C-VILLE Weekly | October 22 - 28, 2025

This week: Hopeful LGs and AGs make their plays for the top spots P.10

National firms bet $107 million on student housing P.12

What the Mushroom Auntie has learned from the land P.39

Reel stories

From local premieres to Hollywood classics, the Virginia Film Festival spotlights the power of storytelling on screen

OCT 22-26

Hello, Charlottesville.

Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

10.22.25

If you’re like me, you probably have a soft spot for things that feel distinctly Charlottesville—the kind of details that wouldn’t make sense anywhere else. The brick sidewalks downtown. The collective groan when traffic snarls on 29. The annual buzz that builds around the Virginia Film Festival.

This week’s cover story (p.18) dives into that last one, with previews of a few films we’re especially excited about, and a conversation with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz. The festival is one of those moments when Charlottesville feels a little bigger and brighter, and when local pride takes on a cinematic glow.

C-VILLE’s also been feeling that local pride in another way lately: by putting it on a hat. We just added four new ones to our online shop—beanies that read “No comment” or “Off the record,” a trucker cap for camo-lovers, and a corduroy cap with “C-VL,” a nod to our signature C-VILLE hyphen—plus a T-shirt that reminds you that “Free news is good news.” Because it is.

However you show your love for Charlottesville—by watching films, reading stories, or wearing your support on your head— we’re glad you’re here for it. See you at the movies!

This week’s contributors

Hey, thanks!

These generous benefactors of C-VILLE have supported our work through our Save the Free Word campaign. To contribute, follow the QR code.

Towns Ackerman

Susan Albert

Catherine Anninos

Lori Balaban

Timothy Bambury

Catherine Barnes

Julie Basic

Susan Battani

Josh Baumann

Jennifer Beachley

Mayanna Bean

Denise Benson

Anne Bergamesca

Rebecca Berlin

Kim Biasiolli

Patrick Bird

Paddy Bowman

Paul Brewer

Susan Brickman

Claudia Murray

Brindle

Sumner Brown

Colette Brown

Jack Brown

Kate Buford

Cathleen Burgess

Carol Burger

Patricia Burkett

David Calhoun

Michael Callahan

Linda and Pat Canzanelli-Dantona

Brian Carlton

Helen Cathro

Janelle Catlett

James Clark Jr.

Diane Cluck

Karen Collins

Lorraine Collins

Beth Croghan

Margaret Crone

Emily Currier

Maria-Eugenia

Dalton

Charles Dassance

Pam and Peter Dennison

Nancy Dettor

Martha Donnelly

Charlotte Drummond

Louise Dudley

Lee Elberson

Jane Elmore

Karen Emmitt

Ken Engebretson

Elizabeth Engle

Rosa Ellen English

Gail Esterman

Joe Ethier

Tom & Anna Ferrell

M. Fife

Lavonne Fitts

Kevin Foley

Barbara Fornoff

Joan Forrest

Georgia Garrett

Gerald Giammatteo

David and Janna Gies

Stephanie Goodwin

Trice Gravatte

Andrew Greeley

Jennifer Grover

Cara Hall

Kendra Hall

Jeremy HarrisMcDonnell

Wiliam Harvey

Madeleine Hawks

Ann Marie Haynes

Mary Haynes

Elain Heffelfinger

Chris Hellings

Stephen Herrick

John Heyser

Ezra Hitzeman

JoAnn Hofheimer

Lisa Hogan

Laura Horn

Christina Horton

Robert Inlow

Deb Jackson

Garth Jensen

Nina Johnston

Nicole Jones

Diane Jones

Janet Jospe

Brian Kelly

Trish Kenney

Tom Kirk

Kathryn Kluge

Julie Lacy

Marcia Langsam

Jacalyn LaPierre

Aaron Lawrence

Eric and Diane

Lawson

Elizabeth Lawson

Frances Lee-Vandell

Sean Libberton

Angeline Lillard

Peppy Linden

Jessica Lino

D. Little

Phillip Long

Rob Lynch

Catherine Maguire

Greg Mallard

Jeff Martin

Virginia Masterson

Erin Mayer

Kieran Mcdowell

Mary McIntyre

Gretchen McKee

Ruth McWilliams

James Mernin

Nicolas Mestre

Tim Michel

Parthy Monagan

Vic Monti

Hilary Moorman

Michael Morency

Harold E. Morgan

Michael Moriarty

Catherine Moynihan

Jim Mummery

Karen Myers

Monica Newby

Sandy Newhouse

Kathy O’Connell

Dennis O’Connor

Diane Ober

Cynthia Van Osch

Annette Osso

Laila Ouhamou

Annette Owens

Timothy Palmer

Joe Peacock

Elizabeth Perdue

Joann Peters

James Peterson

Damon Pettitt

Elayne Phillips

Robin Powell

Anne Price

Ernest Pugh

Harry Purkey

Leslie Quenichet

Frances Racette

T. Radsky

Scott Ransom

Sarah Ratcliffe

Stots Reele

Marjorie Rein

Cindy Richards

Kevin Richardson

David Robinson

Julia Rubarth

Carol Gilbert Sacks

Audrey Sarate

Joan Schatzman

Sandra Schmidt

Eric Schultz

Karen Schuyler

Wendy Seay

James Seitz

Elaine Shaw

Chuck Shelton

Paul Shettel

John Smith

Kristina Smith

Meredith Smoot

Mickey Speck

Maria Spence

Jim Spencer

David Stackhouse

Mariah Steele

Rod Stoner

Robert Strickland

Deborah Strong

Nichole Taylor

William Terrell

Emily Thiede

Reid Thompson

W. McIlwaine

Thompson Jr.

Prue Thorner

John Titus

Jessica Tobin

Erica Toy

Rose Trapnell

Jill Trischman-Marks

Susan Uland

Rick Vergot

Christina Walker

Steven Ward

David Waters

Chris Waugaman

Phoebe Weseley

Kelly West

Gary and Anne Westmoreland

Jay Wildermann

Marcia Wilds

Andrew Wolf

Natalie Yancey

Suzanne Yeaman

Nura Yingling

Kelly Zalewski

Kathleen Zenker

James Sanford is a graduate of Western Michigan University and taught journalism there for seven years. He’s been an arts writer, film critic, reporter, restaurant critic, and section coordinator, winning three awards from the Society for Features Journalism. Read his work on page 18

Tristan Williams is a live music, portrait, and editorial photographer based out of Charlottesville where he has been contributing to C-VILLE Weekly since 2017. His work has been featured in Billboard magazine, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Relix, Brooklyn Vegan, and American Songwriter. See his work on page 46.

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UVA MUSIC EVENTS

Date/Time/Place

Friday 10/24, 1pm

Old Cabell Hall

Friday 10/24, 8pm

WTJU Offbeat Roadhouse

Saturday 11/1, 1pm Fralin Museum

Saturday 11/1, 1pm 107 Old Cabell Hall

Sunday 11/2, 1pm Rotunda Dome Room

Sunday 11/2, 3:30pm Old Cabell Hall

Friday 11/7, 3:30pm 107 Old Cabell Hall

Friday 11/7, 6:30pm Carr’s Hill Field

Friday, 11/7, 8pm WTJU Offbeat Roadhouse

Event (* Denotes free events)

Gaelynn Lea's Colloquium *

Gaelynn Lea & Molly Joyce * presented by WTJU Offbeat Roadhouse

JJJJJerome Ellis * Sonic Bathhouse #2 Dana McComb Cello Masterclass * with UVA Cello Students

Flute Ensemble * Directed by Kelly Sulick

UVACMS: Jiyeon Choi, Clarinet with Shelby Sender, piano

Warren Wolf Masterclass * with UVA Jazz Students

Cavalier Marching Band * Open Rehearsal: Heroes Appreciation

Warren Wolf & Sharel Cassity * Featuring UVA Jazz Combo Students

Thousands gather for local Checking in with AG and LG A says no to Trump’s ompact; Westhaven to : Flats at West Village gets ne w owner.

CULTURE 33

35 Pages: Second annual Crozet 37 Stages: Fleshwater at the Jefferson. 39 All You Can Eat: Catching up with the Mushroom Auntie.

Friday, 11/7, 8pm Old Cabell Hall

Choral Showcase: U Singers, Chamber Singers, Glee Club & Women’s Chorus

All artists, programs and venues are subject to change.

