Champlain Valley Film Society Winter 2014 Schedule

Several of the most critically-acclaimed movies of 2013 will be coming to Essex County this winter courtesy of The Champlain Valley Film Society. The slate includes a mix of dramatic films, documentaries and award winners presented through an HD projector with a theater-quality sound system.

All films will be shown on Saturdays at 7:30 PM at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall at 1610 NYS Route 22. Except for the Oscar Shorts screening and refreshments, tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for those under 18. For the most up-to-date schedule, please visit the CVFS website at www.cvfilms.org.

The Upcoming Film Screenings

The season kicks off Jan. 18, with 20 Feet from Stardom, a documentary that shines a spotlight on the backup singers behind some of the 20th century’s biggest musical performers, including The Rolling Stones, Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. The Chicago Tribune called it “pure satisfaction.”

All films will be shown at the Whallonsburg Grange, Saturdays at 7:30PM.

On Feb. 1, CVFS screens Captain Phillips. Nominated for four Golden Globe awards, including Best Dramatic Motion Picture, the film tells the true story of Captain Richard Phillips, played by Tom Hanks, and the 2009 hijacking of his cargo ship Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia. The Los Angeles Times called it “piercingly realistic.”

On Feb. 15, CVFS will show All is Lost. Robert Redford, the film’s sole cast member, earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his performance as a man alone and adrift in the Indian Ocean. The Washington Post called it “unexpectedly beautiful.”

On March 1, the film society screens Gravity. Directed by Golden Globe winner Alfonso Cuarón, director of the award-winning Y Tu Mamá También and Children of Men, the film follows two astronauts, played by George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, who must struggle to survive when knocked free from their space shuttle. The Boston Globe called the film “extraordinarily beautiful.”

On March 15, CVFS offers 12 Years a Slave. Based on the 1853 memoir of Solomon Northup, the film tells of Northup’s sale into slavery and efforts to reunite with his family. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northup and co-stars Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch and Brad Pitt. The Chicago Sun-Times called it “greatness in film,” and the movie won the Golden Globe for Best Drama.

Finally, on March 29, CVFS screens the nominees for best animated and live-action Oscar Shorts. Refreshments will be provided with the $10 price of admission. Audience members will have the chance to vote for their favorite films and see if their selections match with the Academy Award winners.

Golden Globes 2014: 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle win best film awards (telegraph.co.uk)
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Winter Waterspouts on Lake Champlain (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
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About Champlain Valley Film Series

The Champlain Valley Film Series began showing current and classic movies in 2003 in the theater at the Willsboro Central School in Willsboro, NY. Since then it has sometimes showed films outdoors at the Essex Inn (Essex) and Ballard Park (Westport). In recent years CVFS has regularly screened films at the Whallonsburg Grange. The Champlain Valley Film Series is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Learn more on the CVFS website.