A slice of Hollywood will be coming to Charlottesville next month as the 15th annual Virginia Film Festival arrives on Grounds.
The three-day festival, scheduled for the fourth weekend in October, will present screenings of old and new films, as well as workshops and discussions.
Festival Artistic Director Richard Herskowitz said the festival is unique among events of its kind.
"Instead of just featuring premieres, we design it as though it is a three-day course," he said.
The theme of this year's festival is "wet," so many of the films shown will use water imagery.
"Water is an inspirational theme for movie makers. A lot of the most memorable scenes in movies have to do with water," Herskowitz said.
He added that in light of the current drought, water now is "a significant political issue."
He hopes the theme of this year's festival will inspire debate.
The event begins Oct. 24 with a gala celebrating Virginia filmmaking. Charlottesville native Jeff Wadlow, son of the late Virginia State Senator Emily Couric, will present selections from his films "Tower of Babble" and "Living a Lie," winner of the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival. Wadlow will be joined at the gala by director Ron Maxwell, who will preview his forthcoming Civil War drama, "Gods and Generals," which was partially filmed in Virginia.
Herskowitz says he tentatively expects Maxwell to bring his film's stars, Jeff Daniels and possibly Mira Sorvino.
Other famous faces set to appear at the festival include Sissy Spacek, who will discuss her 1984 film "The River."
Film critic Roger Ebert will lead a three-day workshop on the 1974 film "Chinatown."
Ebert's workshop is "the best film class you could take," Herkowitz said.
Last year, the festival attracted around 10,000 people.
About one-fourth of those in attendance were University students.
In the past, the festival's audience has been "very broad -- we get faculty, we get students, we have films that are appropriate for children," festival publicist Christina Ball said.
Tickets for the screenings are $7.50, though Herskowitz said University students are entitled to two free tickets.
Students also can use their ARTS dollars to purchase tickets.
The festival is organized in tandem with the Fringe Festival, which exhibits the work of University art students in the Frank Ix building downtown.
On Saturday night, students can watch "Jaws" in the University pool at the Aquatic & Fitness Center and then attend the Fringe Beach Dance party at the Frank Ix building.
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