APPALACHIAN FILM FESTIVAL

Appalachian Film Festival kicks off Thursday.

APPALACHIAN FILM FESTIVAL: Celebrate filmmakers from the 13-state Appalachian region at the 5th annual Appalachian Film Festival in Huntington April 17, 18, and 19, which is sponsored by the Huntington Regional Film Commission. More than two dozen films (features, docs, shorts, music videos) are packed into the 3-day festival at the historic Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, 924 Fourth Avenue, and many of the filmmakers will be present throughout.

The first screening kicks off Thursday morning at 10:00 am and continues with films back-to-back leading up to the opening night world premiere of Francesca Karle's docu-drama "Back to the Bottle", which comes complete with red carpet arrivals, dinner, and musical performances (Rick Ruggles, Eddie Riffe, Tony Maynard, and George Huff of American Idol fame) prior to the film's debut at 9:00 pm. Check out the festival's website for details so you don't miss any of the opening night festivities! Proceeds for the opening night festivities will benefit the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership.

The festival continues on Friday and Saturday, with a cocktail party at the conclusion of Friday's screenings and an awards banquet to close out the fest Saturday night. The West Virginia Film Office will give a presentation Saturday at 9:00 am to all interested filmmakers about the latest tax incentives for filming in the Mountain State. And at 12:15 pm Saturday, festival guest Ken Rotcop will conduct a workshop on the "Art of the Movie Pitch". Rotcop's bio is available on the festival website.

The West Virginia Film Office is a proud sponsor of the Appalachian Film Festival. For a complete schedule, ticket prices, and contact information, visit www. appyfilmfest.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
10:00 "Devil's Oven" Documentary
11:00 "Troubles Sens"
11:22 "In Silent Spaces"
12:00 "Simulacra"
12:10 "Spiral Bound"
12:20 "Inside"
12:30 "Joe"
12:45 "Change comes Knocking"
2:15 "Mountain Top Removal"
4:00 "Back to the Bottle" (opening night festivities begin)

FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2008
10:00 "Anthropophobia"
10:15 ""Speaking Truth"
10:30 "Meter" Short
11:00 "What Ana Left Behind"
11:25 "Joe Mover"
11:45 "Gravida"
12:15 "Moving Mountains"
1:10 "Fashionable: Music Video"
1:30 "Johnny Boy"
3:00 "Kilowatt Hours"
4:15 "Tattered Angel"
6:00 "Stomp! Shout! Scream!"
7:25 "Playdate"
8:00 "Elizabeth Gunness"
10:00 "Cocktail Party - Club Luna"

SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2008
10:00 "Spring 1386"
10:45 "Doors"
11:30 "Nothing But Net"
11:45 "Church of the Good Thief"
12:00 "Steak Dreams"
12:15 Ken Rotcop, Guest Speaker
3:00 "Crash Gordon"
4:30 "Grilling Bobby Hicks"
6:30 Rocco's 21 Awards Banquet