Cinephiles can indulge their love of film this Valentine’s Day, when the sixth annual Global Film Festival begins its weekend celebration of movies about youth.
The annual film festival, produced by The College of William & Mary, will feature films and filmmakers from around the world at the Kimball Theatre. The weekend’s lineup includes a screening of Academy Award-nominated “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and an appearance from Jared Gilman, star of Wes Anderson’s 2012 film “Moonrise Kingdom.”
Evening marquee films are $3 for the general public and $2 for students (with a valid student ID); all other screenings are $1. Find detailed ticket and schedule information here.
The festival opens with a showing of a critically acclaimed coming-of-age story from Norway, called “Turn Me on Dammit!” Lead actress Helene Bergsholm will introduce the film and serve as a celebrity jurist for the festival’s local youth film competition.
The night will begin with a “young love” edition of the annual 24Speed filmmaking competition, which challenges college filmmakers to script, shoot and edit a short film in 24 hours. Following the screening of “Turn Me on Dammit!,” the 1980s teen movie classic “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” will finish the night.
Friday’s programming will begin with a 2 p.m. showing of “Circumstance,” a 2011 film exploring homosexuality in modern Iran. It will be followed by a 7 p.m. screening of the 2011 French film, “Tomboy,” about a 10-year-old girl who identifies as a boy.
On Saturday, short films made by Williamsburg middle and high school students for the “Do-It-Young/Film-It-Yourself” youth film competition will be screened starting at 1:30 p.m. Gilman, a filmmaker himself, will serve as a VIP judge for the contest.
Later that day, two documentaries – German film “This Ain’t California” and American film “The Bones Brigade” – will explore skateboarding culture. A live video chat will feature famed skateboarders Tony Hawk and Mike McGill.
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” will be shown at 7 p.m. Saturday, and followed by a live video chat with producer Michael Gottwald, a Richmond native. The movie follows the Louisiana community of “Bathtub” as a storm approaches the bayou. The film has been nominated for four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director for Benh Zeitlin, Lead Actress for Quvenzhané Wallis and Adapted Screenplay.
The festival will finish Sunday with a 2 p.m. cinematic concert from the W&M Wind Symphony, then move to the Muscarelle Museum of Art and neighboring Andrews Art Gallery for a screening of “Le Tableau,” an animated French film. After the screening, a closing reception will honor the local youth filmmakers and offer an exhibit of canvasses created at the “Art of Youth” studio art event offered last weekend.
