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Wednesday, October 22
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5:15 PM
Violet Crown 5Some of the year’s best student work from Light House’s Summer Film Academy, the Adrenaline Film Project, and more.
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6:00 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2A dreamy and visually audacious valentine to cinema in all its past, present, and future iterations.
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7:00 PM
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
Wednesday, 7:00 PMThe Paramount TheaterBruce Springsteen’s journey crafting his 1982 album Nebraska, which emerged as he recorded Born in the USA.
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8:00 PM
Deathgasm II: Goremageddon
Wednesday, 8:00 PMViolet Crown 6 & 7The cult-classic heavy metal gory splatterfest is back!
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8:15 PM
Violet Crown 5Matthias can become anyone you want for the right price, but what does inhabiting others’ lives cost him?
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9:30 PM
Opening Night Gala (2025)
Wednesday, 9:30 PMThe BradburyJoin us to celebrate of the magic and beauty of film with visiting guests and Festival patrons.
Thursday, October 23
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3:30 PM
The Testament of Ann Lee
Thursday, 3:30 PMThe Paramount TheaterMona Fastvold, co-writer of The Brutalist, tell the extraordinary story of Ann Lee, founder of the religious sect known as the Shakers.
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5:00 PM
Violet Crown 5An exploration of Andy Kaufman’s surreal life and comedy.
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5:15 PM
Violet Crown 6 & 7Four girls spend their youth on the same farm in northern Germany over the course of a century.
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5:15 PM
Culbreth TheatreIn Winchester, VA, one superintendent is demonstrating the immense power of career-based learning.
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5:30 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2A Transylvanian bailiff is racked by guilt after evicting a homeless man in Radu Jude’s biting sociopolitical satire.
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5:40 PM
Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire
Thursday, 5:40 PMViolet Crown 3Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel’s life journey, from his family’s deportation to his legacy as a writer and human rights advocate.
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6:00 PM
Short Films: Lightkeepers
Thursday, 6:00 PMViolet Crown 4Everyday heroes. Unseen artists. Quiet forces of change. A celebration of the people who illuminate the world.
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7:00 PM
Christy
Thursday, 7:00 PMThe Paramount TheaterChristy Martin’s trailblazing boxing career and harrowing life story, brought to screen by Sydney Sweeney.
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8:00 PM
Culbreth TheatreAn unemployed man devises a unique plan to secure a new job: eliminating his competition.
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8:10 PM
Violet Crown 3When Su-hwan carries a drunk Yeong-gyeong home on his back, a chance encounter blossoms into a transformative bond.
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8:15 PM
Violet Crown 5Ghanaian cameraman Chris Hesse, now in his 90s, passes his legacy onto filmmaker Anita Afonu.
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8:30 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2An aging Marcel Pagnol is visited by a vision his younger self, offering him an opportunity to reignite his love for writing.
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8:45 PM
Urchin
Thursday, 8:45 PMViolet Crown 6 & 7A man experiencing homelessness in London struggles to rebuild his life in Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut.
Friday, October 24
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2:30 PM
H is for Hawk
Friday, 2:30 PMViolet Crown 5After losing her beloved father, Helen is saved by a stubborn hawk named Mabel, in this soaring adaption of the memoir.
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2:45 PM
Violet Crown 6 & 7Charlie Chaplin’s family investigate the Romani heritage that inspired his infamous and beloved character The Tramp.
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5:00 PM
Short Films: Where We Carry Home
Friday, 5:00 PMViolet Crown 3A series celebrating the resilience, creativity, and inner compass of those forging new lives in unfamiliar places.
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5:00 PM
Culbreth TheatreTwo sisters reunite with their father, a once-renowned director whose absence has figured prominently in their lives.
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5:15 PM
Violet Crown 6 & 7A father and his young son search for his missing daughter, amid desert raves in southern Morocco. Nearby, hell is breaking loose.
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5:30 PM
Violet Crown 5Planning a wedding leads to an identity crisis as Bird reunites with her mom in this darkly comic exploration of family divides.
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5:45 PM
Winter Light
Friday, 5:45 PMViolet Crown 4A teen’s dream of escape is tested by family duty and financial hardship in this quietly powerful Korean drama.
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6:00 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2A conversation between Peter Hujar and Linda Rosenkrantz from 1974 sheds light on New York’s vibrant art scene.
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6:30 PM
The Paramount TheaterA movie star (George Clooney) embarks on a whirlwind journey through Europe with his manager (Adam Sandler).
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8:00 PM
Violet Crown 3Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, a university professor seeks out vengeance.
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8:15 PM
Violet Crown 4A dark comedy about Raffi trying to set his life straight after being kicked out of rehab.
