Describing Washington, DC in a nutshell is a challenging task, even for the city’s most veteran residents. For the last 29 years, Filmfest DC has been doing just that.
At a luncheon late last week, festival director Tony Gittens gave members of the press a sneak peek of what to expect from this year’s Filmfest DC event. (That’s right, despite last year’s reports, FilmFest DC is returning!) For a first taste, take the enticing “Tango Glories,” an Argentinian film that showcases the art of tango that will be screened at AMC Mazza Gallerie. And for a sweet ending, the festival closes with an Italian comedy called “I Can Quit Whenever I Want.” In between — a satisfying menu of films filled with variety… and curious ingredients.
In addition to films that fascinate or thought-provoke, the festival team also tries to represent the city’s identity as accurately as possible, according to Filmfest DC deputy director Shirin Ghareeb, explaining that this year, the festival showcases films that are light, dark and reflective of music and dance.
“The city has changed, the audience has changed – we made some changes,” re-iterated Gittens, who last year had thought they might close the festival, but was pleased to bring it back again — and with notable special guests including Washington Post’s film critic Ann Hornaday and well-established TV personality Arch Campbell.
Additional news this year includes discounted tickets for student attendees.
DC Filmfest will begin its 29th run on April 16 and will end on April 26.
