Gainsville man named finalist in film festival

Staff reports
Published: April 17, 2008

John Francis Black II is one of seven finalists for short films in the Virginia Film Office’s inaugural competition.

Films were submitted in one of three categories. The films were required to have been primarily filmed in Virginia by residents of Virginia or students attending Virginia schools. The first round of judges selected thirteen finalists.

Finalists will be screened at the Virginia Independent Film Festival, a day-long festival April 26 at the Byrd Theatre in Richmond, where winners in all categories — documentary, short film and feature film — will be announced.

Black has a shot at winning $250 cash for his short film. Filmmakers in the documentary and feature film category are up for $500.

Finalists include:
Documentary film
» Kevin Mounce (Virginia Beach), “Project Floyd”
» Olivia Dodson (Amherst), “The Person Most Real”
» Robert Mark (Richmond), “Discovering Archaeology: The Curles Neck Project”
Short Films
» Joseph Rohrs (Virginia Beach), “Canned”
» John Francis Black II (Gainesville), “Lustig”
» Gabe Uhr (Arlington), “When You Wish Upon A Fish”
» Kevin Hershberger (Richmond), “Scarlet Letters”
» Brian Wimer (Charlottesville), “Hard Boiled”
» William Robinette (Richmond), “Thoughts on Departure”
» James Shearer (Portsmouth), “April Fool”
Feature Films
» Jay Gates (Virginia Beach), “Subs”
» Rick McVey (Bristol), “Freedom”
» James Shearer (Portsmouth), “Forgotten Stars”

Documentary films show between 10 a.m. and noon.
Short films show between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.
Feature films show between 3 and 6:15 p.m.
Audiences will be invited to take part in a question and answer session with the filmmakers at the end of each series, after which winners in each category will be announced. Admission is $5 a series or $10 for the day.