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VCU Hosts Southern Film Festival

 

The seventh annual Southern Film Festivalbegins this week in Richmond. Organized by VCU, the event starts Thursday and runs through Monday.

 

 

Think ‘southern film’ and the first thing that comes to mind might be Gone with the Wind, or similar movies that fall under ‘The Lost Cause’ literary movement.

"Really wealthy planters, and these huge plantations," describes Emilie Raymond, a professor at VCU. "And the southern gentleman, and the southern belle."

Raymond is the director of the school’s Southern Film Festival.

 

"A lot has changed since the 1930's, but you still see the 'Lost Cause' mentality here and there, or efforts to subvert it," says Raymond.

 

This year’s festival is aiming to subvert the idea of the southern woman. All of this year's films were written by women, and feature strong female leads.

 

One film highlights the story of a female slave from Petersburg who was a talented dressmaker, and was able to eventually buy her freedom.

 

"She was so skilled she ended up having a lot of success as a dressmaker and was serving an elite clientele in Washington D.C., and eventually began working with Mary Todd Lincoln on her clothes," says Raymond.

In addition to the feature-length films, the school will also be hosting a showcase of student work.

Author Dorothy Allison will be guest-speaking at VCU's Southern Film Festival.

    

Details:

Thursday, September 15 - 6:00 p.m.

Bastard Out of Carolinaat Harris Hall Auditorium

Friday, September 16 - 6:30 p.m.

The Life and Times of Elizabeth Keckly at The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts  

Monday, September 19 - 4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.

VCU Student, Alumni, and Faculty Filmmakers Showcase at Grace Street Theater

Christmas Wedding Baby at Grace Street Theater 
 

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