RiverRun Film Festival

Winston-Salem and our local North Carolina School for the Arts host a growing-in-stature regional film festival called RiverRun.  This was the first year (of 5) where i've been able to attend any of the screenings, and i was impressed.

First, the festival marked the first time, in my 7+ years here in Winston-Salem, that i've stepped foot on the NCSA campus.  It's very nice, and quite the hidden gem in the community. 

Over the 3 days, ending yesterday, i caught a few full-length features and documentaries, two collections of short films, and a Saturday-morning block of animated cartoons for the whole family.  I wanted to see more, but got blasted with a bad headache on Saturday afternoon.  Plus, the weather has been gorgeous around here, so you don't really want to spend too much time in a theater.

If i knew how to make a bulleted list, i would do so right here, to list the movies i saw, not including the shorts.

1.  Ten Canoes - tall tales from Australian aboriginal tribe called the Yolngu

2.  The Rape of Europa - documentary about the Nazis', primarily Hitler and Goering, plunder of European art, and the effort, in part from the US military, to recapture and restore the treasures.  While ancillary to the main topic, i was also intrigued to go learn more about the Siege of Leningrad and the battles for Montecassino.  This won the audience prize for best documentary at the festival, though i voted for this next one...

3. In the Shadow of the Moon - documentary about America's race to the moon, featuring extensive interviews with the Apollo astronauts, and never-before-seen footage of the moon voyages.

4. Son of Man - a nearly faithful retelling of the Gospel story, though set in modern-day Africa.  This was my favorite "narrative" film.

5. The Trials of Darryl Hunt - documentary about a notorious Winston-Salem case that saw a young black man accused, convicted, and jailed for nearly 2 decades for a brutal rape/murder of a young white woman, a copy editor for the local newspaper, back in 1984.  This powerful film tracks the legal and community efforts to free Mr. Hunt, who was ultimately exonerated of the crime.  This should be required viewing locally.  It premieres on HBO this Thursday.

P.S.  On Friday night, Julie & i attended a "Creative Chaos" party for the festival, complete with funky neon-colored hats, glow stick necklaces, and Cirque de Soleil type entertainment.  We didn't know a soul there (well, except for that one guy out of nowhere that Julie gave a big hug to), and so wondered how much fun it would be.  But we soon fell into conversation with the Thompsons.  He is in publishing in NY, specializing in finance and business books, and shuttles back and forth to Winston.  She is the marketing director for the NCSA.  We ended up chatting for more than an hour, and had a great time.