Office: 434.924.3052; music@virginia.edu; https://music.virginia.edu

Box Office: 434.924.3376, artsboxoffice.virginia.edu

Subscribe to our music email: music.virginia.edu/events

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Weekly is Charlottesville, Virginia's award-winning alternative newspaper. distinctive coverage, we work to spark curiosity and enable readers to engage meaningfully with their community.

23 OCT 26 Old Crow Medicine Show Circle The Wagons Tour with special guest Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Government Mule The Back in the Saddle Tour

NOVEMBER 8-ON SALE FRIDAY ECHO CHAMBER

NOVEMBER 14-ON SALE NOW WAASI

FEBRUARY 12-ON SALE NOW TIM O’BRIEN WITH JAN FABRICIUS TICKETS ON SALE NOW

DECEMBER 12-ON SALE NOW DAVID WAX MUSEUM AND LOWLAND HUM PRESENT THE GOLDEN HOURS

MASS SABBATH “THE ‘WORLD’S’ LARGEST BLACK SABBATH TRIBUTE” 11-01| DAY OF THE DEAD ALL STARS WITH XOAP 11-02| VILLAGES WRITERS’ ROUND

11-06| CAITLIN KRISKO & THE BROADCAST / DEAU EYES

11-07| LORA KELLEY ALBUM RELEASE PARTY 11-09| TWEN WITH MONSOON

Thus always to tyrants

More than 10,000 protesters turned out for Charlottesville’s No Kings rally on October 18, gathering at The Shops at Stonefield and stretching up both sides of U.S. 29N. Over 2,500 demonstrations were held nationwide, with an estimated 7 million participants voicing frustration with President Donald Trump and his administration. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin mobilized the state National Guard ahead of the nonviolent protests, though Albemarle County Police Department reports no arrests were made.

THE HEART

NEWS POLITICS Politics of accountability

This is the third article in C-VILLE’s 2025 election series, covering local and statewide races in the lead-up to Election Day, November 4. For candidate responses to additional questions, visit c-ville.com.

THE SMARTS

Virginia’s attorney general and lieutenant governor elections heat up BY

Virginians will elect the state’s next attorney general and lieutenant governor this November. Both races have received national attention, with scandals rocking two of the candidates in the weeks before the election.

Attorney General

Virginia’s attorney general election has become focused on scandal, rather than policy.

In early October, both a reckless driving conviction and damaging text messages from Democratic candidate Jay Jones came to light. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Jones served his community service for the 2022 charge of driving 116mph in a 70mph zone with his own political action committee.

Jones’ texts, first uncovered by the National Review, included a string of messages reading, “Three people, two bullets,” “Gilbert, hitler [sic], and pol pot [sic],” “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” referring to former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. A separate implication that it would take Gilbert’s own children dying for Republicans to take action on gun control has also been featured in ads.

The controversies took center stage at the sole debate between Jones and incumbent Republican Jason Miyares, held at the University of Richmond on October 16. In his opening remarks, Jones directly addressed the texts.

CATIE RATLIFF

“Let me be very clear: I am ashamed, I am embarrassed, and I am sorry,” he said. “I am sorry to Speaker Gilbert. I am sorry to his family. I am sorry to my family, and I’m sorry to every single Virginian. I cannot take back what I said, but you have my word that I will always be accountable for my mistakes. And you also have my word that I will spend every waking moment fighting for you.”

Throughout the debate, Jones framed Miyares as a “willing cheerleader” for Trump policies harming Virginians and highlighted the attorney general’s failure to join other states in a suit against the administration. Miyares responded that Jones is treating the legal office as a political office, referenced the texts and driving conviction repeatedly, called Jones a “criminal,” and said he should drop out of the election.

Prior to winning the Democratic primary in June, Jones served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for two terms. He also was an assistant attorney general in the Office of the Attorney General for Washington, D.C., and represented the Virginia branch of the NAACP.

Miyares, the only incumbent on the ticket, worked as a prosecutor in the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Office and served three terms as a state delegate.

Neither Jones nor Miyares responded to C-VILLE’s candidate questionnaire by press time. More information on the candidates’ platforms and recordings of the debate can be found online.

Jay Jones

Jason Miyares

TRISTIAN WILLIAMS (LEFT), SUPPLIED PHOTO (RIGHT)

Lieutenant Governor

Both lieutenant governor candidates are historic firsts for the statewide ballot. Democrat Ghazala Hashmi is the first Muslim and first Indian-American nominee in the Commonwealth’s history. Republican John Reid is the first openly gay candidate.

The contest between Hashmi and Reid has received less national attention than Virginia’s attorney general race, but it has not been without controversy. Responses to C-VILLE’s candidate survey, addressing both policy and allegations connected to a social media account that other media outlets connected to Reid, are included below.

C-VILLE: How will you approach the lieutenant governor’s role as president of the state senate?

Ghazala Hashmi: Over my two terms in the [state] senate, I have learned the vital importance of listening to the perspectives of different parties, compromising when possible, and being able to explain one’s own position to others. I will bring these same approaches to the role of lieutenant governor.

John Reid: The lieutenant governor’s role is to preside fairly, enforce the rules of the senate, and ensure that every member—Republican or Democrat—has the chance to be heard. I take that responsibility seriously. My approach will be to run a disciplined, respectful chamber where debate can be spirited but still civil, and where the focus stays on delivering results for Virginians—not partisan theater.

How will you approach the broader role of lieutenant governor?

GH: I have built critical relationships across state agencies and developed policy insights that will help me to serve as a strong, capable, and effective leader in Virginia’s next administration. I will use my platform to address the most pressing issues facing Virginia, including fully funding public education to put

every student on the path to success, ensuring every Virginian has access to affordable health care, and bringing down costs on everything from housing to child care.

JR: The office has a unique ability to connect the legislative process with the needs of everyday Virginians. I intend to use it as a platform to elevate the ideas I have put forward in the Real Virginia Agenda—ideas that strengthen families, lower the cost of living, and make Virginia more affordable. That means working across agencies, local governments, and the private sector to move good ideas forward— especially in areas like workforce development, education, and public safety.

An Emerson College poll indicated the economy is a top priority for the majority of Virginia voters. What is your economic plan if elected?

GH: From providing incentives and grants to small businesses to connecting students with internships and work opportunities to developing programs to bring the costs of housing down, I am ready to support smart, forwardthinking legislation to strengthen our business community and bolster our economy. As lieutenant governor, I will focus on continuing my work to attract new companies and keep businesses here in the Commonwealth, invest in the next generation of our workforce, and create more opportunities so that all Virginians have access to good, well-paying jobs.

JR: My economic plan starts with a simple principle: Government should make life easier, not harder. That means cutting the car tax, protecting Virginia’s right-to-work law, holding the line on wasteful spending, and getting government out of the way so small businesses can grow and hire. We also have to make it easier for people to work and build a career here—whether that’s through apprenticeships, credentialing, or better alignment between schools and employers. A strong economy starts with strong families and the freedom to pursue opportunity.

Why should you be elected?

GH: I will bring my experience and knowledge to fight for Virginians and their values. I have secured historic funding for our public schools and wrote the plan to protect Medicaid in Virginia. My opponent, John Reid, wants to close public schools and touts plans to cut public education funding, and he supports the bill that will rip away health care coverage from over 300,000 Virginians and has forced three Virginia health clinics to close. I wrote the bill protecting contraception access and helped to draft language for our constitutional amendment ensuring women have access to the safe and legal health care they need and deserve. Reid will vote against protecting reproductive health care, spreads extremist lies about abortion, and has compared abortion to slavery. John Reid has made it clear he

is too extreme for Virginia, and he will not protect our rights and freedoms.

JR: Because I’ll bring common-sense leadership back to Richmond. I’m not a career politician—I’m a businessman and broadcaster who’s spent years giving everyday Virginians a voice. I know what it’s like to listen to working families and small business owners who feel government isn’t working for them. I’ll fight to make Virginia a place where families can afford to live, work, learn, and thrive. That means cutting costs, restoring excellence in education, protecting public safety, and defending freedom. I’m running to get results, not headlines—and that’s exactly what I’ll do.

Other news outlets recently linked John Reid to a social media account sharing content from and engaging with “Nazi porn” accounts, which he has denied is his account. What is your response to these allegations and the content published in American Journal News?

