As event cancellations started rolling in at the beginning of March, Filmfest D.C. was among many local gatherings that were postponed indefinitely. But festival director Tony Gittens and his team decided that if attendees couldn’t go to the movies, the festival would bring the movies to them.
Starting Thursday, on what was supposed to be the opening night of its 34th year, the festival will stage its first-ever Filmfest D.C. At Home, featuring popular movies from past years.
“This is our way of letting our audience know that we appreciate them,” Gittens says.
He emphasizes that Filmfest D.C. At Home is not a replacement for this year’s festival—with a new date still to be announced—but something to keep attendees entertained while they’re stuck at home.
The virtual festival will initially run from April 23 until May 21. The team will roll out at least one feature and one short film per week, which will be available until the following week. Viewers can stream them for free via the Filmfest D.C. website.
Another month-long cycle is tentatively slated to begin in late May.
Each cycle will include at least one locally made movie, and Gittens says the team made an effort to choose films that sold out in past years so that “if people missed them at previous festivals, here’s another opportunity to take a look.”
With so much still unknown about how the pandemic will play out, Gittens says that it is too soon to know when the festival will be rescheduled. In the meantime, he hopes the online version makes life during the crisis a little easier on Washingtonians. “We think our audience deserves a little relief, a little entertainment,” he says. “And that’s what we do, with good films from around the world.”
Here are some of the flicks you don’t want to miss:
DC Noir
This anthology from D.C. writer George Pelecanos showcases four very different tales of life in the District. Pelecanos, a novelist and writer on HBO series, The Wire, directed one segment about a hit man who falls in love, and a crew of both up-and-comers and veterans helmed the rest. Shot entirely in Washingon, DC Noir boasts tons of local cred: Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty did the score, while Wale and the Backyard Band make appearances. Premieres April 23.
A Simple Wedding
The debut feature from American-Iranian director Sara Zandieh tells the story of Nousha (Tara Grammy), a young woman from a traditional Iranian family, who sabotages the proposed marriages they have arranged for her. After she meets an artist named Alex (Christopher O’Shea) at a women’s rights protest, her parents nudge the couple toward nuptials, and the couple tries to navigate the challenges that arise as their two very different families come together. Rita Wilson produced and co-stars in the 2018 film. Premieres May 1.
Sink Or Swim
A motley crew of amateur swimmers goes for gold in this 2018 comedy-drama from French actor and director Gilles Lellouche. When a team of less-than-athletic male synchronized realizes no French team has signed up for the world championship competition, they decide to go for it, and travel to Norway to compete. The film is in French and Sinhalese with English subtitles. Premieres May 8.
NO, A Flamenco Tale
This 2016 Spanish film follows No, a dancer who works at a small flamenco venue in Seville’s Triana Market. No is struggling to get by and often feels alone, but in this contemporary flamenco opera, which features a stirring soundtrack and rousing choreography, she finds connection through dance. The film is in Spanish with English subtitles. Premieres May 15.
