August 24, 2012

Colonial Williamsburg’s Kimball Theatre Hosts Fresh Film Festival

Just like squash in summer, food documentaries have flourished in recent years due to increased awareness of what Americans eat and how it affects their health and their taste buds. Colonial Williamsburg and the Williamsburg Farmers Market present seven films for the Fresh Film Festival to reflect themes related to farmers, food, farmers markets, restaurants and the local food movement.

The film festival kicks off on Friday, Sept. 7 at Colonial Williamsburg’s Kimball Theatre with the premiere of a film about the Williamsburg Farmers Market produced by local film company, Inspirit Creative, and two hour-long documentaries. The festival continues Saturday morning while the farmers market is in progress on Merchants Square and the films continue until evening. Many Merchants Square restaurants will be supporting the film festival with “Farm-to-Table” specials on their menus.

The films reflect the idea that social change starts with people putting their money where their heart is – and that includes supporting their local farmers market. But many people embrace the local food movement for another reason – they are putting their money where their stomach is. They want food grown for taste, not shipping.

Access to fresh, local food is part of the mission of the Williamsburg Farmers Market. One of the unique features of the market is that consumers can talk to the farmers – all stands are staffed by people growing, raising, harvesting or producing their products.
The slate of films for the festival at the Kimball Theatre in Merchants Square was chosen for its fresh take on how Americans eat:

Sept. 7

The Market: Building Community through Food, 7:15 p.m. This is a short film by Jay Kriss and will be repeated before each film.

Ingredients (2009, 66 minutes, Optic Nerve Productions), 7:30 p.m. In the face of the diet-related health crisis in the United States, this movie packages a variety of inspiring stories of people trying to change the way Americans eat. The film features small and organic farmers, local food movements and methods to promote a return to freshness and flavor.

The Greenhorns (2009, 66 minutes, Optic Nerve Productions), 9 p.m. This movie explores the lives of America’s young farming community – its spirit, practices and needs. Watch the stories of young farmers, as the filmmaker builds a case for those considering a career in agriculture.

Sept. 8

What’s On Your Plate? (2009, 76 minutes, Aubin Productions), 10:15 a.m. Two 11-year-old girls living in New York City set out to discover where their food comes from. In a city that offers such culinary variety, their journey takes them to some interesting places. Kid friendly.

To Market, To Market to Buy a Fat Pig (2007, 56 minutes, PBS), noon. PBS tours farmers markets all over the United States, including indoor, outdoor and year-round markets. Kid friendly.

Fresh (2009, 70 minutes, Ripple Effect Films), 1:30 p.m. Fresh ways of looking at the way we eat, the way we grow our plants and raise our animals with interviews with farmers who changed their methods and reflections on how Americans got to the current state of agriculture.

Dirt! The Movie (2009, 80 minutes, Common Ground Media), 3:30 p.m. This quirky and international film explores our relationship with dirt, the skin of the earth. The focus is on how we care (and don’t care) for this unique resource.

Food Fight (2009, 71 minutes, Positively 25th Street Productions), 5:30 p.m. A history of mass produced food in the United States, and the current counter-movement for more locally produced food. Featuring interviews with restaurateurs Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck, and author Michael Pollan.

Admission is free but tickets are required. Tickets can be obtained by calling 1-800-HISTORY or visiting any Colonial Williamsburg ticket office.

Merchants Square businesses are offering specials during the film festival for moviegoers.

The film festival is also part of the local Chamber and Tourism Alliance initiative, “Williamsburg’s Arts Month,” highlighting local art activities in September. “A film festival is a fabulous addition to Arts Month and an exciting way to celebrate 10 years of farmers market success,” said Terry Buntrock, Arts Month coordinator.

Located in Williamsburg’s Merchants Square, the beautifully restored Kimball Theatre presents films, live performances, musical concerts, and special programs. Creative programming alliances with the College of William and Mary, community organizations and Colonial Williamsburg link the past with the present. The 410-seat theater also houses a 35-seat screening room which enables the theater to offer films to the community seven days a week, even when live performances are staged in the main theater. For more information, call (757) 565-8588 or visit www.kimballtheatre.com.

In 1999, Colonial Williamsburg benefactors Gretchen and the late Bill Kimball made a major gift to renovate the historic facility and to transform it into the multipurpose Kimball Theatre. The 35-seat screening room was underwritten by a grant from the Gladys and Franklin Clark Foundation. Other generous donors continue to make gifts to endow Kimball Theatre programming. Their names are listed on plaques in the theater lobby.

Media Contact:
Penna Rogers
(757) 220-7121

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