GH: I am truly appalled by the vile and disturbing content described in this article. This content and any person’s engagement with it reflects an appalling acceptance of hate and dehumanization. We all have a responsibility to call out racism and extremism when we see it—not only to protect our communities, but to build a future rooted in compassion, equity, and shared humanity. I know that the majority of Virginians are repulsed by this material and reject its shameful violence and bigotry; I stand with you, and as lieutenant governor, I will continue to stand up against all forms of hate and violence. Virginia must remain a place of safety and inclusion—and our leaders must reflect those values through their actions.

A spokesperson for the Reid campaign: The story referenced is categorically false, and despite several requests from the Virginia media, Virginia Democrats have not been able to produce a single piece of evidence substantiating it.

Candidate responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Ghazala Hashmi

John Reid

NEWS DEVELOPMENT

No deal

The University of Virginia became the fifth school to reject the Trump administration’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.

In an October 17 message to the university community, Interim President Paul Mahoney said that while some aspects of the compact align with UVA’s goals, it is vital that federal awards are based on merit rather than a contractual agreement. His announcement came hours after a White House meeting with several universities.

“The integrity of science and other academic work requires merit-based assessment of research and scholarship,” reads an excerpt from Mahoney’s response to the Department of Education. “We believe that the best path toward real and durable progress lies in an open and collaborative conversation.”

Prior to Mahoney’s announcement, more than a thousand protesters from student, faculty, and community organizations gathered on the Lawn to oppose the compact.

“Today’s events demonstrate the power of collective organizing and action to defeat tyranny,” said organizers Laura Goldblatt and Walt Heinecke in a joint statement following Mahoney’s announcement. “We hope that we serve as an example to the other public universities that received the ‘Compact’ … giving them the courage and clarity not to buckle.”

Demonstrations were coordinated at some of the other universities, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which rejected the offer on October 10, Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, Dartmouth College, and the University of Arizona all declining to sign the compact.

Of the nine schools that were originally contacted, seven have rejected the compact, and two—the University of Texas, and Vanderbilt University—have not yet responded. Catie Ratliff

Plans in

CRHA files site plan to redevelop Westhaven with more than double the units BY SEAN TUBBS

Westhaven was built in 1964 as Charlottesville’s first public housing site and will soon become the latest property to be reimagined and rebuilt by the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

“The redevelopment will include the phased demolition of existing housing and construction of apartment buildings, townhouses, a community center/recreational mixed-use building, and outdoor community common spaces, all with associated surface parking,” reads a section of a site plan submitted earlier this month to the city’s Department of Neighborhood Development Services.

In the past few years, CRHA has built new units at South First Street and completely renovated Crescent Halls, with some of the funding coming from the City of Charlottesville. City Council has also agreed to contribute $15 million to the cost to redevelop Westhaven. Other funding comes from the sale of low-income housing tax credits.

For the past few years, Westhaven residents have been working alongside architects to redevelop the site.

“Efforts on this design and visioning process started more than three years ago with community engagement and resident planners to develop an understanding of the process to plan their own community with help from the design consultants,” wrote Bryan Cichocki of the Timmons Group in a May 8 letter to the city.

The work will take place on a single 10acre parcel on land zoned Residential Mixed Use 5. The site plan calls for a total of 264 units, which consists of 102 townhouse units, 80 one-bedroom apartments, and another

82 with two bedrooms. That comes in at 25.3 dwelling units per acre. Currently there are 126 townhomes.

The new zoning code allows buildings to be up to 72 feet, but the proposed structures in the plan would be capped at 48 feet. There would be 199 open parking spaces and 80 spaces in a garage.

Cichocki’s letter sought exemptions from provisions in the new zoning code that require new development to contribute to a “well-connected street network,” and CRHA wants to avoid building a public street through the new development.

“A through movement across the site does not add value to the surrounding street grid as 10th and Eighth are the through routes between West Main and Preston,” Cichocki continues.

Roadways within the redeveloped Westhaven will remain private. The project will also need a traffic study because it is in excess of 50,000 square feet.

IN BRIEF

All the news you missed last week (in one sentence or less)

When construction gets underway, it will take up to two and a half years. The first phase will see demolition of buildings on the western half of the property

CRHA is represented by Riverbend Development, the same firm that has been working with the public entity since 2019 to implement construction of a new generation of housing.

Under Charlottesville’s zoning code, City Council plays a much reduced role in approving the rules of development projects. For instance, council will play no role in a proposal to build more than 700 beds at 843 W. Main St., adjacent to Westhaven.

The Public Housing Association of Residents is leading a campaign to get City Council to change the zoning code so LV Collective won’t be able to build as high as 11 stories. The Board of Architectural Review will eventually have to issue a certificate of appropriateness because that property is in a design control review district.

Investigators determine August explosion of Glenmore home caused by lightning strike. UVA Football clinches bowl eligibility with 22-20 win against Washington State. Albemarle Supervisors unanimously approve new Comprehensive Plan. Albemarle County Fire Rescue launches new platform for first responders. Charlottesville Albemarle Airport refuses to show Secretary Kristi Noem’s partisan video about the federal government shutdown. Western Albemarle High School golf team takes second state title in three years. Albemarle County Police reports 39 percent decrease in gun violence incidents from 2024 peak. Cavaliers dismiss offensive lineman Wallace Unamba for team policy violation. October 19 shooting on Doyle Side Lane in Crozet leaves one adult victim in serious but non-lifethreatening condition. Vehicle and foot pursuit ends in Earlysville with arrest of wanted 58-year-old Dyke man. Local civil rights leader Eugene Williams dies at 97. Violet Crown Cinema purchased; will remain a movie theater.

City Council has agreed to contribute $15 million to the planned redevelopment of Westhaven.

JACK LOONEY

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Going up

National investment firms purchase the Flats at West Village for $107 million

BY SEAN TUBBS

The world’s largest operation of student housing complexes now operates two of three such buildings on West Main Street.

On October 9, a business trust connected to the Inland Real Estate Group of Companies of Oak Brook, Illinois, purchased the Flats at West Village for $107 million. Three days prior, the company announced via press release the creation of a strategic relationship with The Scion Group to operate off-campus housing properties.

“This strategic relationship with Inland Investments underscores Scion’s commitment to robust growth and consolidation,” said Clayton Merritt, senior vice president of investments at The Scion Group. “This partnership furthers Scion’s success in executing our business plan with leading institutional investors.”

The Scion Group manages more than 95,000 beds intended for students in 146 countries, including 82 college and university markets across 35 states. That already includes Lark on Main, which last traded hands in April 2017 for $59.5 million.

The Flats at West Village was the first in a series of new apartment buildings constructed on West Main Street in the past dozen years. The site formerly housed a Merchant’s Tire franchise and was developed by Ambling University Group and Riverbend Development.

In December 2012, City Council voted 4-1 to approve a special use permit for additional height and density, and the building opened to its first tenants in August 2014.

The value of the land and the building jumped from $6.77 million in 2014 to $35.6 million a year later. A company then known as Peak Campus Development bought the property in November 2016 for $77.5 million.

Amy Finn, director of brand for The Scion Group, says Charlottesville is the kind of market where the company wants to be located.

“We are drawn to opportunities like this one, to acquire a project below replacement cost, and will make this new location part of our mission to deliver a market-leading resident experience,” Finn says.

Finn says the company is evaluating upgrades to the site but is not yet ready to share specifics. In the near future, a third retail bay will have a tenant for the first time ever.

The 2.24-acre property and the 43,616-square-foot building space has a 2025 assessment of $92.2 million, making the tax bill for this year $903,258.16. The owners of Lark on Main had to pay $587,817.72.

The acquisition comes as two other stu dent apartment buildings are planned for West Main Street. Real estate firm LV Col lective has submitted plans for an 11-story tower at 843 W. Main St. with 708 units.

While that height is technically allowed under the city’s new zoning code, the Board of Architectural Review can condition its design approval on a slightly lower height. That’s exactly what the Public Housing As sociation of Residents wants it to do to limit the impact on Westhaven. On October 21, the BAR took a second look at a sevenstory building planned for 202 Seventh St. LCD Acquisitions, another student housing firm, is proposing to incorporate two indi vidually protected properties into a project it’s calling The Mark. The Charlottesville Low-Income Housing Coalition is asking the BAR what it can do to stop or shrink the project.

