Artisphere Provides a Perfect Setting for the Rosebud Festival

The Dome Theater at Artisphere, the new cultural center in Rosslyn, was getting a big thumbs-up from audiences yesterday at the 20th annual Rosebud Film and Video Festival. 

"This is an absolutely awesome facility," said Jerry Barney, an Arlington resident who was at the festival. He added, "I have seen seven or eight of the films and I would have a hard time picking out the best."

Sydney-Chanele Dawkins, a festival producer and film curator said, "One of the things that is great about this festival is that it highlights the work of local filmmakers." Dawkins explained that the festival is open to film and video producers in Washington, Virginia and Maryland.

Dawkins has been involved with the festival for several years, including serving as a judge last year; she worked closely with Jackie Steven, director of community programming at Arlington Independent Media (AIM) - the cable access station - that puts on the event.

"I've taken classes and become involved as a volunteer," said Dawkins, adding, "It's my passion to help emerging filmmakers in any way that I can."

The festival line-up included a mix of 20 films and videos - documentary and drama, animation and experimental, short and feature-length. Four Arlington-based filmmakers had their projects chosen: Seth Blaustein's "Legacy Song of the Senex," H. Paul Moon's "El Toro," Steven Vargias' "Molly" and Julie Haberstick's "Minding."

Five winners will be chosen from the 20 by an independent panel of judges and each will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize at the gala Rosebud Award ceremony at the Clarendon Ballroom tonight from 7 p.m to 10 p.m.

Attending the event for the first time, John Zimmerman, an AIM member and volunteer, said he'd seen several interesting films and was impressed with Artisphere: "This is a fantastic venue for an event like this."

Producer, director and actor Kevyn Settle attended the festival with Jared Mark Smith, one of the actors featured in Settle's drama, "Tracks."

Dawkins noted that finding venues to screen the films is often an expensive proposition for up-and-coming producers. "As a filmmaker you put all your blood, sweat and tears into your project and then you find out that it's really expensive to show it," she said, adding, "This is a fantastic venue and Jackie has done a great job." 

In her remarks to the audience, Steven thanked all the volunteers, business sponsors and Arlington County's Cultural Affairs Division for their support of the festival.

Tickets for the award ceremony are free by calling (703) 524-2388. To learn more, visit www.rosebudfestival.org.