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8:15 PM
Violet Crown 6 & 7Kainoa, confined by his parole to the island of Oahu, struggles to reintegrate and reconnect with his Native Hawaiian roots.
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8:20 PM
Culbreth TheatreNia DaCosta (Candy Man) offers up a daring and stylish update to Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler.
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8:20 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2At the height of Stalin’s Great Terror, a young prosecutor fights for justice on behalf of a falsely accused prisoner.
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8:30 PM
The Plague
Friday, 8:30 PMViolet Crown 5A socially awkward tween endures the ruthless hierarchy of a water polo camp.
Saturday, October 25
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10:00 AM
Jay Duplass and Michael Strassner are recipients of VAFF’s 2025 Achievement in Screenwriting Awards, celebrating their work on Baltimorons, an indie charmer and instant Christmas classic, released theatrically earlier this year.
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10:30 AM
Violet Crown 4A film program that brings the “magic” of Hollywood to underserved communities.
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10:45 AM
Violet Crown 5Laurie Olin shares his philosophy and approach to urban design, and its ties to community, equity, and sustainability.
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11:00 AM
Culbreth TheatreWerner Herzog follows one man’s search for a legendary herd of giant elephants.
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11:00 AM
Violet Crown 6 & 7Tenderly captures a year in the life of a family as the parents navigate their separation.
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11:45 AM
Violet Crown 3An exploration of Black farmers in the American South reveals the fragility of legacy and the significance of owning land.
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11:50 AM
It’s Dorothy!
Saturday, 11:50 AMViolet Crown 1 & 2A dazzling documentary tracing Dorothy Gale’s evolution across literature, film, and stage.
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12:00 PM
Frankenstein
Saturday, 12:00 PMThe Paramount TheaterGuillermo del Toro’s sweeping adaptation of the legendary Gothic novel, starring Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein’s monster.
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12:00 PM
Three early to mid-career filmmakers with very different paths to success in the film industry share their personal journeys, along the way giving insight into what a modern career in the entertainment business looks like.
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1:30 PM
Violet Crown 4The story of Sonia Manzano, the trailblazing actress known to millions Maria from Sesame Street.
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1:45 PM
Culbreth TheatreA minor road accident turns into a man’s pursuit for revenge against his former torturer.
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1:45 PM
Violet Crown 5A sparkling comedy about a man’s romantic misadventures among NYC’s debutante society.
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2:00 PM
Violet Crown 6 & 7Unearthed family secrets and Taipei’s night market test the fragile dynamic of a single mother and her two daughters.
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2:00 PM
Alexa Fogel will lift the curtain on how actors are matched to film and TV roles, how she found her way into this idiosyncratic profession, and the ins and outs of the myriad working relationships she maintains with talent, their management, directors, producers, and more.
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2:30 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2An aging poet finds purpose mentoring a talented teen, but exposing her to the literary scene might be unwise.
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2:45 PM
Violet Crown 3The close-knit Christian community of Tangier Island face an uncertain future as rising waters threaten their way of life.
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4:00 PM
The Paramount TheaterOne of biggest hits of the year returns, with actor and musician Miles Caton in person for a Q&A and performance.
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4:00 PM
This workshop explores the Unspoken Language of Film Directing to create multi-dimensional film performances. Through lecture, demonstration, and illustrations, filmmakers will learn to inform performances sub-textually through staging, blocking, and visual storytelling.
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4:30 PM
Violet Crown 4A paraplegic man enlists two aides to accompany him on a wild journey to Panama City.
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4:50 PM
Violet Crown 5As a storm nears, two upper-class families begin cracking at the seams during Thanksgiving break.
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5:00 PM
Arco
Saturday, 5:00 PMViolet Crown 6 & 7An animated adventure about a childhood friendship that spans eras.
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5:30 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2This magnetic and celebratory documentary explores the history, importance, and ongoing tradition of powwow practice.
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5:45 PM
Violet Crown 3An aspiring director moves himself and his nine-months-pregnant wife from Iowa to LA to shoot a low-budget indie movie.
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6:00 PM
Bill Platt (UVA alum; Emmy-nominated Creative Lead, Warner Bros. Discovery AI ContentLab) joins Scot Safon (VAFF Board, and Former CMO at CNN) for a visual tour of AI’s impact on film craft, presented through a live conversation with integrated clips.
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7:30 PM
Violet Crown 4A shorts series with a serious edge—tales of late-night sparks, high-octane ambition, and emotional whiplash.
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8:00 PM
Violet Crown 6 & 7Academy Award-winning director Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty) tracks the final days of a fictional Italian President.