Elsewhere in the city, cranes are helping to raise the 12-story Verve at the intersec tion of Emmet Street and Jefferson Park Avenue, the 231-unit Blume at 2117 Ivy Rd., and a 119-unit student apartment building at 2005 Jefferson Park Ave.

Mark your calendars, and come celebrate our first wine dinner! Enjoy a 5 course dinner paired with local and award-winning wines from Mount Ida. Details and advance ticket purchase coming soon! www.kanakcville.com

The Flats at West Village was the first of several apartment buildings constructed on West Main Street over the last two decades.

BIG-DEAL FILM FESTS ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH LOCATION. Toronto, Telluride, Cannes, and Sundance evoke industry accolades and red-carpet credentials. Our own Virginia Film Festival has gotten pretty buzzy over the years, with marquee names, tentpole previews, and movie deals cut on the Downtown Mall.

The VAFF has become “one of the nation’s leading regional film festivals and one of the premier cultural events in the Mid-Atlantic region,” says festival Executive Director and UVA Vice Provost for the Arts Jody Kielbasa.

In its 38th year, the VAFF maintains its high-caliber programming and steadfast commitment to the Commonwealth, exemplified by the broad selections in Virginiaconnected filmmaking.

This year’s festival opener, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, is directed by VAFF Advisory Board member and Virginia native Scott Cooper. On Thursday, Charlottesville native Clay Tweel’s new documentary, Andy Kaufman is Me, digs deep into the artist’s life, and on Friday, Richmond filmmaker Melody C. Roscher expertly lands Bird in Hand, a portrait of a young woman looking for connection.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, C'VILLE

Local filmmaker Chris Farina will be celebrated on Sunday with the Governor Gerald L. Baliles Founder’s Award. Since the festival is a program of the University of Virginia, it’s fitting to feature Farina’s documentary, Pep Banned, which looks at the “joyful subversion” of the UVA pep band, on this year’s cover, and declare it—along with the entire festival— a Wahoo must-watch!

From documentaries and screen adaptations to horror flicks and fan favorites, we sifted through this year’s massive schedule to champion the films highlighted on the following pages.—TK

The Virginia Film Festival brings filmmakers, stars, and audiences together for a five-day celebration of cinema

STORIES BY Dave Cantor, CM Gorey, Tami Keaveny, Sarah Lawson, Lisa Provence, and James Sanford

IMAGES COURTESY Virginia Film Festival

The University of Virginia is often described as Jeffersonian, as academically elite, as a public Ivy. Less often used: cool. The Virginia Pep Band, during its nearly three-decade heyday, was cool.

Pep Banned, a documentary that premieres at the Virginia Film Festival, captures the joyful subversion of the student-run band that took to the football field beginning in the fall of 1974 until it was drummed out of appearances for insulting crybaby West Virginia, whose governor complained after the Continental Tire Bowl in 2002.

Ron Culberson was in the band from 1979 to 1983. He was having dinner in 2014 with a former pep bander whose wife suggested the story of the irreverent scramble band would make a good documentary.

times,” he writes in an email. “I was in the stands in 1985 at a game against West Virginia University at halftime. I felt like I was watching “Saturday Night Live” at Scott Stadium.”

Farina, who’s work includes West Main, Route 40, World Peace and other 4th Grade Achievements, and Seats at the Table, wanted to create a “nostalgic view of the past,” while capturing the comedic aspect of the pep band, he says. Farina will be presented with the Governor Gerald L. Baliles Founder’s Award at this year’s film fest.

The pep band was run by students who produced the shows and organized the band’s travel. Culberson was on the writing committee, which came up with the halftime shows and submitted the scripts to the athletic department. They weren’t always approved, but the relatively mild West Virginia finale, with its parody of “The Bachelor” and a pigtailed, overalls-wearing West Virginia contestant, was.

When the pep band first appeared on the scene in the ’70s, UVA football was abysmal and the half-time show was a reason to go to the game. “We were celebrities,” says Culberson, who went to the Final Four in 1981. “We walked in and our fans went crazy.”

little footage exists of the pep band performing,” says Reifenberger.

In making Pep Banned, he discovered a number of other issues, including the rights of students to shape their destinies, and what happens when free speech and humor run afoul of institutions trying to be “on brand.”

Filmmaker Chris Farina, UVA ’82, thought so, too. “I saw the pep band many

Culberson had been in his high school marching band, and he didn’t really want to do a formal marching band in college. “I got a letter from the pep band that was funny and irreverent,” he recalls. He’d written a lot of humor in high school—and as an adult became a motivational humorist—so it was an easy sell.

For co-director Bill Reifenberger, the goal was for “members of the pep band to see their history,” he says. Culberson had scanned 6,500 archival documents and there were a lot of photographs, but “very

For a while, the pep band seemed to embody the culture that made UVA different from other state schools: the school’s nomenclatures—Grounds, for instance—and its lack of a marching band and homecoming queen. “A lot of our traditions set us apart,” notes Culberson. “Having a different band made us unique.”

For the members, it was just fun. “In every picture, everyone is smiling and having the best time,” Reifenberger points out.

As Fran Cannon Slayton, ’85, says in the last line of the film, “It was just a great way to be 18.” 10/26, Culbreth Theatre LP Pep in step

2025 VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL

Monster mania

As a Halloween warm-up, the Virginia Film Festival’s After Hours collection offers four monster movies, even though none are being screened particularly late at night. Curated by Igor Shteyrenberg of the Miami Jewish Film Festival and horror fest Popcorn Frights, this thematic group of what the VFF calls “films that walk on the wild side” deals in various strengths of scare-inducing cinema.

An apocalyptic demon zombie thrasher, Deathgasm II: Goremageddon is a heavy-metal sequel that rejoins the doofus titular group nine years after the last blood bath. A comedic take in the tradition of Shawn of the Dead, the film has Trivium’s Kiichi Heafy on soundtrack duties, which provides it with a level of metal credibility. 10/22, Violet Crown 6 and 7

The latest iteration of Frankenstein comes from fantasy auteur Guillermo del Toro and stars Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Oscar Isaac, as the doc who the story’s really named after, and Jacob Elordi as the monster. This one goes big with an immersive widescreen epic feel. 10/25, The Paramount Theater

Saturday night’s gala screening features Sinners, which also includes a conversation and performance by musician/actor Miles Caton. Director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) brings a supernatural, demonic take on the Jim Crow South driven by Michael B. Jordan in a dual role. 10/25, The Paramount Theater

Dust Bunny delivers a more family-friendly frightfest: It’s a tale of a kid (Sophie Sloan) hiring her hitman neighbor (Mads Mikkelsen) to kill the monster under her bed. And Sigourney Weaver’s in it, too! 10/26, Culbreth Theatre CMG

Our picks for hot flicks

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Every artist who hits it big faces an inevitable question: What do I do for a follow-up? Bruce Springsteen confronted it after his fifth album, The River, topped the charts in 1980. Instead of trying to create another commercial smash, he produced Nebraska, a deeply personal acoustic album that surprised fans and critics alike with its lo-fi sound and lyrics influenced by Woody Guthrie, Flannery O’Connor, and films such as The Grapes of Wrath and Badlands

Director Scott Cooper, an Abingdon native and Virginia Film Festival Advisory Board member, adapts Warren Zane’s 2003 book, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, which spotlights Springsteen at a pivotal point in his career. Jeremy Allen White plays Springsteen, with Jeremy Strong as the Boss’ longtime manager Jon Landau, and Paul Walter Hauser as Mike Batlan, who was the recording engineer on Nebraska. 10/22, The Paramount Theater

The Choral

This is what’s known in the film industry as a class act: writer Alan Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner (The Madness of King George, The Lady in the Van), in their first cinematic collaboration in 10 years, plus Ralph Fiennes, fresh from his Oscar-nominated role in Conclave. And, as a special bonus, the music of Edward Elgar, too. Mark Addy and Roger Allam co-star in this comedy-drama, set in 1916 Yorkshire, where the arrival of an eccentric new choir master Dr. Henry Guthrie (Fiennes) creates discord among the locals, most of whom are already on edge because of the ongoing war against the Kaiser. Gossip about Guthrie having spent years in Germany and possibly being an atheist does not endear him to the already suspicious residents. Guthrie navigates many tricky personal issues to assemble a choir and get this particular show on the road. 10/26, The Paramount Theater

Hamnet

That’s not a typo in the title: Hamnet is adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 bestselling novel, set in 16th-century Stratfordupon-Avon, England. Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) directs Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as a couple struggling to hold together their marriage in the face of crushing challenges. Agnes is a healer (although some whisper she’s a witch). William is a tutor and a frustrated would-be writer. And they are known as the Shakespeares.

