The 22nd annual Virginia Film Festival attracted a record 19,000 attendees during its four-day run last weekend - a dramatic increase from the 14,700 that attended last year's festival. Ticket sales also increased by 87 percent to top $71,000.
This year's success was partly the result of the breadth of interesting panelists and topics that strengthened the festival's appeal, Director Jody Kielbasa said.
After the screening of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" on Friday, for example, a panel chaired by Liza Mundy of the Washington Post, CNN's Candy Crowley and University Politics Prof. Larry Sabato discussed the continuing political legacy of the film and how it can still be watched today.
"Panelists like these drew an impressive and attentive audience," Kielbasa said.
The festival's strategic timing also contributed to the high turnout, he added.
"It was tremendously helpful, we think, that we weren't up against a home football game or Halloween celebrations this year," he said.
Additionally, the appearance of Matthew Broderick also greatly helped foster interest in the festival. Following a free screening of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in the Amphitheater Sunday night, Broderick "was immediately surrounded by 500 students who rushed the stage, whipping out their cell phones to take pictures and thrusting posters and DVDs in his face for him to sign," Kielbasa said. Broderick spent 30 to 40 minutes answering questions and taking pictures, though he intended to stay for a much shorter time.
Star power has long been a means of garnering support for the festival. This year was not the first that the event brought such a high-profile celebrity to Charlottesville.
"The 2006 festival was so well attended because both Morgan Freeman and Robert Duvall did back to back appearances at the Paramount, which obviously increased ticket revenue as well," Festival Press Representative John Kelly said.
The 2009 festival fell just $1000 short of the 2006 event's ticket sales record. Festival Director of Operations David Hopper said. He also noted, however, that although ticket sales are a reflection of success, the festival is first and foremost a non-profit event.
"In the case it does make money, the profit goes towards the next year's Film Festival budget because we budget to break even," he said.
To reinforce the festival's goal of remaining a non-profit event, many of this weekend's events were free or low-cost, including some $1 screenings. These low-cost and free screenings help to ensure that the celebration of film actively engages the Charlottesville and University communities, Kielbasa said.
He said in the past, not all events were free to University students, but this added benefit is something the festival plans to continue to offer in the future.
"This year we made that a priority, and we intend to make all Film Festival screenings and events free to students in the future," Kielbasa said.
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