Richmond International Film Festival

The Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF) is a four day event that will take place between February 27 and March 2, 2014. The VHS will host showings on Friday, February 28 and Sunday, March 2.

Question and answer sessions with the filmmakers will follow screenings on both days. Limited seats are available free for VHS members with a reservation. For details and ticket information, visit the Richmond International Film Festival website.

Friday, February 28 - 6:00 p.m.

Political Bodies

80 minutes, USA
Political/Social Issue
Directed by Christopher Englese
A powerful documentary that follows the 2012 women's health debate in Virginia, a year in which state politicians attempted to pass a personhood amendment and required transvaginal ultrasounds for women who sought abortions. What politicians didn't count on was the response from hundreds of Virginia women who gathered on the steps of the state capitol to protest the bill.

This is Normal

22 minutes, USA
Directed by Derek Watson
Every morning nearly half of the world’s population will wake up and walk 6km round trip on average to fetch water from open and contaminated sources. This drinking water attributes to waterborne-diseases that kill up to 2 million children every year. It is a crisis that hardly registers on the international agenda.

Sunday, March 2 - 1:00 p.m.

Unbelievable is Believable, Here

94 minutes
Sports/Drama
Directed by Phil Wall
Follow the historic journey of the Virginia Commonwealth University men's basketball team through the 2011 NCAA basketball tournament. Considered one of the greatest "Cinderella's" of all time, the Rams were catapulted to the national spotlight after becoming a controversial pick for the 2011 field of 68 teams. A young coach, and a senior-laden roster—this cast of unknowns captured the imaginations of the country by defying the odds, and the pundits, all the way to college basketball's most venerable stage: The Final Four.

The Goldfish

10 minutes, USA
Drama
Directed by Mathieu Young
This film is an adaptation of Etgar Keret’s famed short story ‘What Of This Goldfish Would You Wish?’ in which a young man named Yoni (Jason Ritter) sets out to make a documentary about the secret longings of everyday Americans. By knocking on strangers doors and asking them this question: ‘If you had a magic goldfish that granted you three wishes, what of this goldfish would you wish?’ Yoni thinks he will discover the hopes, dreams and greatest wishes of his fellow citizens.