While Zhao’s mega-budgeted Marvel extravaganza Eternals was certainly less than marvelous, Hamnet looks like a solid comeback. The film is already generating awards-season buzz after its screenings at the Telluride and Toronto International film festivals (where Hamnet collected the coveted People’s Choice Award) last month. “Altogether magnificent,” says Toronto Star critic Peter Howell, while Monica Castillo of rogerebert.com says, “It almost feels like a romantic fairytale.” 10/26, The Paramount Theater

Urchin

With his performances in Beach Rats, Triangle of Sadness, The Iron Claw, and opposite Nicole Kidman in the screen-scorching Babygirl, Harris Dickinson has cultivated a reputation as a versatile, always compelling actor. With Urchin, he’s hoping to make his mark as a screenwriter and director. Dickinson is off to an auspicious start: Urchin won the International Federation of Film Critics prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and its leading man, Frank Dillane, was chosen as best actor in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section.

Dillane plays Mike, a Londoner struggling with addiction and homelessness, hoping to change his luck. Further complicating his quest are unsettling visions and disturbing memories that keep surfacing when Mike least expects them. Los Angeles Times critic Glenn Whipp: “a filmmaker to watch.” 10/23, Violet Crown 6 and 7

Iraqi amateurs take the cake

The decision to use untrained actors can yield uncertain results. One possible outcome is the kind of ham-fisted, melodramatic overacting that renders a movie unwatchable. Another is cinematic gold.

Such is the case with The President’s Cake. The sometimes humorous drama is a moving story set and shot in Iraq, during the 1990s under the authoritarian rule of Saddam Hussein in the country’s southern wetland region. Two amateur child actors, Baneen Ahmad Nayyef and Sajad Mohamad Qasem, star in the film. Nayyef plays the 9-year-old tasked by her teacher with the impossible demand of baking a cake for Saddam’s birthday during a U.N.-sanctioned era of widespread scarcity.

Writer and director Hasan Hadi made the decision to tell a tale filmed on location in his childhood country, ignoring the difficulties created by shooting and finding on-screen talent there. The 2025 Iraqi/American/ Qatari production excels likely due to those constraints, having already won the Audience Award at Cannes and earned submission as the Iraqi entry for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars.

Hadi told Screen Daily that despite writing a film about such a turbulent time in Iraq’s history—and the possible stigma of having it coproduced by Americans—he remained focused on storytelling. “I didn’t want to make any political statement,” he insists. “I just wanted to show this period that has been impacting Iraq and Iraqis to this very day.” His choice in casting local children demonstrates that impact in ways that perhaps no studied actor ever could. 10/26, Violet Crown Theaters 6 and 7—CMG

The Plague

Adolescence can make anyone feel like they’re constantly on the verge of drowning, as they try to deal with changing bodies, fickle friends, parents who never seem to understand, and the crushing weight of peer pressure. So it is with Ben (Everett Blunck), a 12-year-old who is desperate to fit in at Tom Lerner Water Polo Camp. As Ben tries to win favor with charismatic big fish Jake (Kayo Martin), he realizes that clicking with the popular clique may be far trickier—and perhaps dangerous—than he anticipated: He’s swimming with sharks, and there’s no lifeguard on duty.

The Plague marks the directorial debut of Charlie Polinger, who also wrote the screenplay, which has drawn comparisons to Lord of the Flies and Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. It was inspired by Polinger’s own less-thanheartwarming personal experiences at sports camps 20 years ago. 10/24, Violet Crown 5

Sentimental Value

Four years ago, Danish-Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier brought The Worst Person in the World to the Virginia Film Festival, and the comedy-drama went on to garner Academy Award nominations, as well as numerous accolades for its leading lady, Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve. Reinsve and Trier have reteamed for Sentimental Value, a look at two different sisters trying to come to terms with each other and with their father, a once-renowned film director.

Anxiety-rattled stage star Nora (Reinsve) inherited her dad’s obsession with building a career. Her much mellower sister, Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), chose marriage, motherhood, and domesticity. Their selfish, self-absorbed and long-estranged father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), is planning a cinematic tribute to his own mom, much to the dismay of Nora and Agnes. Elle Fanning plays the American star Gustav wants as the lead for his comeback picture. 10/24, Culbreth Theatre

Nouvelle Vague

Director Richard Linklater shook up the indie cinema scene 35 years ago with his debut feature Slacker. So, who better to examine the salad days of Jean-Luc Godard, another auteur who sent out cinematic shockwaves in 1960 with Breathless (A bout de souffle), his first movie? Shot in black and white, Nouvelle Vague sweeps us back to the boulevards of Paris in the late 1950s, as the defiantly unconventional Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) nonchalantly shatters all the rules of filmmaking. Who needs a script? Godard prefers to scribble down ideas on café napkins. Who needs to record dialogue? The actors can dub in their lines later. Godard’s stars are former boxer Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin) and American ingenue Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch). Although it could have been an unsalvageable mess, Breathless became a worldwide hit, turned Belmondo and Seberg into icons, and helped to ignite the French New Wave. 10/26, Culbreth Theatre

Train Dreams

Train Dreams is based on Denis Johnson’s novella about a logger who joins a railroad crew in 1917 Idaho. Joel Edgerton plays hard-luck victim Robert Grainier, who observes an ever-changing world over the course of 50 years; Felicity Jones plays his devoted wife, Gladys, and the supporting cast features sterling character actors including William H. Macy, Paul Schneider, and Kerry Condon.

The industry buzz says director Clint Bentley has finally given Edgerton the role that may propel him into the awards spotlight, after years of superb performances in everything from The Great Gatsby to Master Gardener to The Green Knight. “In a largely quiet role, Edgerton must convey everything through his face and body language,” writes Screen Rant critic Mae Abdulbaki, “and he’s captivating.” 10/25, The Paramount Theater—JS

2025 VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL

Ben is back

Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz returns to the Virginia Film Festival to discuss director Ang Lee’s 1997 drama The Ice Storm, and to introduce The Sting at a Robert Redford tribute screening. Set during the holiday season in 1973, The Ice Storm examines the

C-VILLE: What’s your take on The Ice Storm?

Ben Mankiewicz: I mean, it’s a movie that doesn’t feel like it would be a movie today, and that’s a shame. Because it’s about—what’s the word I’m looking for?—oh, yeah, people. These people you could have known, and even if you don’t relate to them specifically, in the hands of James [Schamus] and Ang Lee, there is a real recognizable humanity. In some of the bigger movies that get the big budgets and get the billboards, I just don’t feel that. There’s not an emotional connection to it. Whereas here, there’s an emotional connection to six or seven different characters, people who are going through some degree of pain, or loss, or dissatisfaction, or joy, even … but mostly pain,

tangled relationships of two generations of suburbanites grappling with everything from extramarital affairs to Watergate. Mankiewicz, who is based in Los Angeles, has been with TCM for 22 years (he flies to Atlanta to tape his movie intros and outros), and he also hosts TCM’s podcast “The Plot Thickens.” Fresh from the latest TCM cruise, he spoke with C-VILLE via Zoom.—JS

loss, and dissatisfaction. You can connect with that, and that’s what great storytelling is.

The cast is beyond belief: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen. Tobey Maguire, and Christina Ricci and Katie Holmes, when they were starting out. And it so perfectly captures the atmosphere of 1973, the political and social upheavals.

As a history major, I used to say, “Imagine what it must have been like to live through the ’60s, to live through the JFK assassination in ’63, and then Malcolm X in ’65, and then Doctor King and Bobby Kennedy in ’68. Like, that’s five years, less than five years between these four

cataclysmic assassinations, plus all this other social unrest. Can you imagine living through those times?” And now I can answer, “Yes.” We’ve lived through tumultuous times. And I now can imagine. And I am unnerved. I feel unsettled almost every day, in ways that affect my mood and how I deal with people I love. So, yeah, I get it. It makes me relate to characters like this.

It’s great to have you back for the festival.

