The Virginia Film Festival, a program of the University of Virginia, has been celebrating the magic of the movies and inspiring audiences for 33 years in Charlottesville.
Every Fall, the VAFF showcases celebrated new narrative and documentary features, independent and international projects, fresh perspectives on timeless classics, and local filmmakers from throughout Virginia. Today, the VAFF stands as one of Virginia’s most important cultural landmarks and one of the most respected regional destination film festivals in the United States.
The Virginia Film Festival brings in a fascinating selection of guests, from internationally acclaimed directors and actors to professors and cultural experts who lead discussions that stimulate, educate, and engage. Past guests include Ethan Hawke, Jimmy Stewart, Spike Lee, Meg Ryan, Morgan Freeman, Christoph Waltz, Allen Hughes, Liv Ullmann, Leonard Maltin, Werner Herzog, Ashley Judd, Ben Mankiewicz, Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Hopkins, Sandra Bullock, Nicolas Cage, Gena Rowlands, Bill Plympton, Sigourney Weaver, Shirley MacLaine, Danny McBride, Colin Firth, Tippi Hedren, Ross McElwee, Matthew Broderick, Stanley Nelson, Cherry Jones, Oliver Stone, Will Forte, Mia Wasikowska, Jorma Taccone, Jenna Elfman, and Walton Goggins.
While the VAFF is primarily a non-competitive Festival, we do offer Programmer's Awards chosen by the programming team and Audience Awards for which our moviegoers vote via ballots.