What to expect when the Italian and French Film Festival arrives in Richmond

The organizers of the inaugural Italian and French Film Festival invite Richmond on a shared journey through cultures, languages, and life’s turning points.

The theme of the four-day Italian and French Film Festival, March 27-30 at the University of Richmond and the historic Byrd Theatre, is “Passages.”

Organizers say it’s about much more than just watching movies.

"This is a journey," said Sonja Bertucci, associate professor of Film Studies at UR and one of the festival’s curators. "We start with childhood, move through youth, adulthood, existential challenges, and end with reflections at the close of a life. You’re not just going to the movies, you’re going on a trip."

Bertucci and co‑organizer Anthony Russell, associate professor and coordinator of UR’s Italian program, know some Richmonders may never have seen a French or Italian film before.

They’ve designed the festival to be inviting.

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