I think everybody loves college towns. And I don’t think there’s a better one than Charlottesville, which is a great place. I love it there. The Ice Storm 10/25, Violet Crown 5 and The Sting 10/26, Violet Crown 5

Page-to-screen highlights

Peter Hujar’s Day

A film adaptation of the book recounting a real-life conversation that took place between photographer Peter Hujar and writer Linda Rosenkrantz, this documentary stars Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall in an enthralling recreation of a single day in 1974 Manhattan. Hujar, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1987, was a leading figure in New York City’s downtown scene in the 1970s and early ’80s, and known for his black and white portraits as well as his activism.

Drawn from the recording transcripts made by Rosenkrantz, the film examines the artist’s inner life and reflections on the previous day, creating a portrait that is simultaneously intimate and experimental. As Hujar, Whishaw reflects on the minutia and miscellany of his life, his routines, and his relationships with contemporaries like Allen Ginsberg, Fran Lebowitz, William Burroughs, and Susan Sontag. The film’s cinematography depicts the era perfectly, with a color palette that is only possible when filming on 16mm stock. Set in a time and place that are often thought of only in iconic moments, the resulting film is refreshingly personal in its attention, focusing on small moments and gestures as much as Hujar’s storytelling and interactions with Rosenkrantz. 10/24, Violet Crown 1 and 2

Come See Me In The Good Light

This documentary centers on poets and partners Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as they explore love and mortality in response to an incurable cancer diagnosis. For those unfamiliar with their work, Gibson was a beloved queer poet and nonfiction writer perhaps best known for their live performances and spoken word. Their poems are often taut with probing self-reflection, overflowing with candor as they distill, digest, and cope with the mistakes, the fear, and the distress of life—all with a signature swagger. They wrote with softness and humor too though, which also shaped the experience of their cancer.

Gibson’s partner, Falley, is a queer femme poet, author, and teaching artist. Exploring their deep love for each other as well as the transformative power of laughter, dancing, and even pain, the film is goofy, intimate, and bittersweet in the wake of Gibson’s death from ovarian cancer in July. Recipient of the Festival Favorite Award at the Sundance Film Festival, this screening of Come See Me In The Good Light will also feature a discussion with Emmy-nominated producer Jessica Hargrave, whose work has been shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary and won five Critics Choice Awards. 10/25, Violet Crown 5

Underland

Based on Robert Macfarlane’s bestselling book of the same title, Underland is an engrossing look at some of the places we rarely see, the stories we tell, and the meaning we make of the underground. From a naturally occurring cenote in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula to man-made storm drains, abandoned mines, and advanced research facilities across the U.S. and Canada, the film invites viewers to examine what can be found in the depths of the Earth. Focusing on an archeologist, an urban explorer, and a theoretical particle physicist, the documentary unfolds through first-person meditations on the particular ways each person inhabits the underground. Whether just below a manhole cover or two kilometers underground, the topic is woven together with dreamy voice-over narration guiding the journey. Gorgeous documentary cinematography showcases the spaces they explore and exist in, the darkness swelling with dense soundscapes that are at once brooding and beckoning. Time-lapse footage of creeping roots and glowing mycelium is also mixed in, along with archival footage and abstractions of high-tech equipment and imagery. The film makes a lush companion to the book but also stands on its own and is perhaps best enjoyed in the cavelike obscurity of a darkened theater. 10/26, Violet Crown 3—SL

A bond on the inside

Filmmaker Adamu Chan sees the current fractured landscape of American life and says it doesn’t make sense to hope that his work will change anyone’s mind. Instead, Chan makes films for and about people that he has a shared experience with.

What These Walls Won’t Hold—a documentary exploring Chan’s time at California’s San Quentin State Prison—offers literal and poetic insights into the carceral system with the COVID-19 pandemic as its backdrop.

“We actually were building a lot of intimacy during a time when so many other people were feeling very isolated,” Chan says. “It’s the complicated and contradictory nature of life, right? Many things can be happening at once.”

While incarcerated, Chan participated in a media training program, propelling him to document the lives of those living within San Quentin’s walls. It’s a film of change and contrasts:

Those walls encircling the prison keep people in, but they can also help foster a feeling of camaraderie. Chan says the relationships he forged during his incarceration are still important to him, and that “those people are close to me.”

He’s talking about individuals like Lonnie Morris, who’d been at San Quentin for decades by the time Chan arrived. Like the filmmaker, Morris is depicted while he’s serving his sentence and afterward. But freedom’s just a single element of an everchanging and evolving life.

“Even while people are inside and they’re away from their families—they’re away from the communities that they were a part of before they went inside—people are also forming communities inside,” Chan says. “They’re still living their lives inside; they’re still doing things that are meaningful to them; they’re still growing; they’re still changing, transforming. … Change is always happening, right?” 10/26, Violet Crown 4—DC

FILM: HEDDA

FRIDAY, OCT. 24 | 8:20 PM CULBRETH THEATRE

Director Nia DaCosta (Candyman) reimagines Henrik Ibsen’s play Hedda Gabler with audacious style, relocating the story to 1950s England and placing Tessa Thompson (Passing) at the center of a lavish yet su ocating world. Also featuring Tom Bateman, Nina Hoss, and Imogen Poots.

SATURDAY, OCT. 25 | 4:50 PM VIOLET CROWN

Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) delivers a masterful dissection of upper-middle-class malaise in this turbulent drama starring Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Christina Ricci.

SUNDAY, OCT. 26 | 4:50 PM VIOLET CROWN

North American Premiere

Named after the Slavic goddess of nature, Divia brings to light the ways Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has impacted forests and native species. Largely composed of drone footage, this sound-driven documentary provides a distinct perspective and immersive experience into the impacts of war and conflict on the Earth.

SUNDAY, OCT. 26 | 7:00 PM THE PARAMOUNT THEATER

Acclaimed filmmaker HIKARI’s (Beef) second feature film follows a struggling American actor (Brendan Fraser) living in Tokyo who lands an unexpected gig at a Japanese rental family agency, where he is hired to play stand-in roles in strangers’ lives.

Despite the artifice of the work, he begins to forge genuine connections with his clients.

Discussion with Cara Brower, Craft Award for Production Design

Discussion with James Schamus, Impresario Award, moderated by Ben Mankiewicz, prime-time host of Turner Classic Movies

Discussion with executive producer Daniel Frank and producers Polina Herman and Glib Lukianets

Discussion with HIKARI, Breakthrough Director Award

THURSDAY, OCT. 23 3:30 PM THE PARAMOUNT THEATER

THURSDAY, OCT. 23 5:00 PM VIOLET CROWN

THURSDAY, OCT. 23

7:00 PM THE PARAMOUNT THEATER

SATURDAY, OCT. 25 1:45 PM CULBRETH THEATRE

SATURDAY, OCT. 25 8:30 PM THE PARAMOUNT THEATER

SUNDAY, OCT. 26 1:30 PM VIOLET CROWN

SUNDAY, OCT. 26 2:00 PM CULBRETH THEATRE

SUNDAY, OCT. 26 7:45 PM CULBRETH THEATRE

SUNDAY, OCT. 26 7:50 PM VIOLET CROWN

THURSDAY, OCT. 23 | 5:15 PM CULBRETH THEATRE

Superintendent Dr. Jason Van Heukelum, of the pioneering Emil Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center in Winchester, Virginia, along with the school’s students and faculty, illustrate how hands-on, real-world experience–centered learning models can prepare young people for both college and professional careers.

Discussion with director Charles Haine, executive producer Ted Dintersmith, and film subjects Jason Van Heukelum, Liz Imoh, and Marie Imoh

Supported by United Way of Greater Charlottesville

THURSDAY, OCT. 23 | 8:15 PM | VIOLET CROWN

Academy Award-winning documentarian Ben Proudfoot (The Last Repair Shop) turns his lens to Ghana in this tribute to the nation’s cinematic legacy and political history.

Starting in the 1950s, Chris Hesse was revolutionary leader Kwame Nkrumah’s personal cameraman. As Nkrumah sparked a pan-African liberation movement, eventually became Ghana’s first Prime Minister, and then first President, Hesse was right by his side.

Discussion with producer and storyteller Anita Afonu

FRIDAY, OCT. 24 | 5:30 PM | VIOLET CROWN

Bird Rowe, a biracial bride-to-be, shows up unannounced at her hippie mother’s rural home, looking for help planning her wedding. Their attempts at bonding quickly unravel as buried truths surface, revealing an emotionally complex and fraught relationship.

