By Adolphus Ames –
Experimental Film Virginia returned to the Eastern Shore Monday, July 18, to host its 10th annual film festival. This year’s event welcomes 30 international artists and will produce 15 short films in and around Cape Charles.
EFV is a two-week artist-residency that fuses elements of dance and cinema to tell stories through movement on the movie screen. It was started in 2013 by Renata Sheppard, who also serves as the program’s artistic director. Sheppard created the program to fulfill her desire to attend a collaborative, peer-supportive in-depth exploration of what film could do for dance and what dance could do for film. Sheppard also wanted to create a space for artists to push themselves.
Artists from various backgrounds, including filmmakers, choreographers, visual artists, writers, actors, singers, musicians, and dancers, participate in the festival. There are also opportunities for local talent and volunteers to collaborate and network with the artists.
One of EFV’s feature events is Art in a Barn, a community gathering event inspired by the local tradition of gathering in barns. It will take place Saturday, July 23, at Bluff Gardens, a private residence overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, and feature live music by Guava Jam Band, food, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
The festival will conclude Saturday, July 30, with the Reel & Raw film premiere, a screening of the short films produced during the artist-residency. It will take place at the Historic Palace Theatre on Mason Avenue in Cape Charles. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the screening will begin at 8 p.m. A dance party will be held afterward and will include a performance by iDox, a band of international musicians.
For more information about Experimental Film Virginia, visit https://www.experimentalfilmvirginia.com
