International Films and World Highland Games in W.Va.
Written by Jason Keeling on April 21, 2008
Both the West Virginia International Film Festival and the 2008 World Highland Games Heavy Events Championship further illustrate the state’s global connection and our opportunities for cultural enrichment.
From April 22-27 some of this year’s best international films can been seen at the Capitol Center Theater in Charleston. The first screening will feature “Burning the Future: Coal in America,” a documentary highlighting the challenges associated with this energy form. Other showings include “Persepolis,” based on the graphic novel about unique elements of Islamic Iran, and “El Alambrista: The Fence Jumper,” a Zoro inspired film about a masked-Mexican-wrestler who fights to defend the rights of migrant workers. All movies and times listed here.
World Highland Games
Further entertainment and culture will be offered May 2-4 during the World Highland Games Heavy Events Championship in Bridgeport, where international competitors will test their skills with traditional Scottish games such as “22 pound Breamer stone for distance,” “56 pound weight over bar,” “22 pound hammer throw,” and “Caber toss”. This could be your best chance to see the events firsthand, as the next world championships will be held in Scotland, British Columbia, and France during 2009 through 2011.
To readers that catch the film festival or world highland championship, please consider returning to aBetterWestVirginia with your thoughts.
Posted in Culture, Media, Tourism, West Virginia
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April 25th, 2008 at 6:57 am
I’ve had the opportunity to take in a pair of films from the WVIFF this week. First was “In Bruges” — a comedic crime caper starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. The other was “Honeydripper” — director John Sayles’ (Matewan) newest about a struggling blues club in Alabama. Both films were fun, funny and had a lot of heart. Finally, In Bruges gives me a reason to like Farrell. While “Honeydripper” was a delight because it was the breakthrough film for up-and-coming musician Gary Clark Jr., who I had the pleasure of seeing a number of times in Austin, where I lived before I recently moved to Charleston.
My only disappointment with the festival was the lack of attendance. And this was only due to lack of support, promotion and advertising. Here it is, a great independently-run cultural event in Charleston and hardly anyone knows about it. And this isn’t rare, and it needs to change.
If you aren’t familiar with the Film Festival, check out the site and the schedule and come out for a film or two. It will be a breath of fresh air amongst the Hollywood box office hits (or flops) that only normally come to town.
http://www.wviff.org