The Our City Film Festival is back for another year, beginning this Saturday in D.C. Commemorating its 5th year, the Festival celebrates the district, and highlights the diverse inhabitants that live here. It’s the only film festival that is specifically dedicated to our nation’s capital. According to Our City’s website, the Festival hopes to “encourage filmmakers to make films that will bring our communities together and celebrate the rich cultures, stories and scenes that make up Washington D.C.”
The Festival spans only two days, with movie screenings only on the second day. The first night is an informal at a local Synagogue. You can meet some of the filmmakers, try a locally-brewed beer, eat some cupcakes (catered by Georgetown Cupcake, star of TLC’s show “DC Cupcakes”) and listen to local musicians. Artists at this year’s bash include Party Girl, Edge Theory, and the Grammy-nominated Christylez Bacon.
The second day marks the actual Festival screenings, held all day at the Goethe-Institut. After starting off this year’s season with Film|Neu, this makes the second film festival the Goethe-Institut has supported in 2012 alone. Our City was started by Yachad, a non-profit that’s dedicated to community development all throughout the district. Opening the festival is a documentary that is being screened in-progress, with its director, Ellie Walton, welcoming critiques.
The Our City Festival begins this Saturday. Tickets for each event cost $10. Here is a complete schedule of events:
Saturday, February 11
- Opening Night Party at 6th & I Synagogue (free with ticket purchase or $8) (8:00 p.m.)
Sunday, February 12
- Filmmakers’ Lounge at Fado’s Irish Pub & Restaurant (open all day)
“Our Docs In Progress”, Fly By Light (10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
“Our Body” (12:45-2:15)
- One Punch at a Time
- Fast Forward
- The Vigil
- Filmmakers Q & A
“Our Mind” (2:45-4:05)
- St. Elizabeth’s Hospital: A Brief History
- A Monument for Martin Luther King, Jr.
- The Road to Rehabilitation and Reform
- Filmmakers Q & A
“Our Heart” (4:30-5:50)
- Let’s Get Out of Here
- Life as a Collage
- Filmmakers Q & A
“Our Soul” (7:30-9:00)
- First Day Home
- Out for Good
- Porchfest
- Filmmakers Q & A
- Performance by This is Lea
Venues:
The Goethe-Institut (Screenings)
- 812 7th St., NW
Sixth & I Synagogue
- 600 I St., NW
Fado’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
- 808 7th St., NW
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