Richmond filmmaker Melody C. Roscher’s Bird in Hand (shot on location in Virginia) is a sharp and moving portrait of a young woman looking for connection—no matter how messy it gets.

Discussion with director Melody C. Roscher and producer Saba Zerehi

FRIDAY, OCT. 24 | 8:15 PM | VIOLET CROWN

Best Narrative Feature, Hawai’i International Film Festival

Director Alika Tengan expands his acclaimed short into a deeply personal feature about Kainoa, a young man striving to reintegrate and reconnect with his son and his culture as a Native Hawaiian after seven years incarcerated.

Discussion with director Alika Tengan

SATURDAY, OCT. 25 | 10:45 AM | VIOLET CROWN

Innovative, brilliant, and pioneering are just a few ways to describe Laurie Olin, one of the world’s most renowned landscape architects and urban designers and the mind behind the design of Bryant Park, the Getty Center, and the Grounds of the Washington Monument. Sitting Still o ers a rare glimpse into the mind of an iconoclast.

Innovative, brilliant, and pioneering are just a few ways to describe Laurie Olin, one of the world’s most renowned landscape architects and urban designers and the mind behind the design of Bryant Park, the Getty Center, and the Grounds of the Washington Monument. Sitting Still o ers a rare glimpse into the mind of an iconoclast.

Discussion with director Gina M. Angelone

Discussion with director Gina M. Angelone

Supported by Diamond Schmitt and VMDO Architects

Supported by Diamond Schmitt and VMDO Architects

SATURDAY, OCT. 25 | 1:45 PM | VIOLET CROWN

A major achievement of the American independent film movement of the 1990s, writer-director Whit Stillman’s debut is a sparkling comedic chronicle of a middle-class young man’s romantic misadventures among New York City’s debutante society. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Stillman’s deft, literate script and hilariously high-brow observations mask a tender tale of adolescent anxiety.

Discussion with director Whit Stillman

SATURDAY, OCT. 25 | 4:30 PM | VIOLET CROWN

Twenty-nine-year-old Jonathan, fed up with constant infantilization due to his disability and bitter about losing his job, embarks on a vacation to Panama City before his spinal surgery. He recruits a duo of unlikely companions, a down-on-her-luck actress and a pessimistic playboy, to embark on the journey from Mexico City.

Daniel Poler’s directorial debut draws inspiration from his best friend Jonathan Benaim, who plays himself in this irreverent and dark comedy.

Discussion with director Daniel Poler

SUNDAY, OCT. 26 | 1:15 PM | VIOLET CROWN

Robert Redford and Paul Newman play a pair of cunning con men in 1930s Chicago who go to brain-bending lengths to avenge the mob boss responsible for their friend’s murder, in this classic caper for the ages.

Introduction by Ben Mankiewicz, prime-time host of Turner Classic Movies VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL | OCT 22-26 125+ FILMS AND EVENTS AT VIRGINIAFILMFESTIVAL.ORG

SATURDAY, OCT. 25 | IRVING THEATRE, CODE BUILDING | PRESENTED BY VIOLET CROWN CINEMA

All panels will be presented with live captions.

Jay Duplass and Michael Strassner, recipients of VAFF’s Achievement in Screenwriting Awards, discuss the craft of screenwriting. Using clips from their recent hit film Baltimorons, Duplass and Strassner share their creative process and explore the relationship between producers, actors, and screenwriters.

12:00 PM with Melody C. Roscher (Martha Marcy May Marlene), David Usui (In Transit), Saba Zerehi (The Graduates)

2:00 PM with Alexa L. Fogel (Oz, The Wire, Creed III)

at virginiafilmfestival.org, up to two hours prior to each film.

at 434-924-3376, open Tues-Fri from noon to 5:00 PM.

at UVA Arts Box O ce in the lobby of the UVA Drama Building, and Downtown Box O ce, located inside Violet Crown.

4:00 PM with Rob Spera (Fathers and Sons, Leprechaun in the Hood)

6:00 PM with Bill Platt (Warners Bros. Discovery AI ContentLab), Scot Safon (Former CMO at CNN)

You’re in luck! Ten minutes prior to the start of a film, we sell unclaimed tickets to a standby line. Scan the QR code for information on ticketing policies, box o ce locations, and more.

Full-time UVA students receive one complimentary ticket per film, as available, made possible by the Arts$ program. Must be reserved at least 24 hours in advance

ASL-English Interpretation

Closed Captions

Open Captions

All venues are accessible via ramp or elevators, o er wheelchair seating, and have accessible restrooms. Select films o er closed captioning or open captions. ASL interpretation o ered at select in-person discussions. All foreign-language films are presented with English subtitles. For more information, visit virginiafilmfestival.org/accessibility.

FILM SCREENING

“A STILL SMALL VOICE BY LUKE LORENTZEN, PRODUCED BY KELLEN QUINN

Followed by a panel discussion with Professor Beth Epstein (UVA Nursing), Rabbi Vanessa Ochs (UVA Religious Studies & Jewish Studies, professor emerita), and Rev. Jacobus Greyling (UVA Health Sciences Pastoral Education

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2 5 PM | Nau 101 Reception to Follow

My name is Jordan Hague and I created Equity Saver USA in 2008 to offer a better, more affordable service to disrupt and challenge what I personally experienced to be an outdated and flawed approach to Realtor compensation at the expense of sellers and buyers.

In 2024 the National Association of Realtors settled a billion dollar lawsuit related to inflated Realtor commission practices. This monumental settlement opens the door for true free market competition and innovation to thrive. I’ve successfully sold homes using a 1% model for nearly 2 decades proving the old “6% legacy” commission model is a waste of money and does nothing to help promote affordable housing. Contact me direct to arrange a no obligation meeting to learn more.

CULTURE

FRIDAY 10/24

BITE NIGHT

PVCC’s Films Talk Back series features a creepy cinema classic: George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Hailed as one of the most influential horror movies of all time, the 1968 zombie flick spawned a legion of sequels, remakes, and reimaginings, giving rise to a subgenre that’s dominated fright nights for decades. The movie follows seven strangers who hole up in a Pennsylvania farmhouse as the undead surround them, offering scathing social commentary on systemic racism in America through its bleak finalé. PVCC professor of sociology and horror film scholar Todd Platts presents a short analysis and conversation following the screening. Free, 7pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu

Dine in Style!

TO-DO LIST

ICELANDIC INSTRUMENTALIST

The Paramount Theater present an evening with one of the world’s most sought-after musical artists. Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has won numerous awards, including the 2025 Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, and captured the attention of audiophiles around the globe with critically acclaimed tours. Ólafsson will play works by J.S. Bach, Beethoven, and Schubert in an 80-minute recital performed without intermission. $41.25–74.25, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tecs.org

Wednesday 10/22 music

Open Mic Night. Mic check to all musicians, poets, and everyone in between. All ages welcome. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. Stillwater Hum. Rock and Americana favorites. Free, 5:30pm. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

Thomas Gunn. A longtime staple on the Charlottesville music scene, Gunn’s original work delivers a delightful fusion of folk and country with deft guitar, poignant lyrics, and unscripted humor. Free, 7:30pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

dance

Weekly Swing Dance. Beginner-friendly swing dance lessons teaching the Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and blues. No partner needed. Stay for social dancing after the class. $10, 7pm. The Front Porch , 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com stage

The Pirate Ballad of Bonny and Read An overtly theatrical, sea shanty-fueled world premiere about rewriting the rules, claiming your voice, and choosing your own way forward. $35–70, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com words

Pursuits of Knowledge: Rick Atkinson on The Fate of the Day Join Monticello with Rick Atkinson, discuss the second volume of his landmark American Revolution trilogy, where George Washington’s army fights on the knife edge between victory and defeat. $10, 5:30pm. PVCC Dickinson Hall, 501 College Dr. monticello.org

classes

BOO!ology Lab. Spook-tacular STEM fun for mad scientists ages 4 and older and an adult caregiver, featuring new games, activities, and experiments every week. $5 after museum admission, 4pm. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org

etc.

Dürty Karaoke. Dive bar karaoke for your hump days. Free, 8:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Rapture Karaoke. The longest-running karaoke event in town. Hosted by Jenn DeVille. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Virginia Film Festival. The annual film festival returns for its 38th year with more than 120 films from around the world, including tentpole previews, independent films, documentaries, and vintage screenings. Prices, times, and locations vary. virginiafilmfestival.org.

