Alexandria Film Festival Announces Dates and More for 2020 Virtual Program

ALEXANDRIA, VA – On Tuesday, the Alexandria Film Festival the announced 2020 program for its annual festival, which will be held virtually this year. There will be 45 films shown from Nov. 12-15, including 18 premieres. According to a press release, the selections “representing every genre.”

The films include short and full-length works of nonfiction and fiction. Topics covered range from family traditions to stories of survival.

The festival will celebrate opening night with its 19th Amendment Centennial Celebration Showcase. The documentary, “9 to 5: The Story of a Movement,” by Academy Award-winning filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar will start at 7 p.m. The film tells the story of a group of women, who in the 1970s, fought for gender equality in the workplace. Their efforts inspired the Hollywood movie, “9 to 5,” starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin.

That night, audiences can also view the D.C. premiere of “Trust Me.” This is a film directed by Academy Award nominee Roko Belic. The film allows viewers to witness how negative news and misinformation are created and dispatched. It also looks at how humans perceive the world and reality.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring ‘9 to 5: The Story of a Movement’’ and the premiere of “Trust Me” to the greater Washington, D.C. metro area,” said Margaret Wohler, chair of the festival. “Not only can audiences view an amazing slate of films, many of them by artists in our region, but we’re bundling live and pre-recorded Q&A sessions with filmmakers in order to deliver a memorable festival experience.”

It should be noted that women direct nearly half of the films that will be screened over the four-day period.

“As our nation celebrates the 19 th amendment guaranteeing women’s right to vote, we are honoring this milestone of equality by featuring a number of films by women and about women,” Wohler said. “One goal of the festival is to give underrepresented voices in the film world the opportunity to be heard.”

Viewers can access all of the films online after buying tickets. Showcase tickets are $12 and a pass to view each is $50. Purchases can be made HERE. There are two ways to watch: view a film during its scheduled showing or over a two-week period after purchase.

This year’s sponsors include: Sunrise Senior Living Old Town, Burke & Herbert Bank, Connection Newspapers, Visit Alexandria, Alexandria Living, the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, and Alexandria Hyundai. The festival also received funding through Spring2Action and ACT for Alexandria.

Festival pass holders in Alexandria will be entered into a drawing for a deluxe movie basket delivered to the winner’s home on opening night. Enjoy popcorn, soda, and candy complements of the festival. Follow the events on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. When discussing films with others, use the hashtag #AlexFilmFest.

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