Cabin Fever Film Fest raised the temperature in Purcellville

By Valerie Cury

Winter chills didn’t stand a chance last weekend as filmmakers and film lovers packed the Franklin Park Visual and Performing Arts Center for the ninth annual Purcellville Cabin Fever Film Festival, held Friday, Jan. 30, and Saturday, Jan. 31.

The two-day festival showcased 12 short films created by Loudoun County residents or filmmakers with strong ties to the area, offering audiences a mix of documentaries, narratives and experimental works. This year’s theme, “Independence,” was selected in recognition of the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Awards were presented in several categories, including Best in Theme, Festival Favorite and Most Likely to Break Cabin Fever. Festival organizers partnered with Loudoun VA250 to present the Best in Theme award, while an additional honor—Best Friend to Nature—was sponsored by the Friends of Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve.

Four films were screened Friday evening, Jan. 30, followed by a small reception. The festival continued Saturday, Jan. 31, with eight additional films and concluded with an awards presentation after the final screening.

“Bandida,” by Rikki Elizabeth Stinnette and Drew Broadhurst, was awarded first prize for Most likely to Break Cabin Fever. The award was sponsored by the Purcellville Arts Council.

The Best in Theme award was to be presented by Loudoun VA250 representatives, who were unable to attend due to snow. In a statement, Loudoun VA250 said, “Congratulations to all the filmmakers this year. This was a difficult decision, as each film presented a unique interpretation of the theme ‘Independence,’ but we would like to congratulate Jonathan Wymer for his film “But Did It Happen.”

For the first time in the festival’s history, the Audience Favorite award resulted in a tie between “Treasure Hunt – Misfortune” by Josh Ryan and “The Impossible Stitch” by Phil Erickson and Penny Hauffe. A newly added fourth award, Best Friend to Nature, was presented to “Just Driving,” also by Ryan.

Elizabeth Bracey, managing director of the Franklin Park Visual and Performing Arts Center, said, “You have artists that are trying things for the first time, and you have artists that do this as a job and to be able to feature all of those types of film makers in this festival there together, to be able to make connections with the filmmaking community is really what inspires Amy and Liz and I and everybody else to keep this going.”

Amy Ware is the Town of Purcellville Parks and Recreation Division Manager and oversees the planning and coordination of the Cabin Film Festival. Liz Jarvis originated the idea for the Cabin Film Festival while serving on the Purcellville Arts Council and remains involved with the festival.

Bracey said the Cabin Fever Film Festival is a wonderful opportunity and “we are just so thrilled to be to be able to continue to encourage it.”

Films shown Friday centered on the environmental theme Best Friend to Nature. Those selections included:

• “Blue Between Us,” Evan Jackson
• “John Muir’s Story,” Tara Roberts Zabriskie
• “Just Driving,” Josh Ryan
• “Treasure Hunt – Misfortune,” Josh Ryan

Saturday’s lineup focused largely on interpretations of the festival’s Independence theme, with filmmakers approaching the concept from a variety of personal, historical and unexpected angles. Films screened Saturday included:

• “But Did It Happen,” Jonathan Wymer
• “Joanna Sanders Documentary,” Josh Ryan
• “A Rook’s Tale,” Bakhtawar Chaudhary
• “The Impossible Stitch,” Phil Erickson and Penny Hauffe
• “Isabel Mayer Testimony and RAW Ministries,” Josh Ryan
• “My Friend Margaret,” JoJo Apfeldorf
• “An Honest Conversation,” Josh Ryan
• “Bandida,” Rikki Elizabeth Stinnette and Drew Broadhurst

The festival awards were designed by Jill Evans-Kavaldjian of Garden Corner Studios, an artist, muralist and decorative painter who lives near Lovettsville. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Fine Arts and a former teacher, Kavaldjian created signed original prints for each winning filmmaker.

The Cabin Fever Film Festival is sponsored by the Purcellville Arts Council and held in partnership with the Franklin Park Visual and Performing Arts Center, which hosts the winter festival as part of its year-round programming.