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8:15 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynsey Addario reflects on her career and personal sacrifices as she photographs the war in Ukraine.
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8:20 PM
Violet Crown 5Poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley face an incurable cancer diagnosis with joy, wit and an unshakable partnership.
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8:30 PM
Culbreth TheatreA psychiatrist (Jodie Foster) launches an investigation after her patient mysteriously dies.
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8:30 PM
The Paramount TheaterA laborer leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 20th Century.
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8:45 PM
Songs Inside
Saturday, 8:45 PMViolet Crown 3Inside Adelaide Women’s Prison, a group of incarcerated women discover the healing power of music.
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9:30 PM
Late Night Wrap Party (2025)
Saturday, 9:30 PMThree Notch'd Craft Kitchen & BreweryJoin us for an unforgettable evening before the credits roll on the 38th annual Festival.
Sunday, October 26
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10:45 AM
Violet Crown 5A selection of new films from Kevin Everson.
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11:00 AM
Violet Crown 1 & 2After a car crash kills her boyfriend, a piano student is taken in by a witness to the accident.
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11:15 AM
Violet Crown 6 & 7A nurse navigates the relentless pace of a surgical ward with unwavering dedication.
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11:30 AM
Burt
Sunday, 11:30 AMViolet Crown 3A musician with Parkinson’s discovers he has a son in this auto-fictional mix of comedy and drama.
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11:30 AM
Culbreth TheatreA journey into the heart of Shenandoah National Park, its animals, landscapes, and rich history.
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12:00 PM
Violet Crown 4Outlines the decades-long efforts to free Leonard Peltier, the wrongly imprisoned American Indian Movement activist.
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12:00 PM
Hamnet
Sunday, 12:00 PMThe Paramount TheaterA shattering drama about the creation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as seen through the eyes of his wife Agnes.
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1:15 PM
The Sting – Repertory Screening
Sunday, 1:15 PMViolet Crown 5Robert Redford and Paul Newman play a pair of cunning con men in this classic 1973 caper film.
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1:30 PM
Speak.
Sunday, 1:30 PMViolet Crown 1 & 2Five gifted high school students chase national oratory glory, transforming personal struggles into electrifying performances.
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1:45 PM
Violet Crown 6 & 79-year-old Lamia must bake a cake for Saddam Hussein’s birthday, facing untold punishment if she fails.
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2:00 PM
Violet Crown 3Witness the history of nuclear research organization CERN, as it grapples with nuclear ethics, black holes, and particle physics.
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2:00 PM
Culbreth TheatreRichard Linklater recreates the making of Godard’s Breathless, in a spirited love letter to the French New Wave.
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3:30 PM
The Choral
Sunday, 3:30 PMThe Paramount TheaterA soaring period drama centering on an exacting British choirmaster (Ralph Fiennes) making unforgettable music during WWI.
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3:30 PM
Violet Crown 4Short films by and about incarceration survivors, presented with the Inthrive Film Festival.
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4:15 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2Spanish master Carla Simón’s semi-autobiographical tale of an 18-year old sorting through the memory of lost parents.
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4:30 PM
Zodiac Killer Project
Sunday, 4:30 PMViolet Crown 6 & 7A filmmaker explores his abandoned Zodiac Killer documentary, delving into the true crime genre’s inner workings.
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4:45 PM
Culbreth TheatreThe story of the beloved and irreverent UVA Pep Band, from its humble beginnings to its unceremonious dismissal.
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4:50 PM
Violet Crown 5An immersive exploration of Russia’s aggression on Ukrainian soil and its natural effects.
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5:00 PM
Violet Crown 3Torn between rigid custom and rekindled love, a grieving son confronts his hidden identity in the Indian countryside.
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6:10 PM
Violet Crown 4Two unlikely allies work to bring curiosity, connection, and compassion to an ailing healthcare system.
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7:00 PM
NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE
Sunday, 7:00 PMViolet Crown 6 & 7From Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol’s cult comedy series comes an adventure 17 years in the making.
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7:00 PM
The Paramount TheaterAn struggling American actor (Brendan Fraser) books a life-changing gig at a Japanese rental family agency.
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7:15 PM
Violet Crown 1 & 2A North Macedonian folktale comes to life when a wounded white stork is rescued by an unlikely savior.
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7:45 PM
Dust Bunny
Sunday, 7:45 PMCulbreth TheatreA ten-year-old girl seeks her hitman neighbor’s help to kill the monster under her bed.
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8:00 PM
Violet Crown 3A cinematic voyage beneath the surface of the earth, based on Robert Macfarlane’s bestseller.