at 7pm

In a screening co-sponsored by the Charlottesville-Albemarle Health Department, The Bridge PAI will screen a segment of the documentary Unnatural Causes this November, as part of a community awareness campaign regarding health disparities.

Unnatural Causes was produced by California Newsreel in order to draw attention to the root causes of health and illness and to help reframe the debate about health in America, particularly with regard to economic and racial issues. The seven-part documentary series criss-crosses the country, investigating findings that are shaking up our conventional understanding of health. In particular, Episode 2: When the Bough Breaks, specifically addresses how racial disparities affect birth outcomes, which is strongly relevant given recent data on racial health issues here in Charlottesville, especially concerning infant mortality.

The 30-minute video will be followed by an informative discussion, accompanied by handouts and relevant information. This event is free and open to the public.