Thursday 10/23 music

Berto and Vincent. A night of wild flamenco rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Jim Richardson. Local folk, country, and rock singer-songwriter covers classic tunes. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Jon Nolan & Good Co. Frontman for the internationally touring New England alt-country champs Say ZuZu returns to C’ville with a new band performing working class Americana. Free, 7:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Old Crow Medicine Show. Grammy Award-winning Americana stalwarts return to town. $55, 7pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

WILLIS. Modern indie rock. With Winyah. $32, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

stage

Romeo & Juliet. Shakespeare’s most iconic story of young love—reckless, tender, and all-consuming. $35–70, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Significant Other Jordan Berman would love to be in love, but that’s easier said than done. So until he meets Mr. Right, he wards off lonely nights with his trio of close girlfriends—until they begin settling down. $15, 8pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org

classes

Mini Paint & Sip. Keeping it fun and manageable by painting adorable 4x6-inch mini masterpieces. Perfect for your desk, bookshelf, or anywhere you need a little pop of handmade joy. $40, 6:30pm. Pikasso Swig Craft Bar, 333 Second St. SE. pikassoswig.com

Paint + Sip: Blue Ridge Autumn. Learn how to paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. blueridgebrushes.com

Tots & Dots. A visual-literacy program for early learners ages 6 months to 4 years, featuring a fun hands-on activity. Registration required. Free, 10am. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

etc.

Boo Bash Halloween Carnival. A family-friendly carnival that’s too cute to spook. Dress up in your most creative costumes and enjoy frighteningly fun carnival games, activities, and crafts. $18–65, 5:30pm. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. An escape room meets a pub crawl. Visit the Preston Avenue breweries, crack codes, unravel riddles, and sample Charlottesville’s best brews. Players get $1-off pints at each brewery. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Ethos Craft Night. Bring a craft, use our supplies, or buy a bottle to paint and gift. Free, 5pm. Ethos Wine & Tea, 817 W. Main St. ethoswineandtea.com

Hardware Hills Trivia Night. Bring your team of up to six players for some 1980s trivia. Ages 21+. Free, 6:30pm. Hardware Hills Vineyard, 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. hardwarehills.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. Like an escape room but at a winery. Crack codes and unravel riddles while sampling Charlottesville’s best wine, beer, and cider. Play when you want and go at your own pace. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Virginia Film Festival. See listing for Wednesday, October 22. Prices, times, and locations vary. virginiafilmfestival.org.

Friday 10/24 music

2025 Mock Star’s Ball Night One. Come see your favorite local bands perform sets as your favorite bands of all times. Benefiting Shelter For Help In Emergency in honor of Whitney French. $20–25, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Brandon Wayne & His Lonesome Drifters. Hillbilly and honky-tonk music for a night of foot-stompin’, boot-scootin’ fun. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

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Page turners

PAGES CULTURE

Cozying up to the second annual Crozet Book Fest BY SARAH

LAWSON

If you think spring is the season of book festivals, think again. The Crozet Book Fest will take place on October 25, featuring free panel discussions and book signings with authors of fantasy, suspense, and romance, as well as middle grade and picture books. Now in its second year, the Crozet Book Fest is presented by Bluebird & Co., with support from CharlottesvilleFamily, JeffersonMadison Regional Library, Virginia Humanities, and WriterHouse. Building off past success, the event promises to be a close-up and cozy chance to meet authors, hear them discuss their work, and join others in celebrating all things bookish.

Some of the genre-specific panels include Murders, Muffins, & Mayhem: Cozy Mysteries to Die For, featuring Olivia Blacke, Mollie Cox Bryan, and Mindy Quigley, as well as a young adult fantasy panel called World Building from Within: Where Your Inner Weird Doesn’t Need A Map, with Amber McBride and Ivelisse Housman. For fans of romance, there’s also Messy, Hot, & Human: Writing the Contemporary Love Interest, featuring Audrey Ingram, Eliza MacArthur, and Jeffrey Dale Lofton.

For younger readers (and writers who want to publish books for them), there are events such as Picture Books & Pals: Storytime with the Authors, featuring Kris Coronado, Hannah Barnaby, Gabriella Aldeman, and Tammy Tatum, as well as So You Want to Be A Writer: Middle Grade Authors on Storytelling for Writers of All Ages, with Kate Albus, Alyssa Colman, Meredith Davis, and Lindsey Leavitt. Most events are free to attend, but advance registration is required.

C-VILLE spoke with Flannery Buchanan of Bluebird & Co. to learn more about this year’s fest.

C-VILLE: What was the drive behind your decision to create the Crozet Book Fest and host it annually in October?

Flannery Buchanan: The impetus was twofold. First, we had so many authors last fall that we wanted to support with events but with only so many hours in the day, days in the week … we thought a one-day festival was the way to support our authors in a more meaningful way. Plus, once we floated the idea to a group of our regular authors like Elle Cosimano, Katharine Schellman, Sara Read, and more, their enthusiasm was contagious and motivating, and now here we are.

How does this play a part in your ongoing trajectory from mobile bookshop to brick and mortar as a way to continue to build book community in the Crozet area?

People just seem hungry for community, for positive interactions, for ways to support

local businesses. We are so fortunate that Crozet and beyond continuously supports what we’re doing with local authors and the book community in general. Our goal is for Crozet to be this little literary hub for many years to come and the Crozet Book Fest is but one way to reach that goal.

What are some lessons you learned from year one in 2024 that you think will make this year’s event even better?

The lessons we learned were all logistical in nature: how far apart to spread the events, where we needed more volunteers, how many books to buy. The hard lessons you can only learn [once] you actually do it.

How many authors are lined up for this year?

We have 33 authors on panels and 15 more doing table signings at the library from noon to 5pm.

As you were putting together the schedule, where did you start? Was there a specific author or genre that you just knew you had to include this year?

We started out with some rough themes that we were seeing in 2025 in general: horror,

motherhood. But until we received submissions from authors, we really had to wait and see where it all fell together. That’s always the fun part—taking the authors and the work and fitting them together into something that makes sense and will be interesting to people.

Who are some of the headliners that you’re personally most excited about?

Well, Stacy Willingham for starters. Chelsea, my business partner, has always loved her work and I’ve been talking to her publicist for years trying to get her for an event so this was very exciting for us. I am also very excited for Alix E. Harrow because she has a huge following and most people don’t know that she’s Charlottesville-based.

Are there any other details or highlights you want to make sure we mention?

As always, please, please, please support the local businesses with whom we work. Bar Botanical, Mudhouse, and The Yellow Mug graciously host events with no fees so that we can bring these events to Crozet. What we hope from people in return is that you buy a coffee [or] get lunch. The more support we can throw their way, the better!

The Crozet Book Fest takes place October 25 at

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

Brian K & the Parkway. A blend of rock, soul, and R&B. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Chickenhead Blues Band. New Orleans boogiewoogie, upbeat, rhythm and blues sounds. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

FarAway. Known for their strong and tight harmonies, Brian Franke and Sara Davenport are a married couple who have played music together for more than 10 years. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Fleshwater. Showcasing a contrast between heavily distorted guitars and clean but intense female vocals, while also combining other shoegaze elements. With Chat Pile. $38, 7pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Gaelynn Lea at Offbeat Roadhouse. Lea got her big break when she won NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2016. Since then, she’s captivated audiences around the world with haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes. Free, 8pm. The Stage at WTJU, 2244 Ivy Rd. wtju.net

Gina Sobel. Award-winning songwriter and composer brings together elements of funk, jazz, and American folk music into a fresh and compelling sound. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Ian Gilliam & The FireKings. Rock ‘n’ roll, blues, rockabilly, and country music. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.

Lizzie No. One of the most exciting new voices in indie folk music. With Isabel March. $20, 7:30pm. The Front Porch , 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com

Sue Harlow. An Americana-folk singer-songwriter whose haunting vocals delve into the depths of what makes people real. Free, 5:30pm. Hardware Hills Vineyard, 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. hardwarehills.com

The Boomerangs. A sunset soirée featuring acoustic and electric classic rock and pop hits from past generations. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com stage

Significant Other. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, 8pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org

The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Shakespeare at his most playful, where friendship tangles with romance and characters stumble through the beautiful, messy chaos of growing up. $35–70, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com words

Author Event: Gabrielle Cerberville. Cerberville speaks about her new book, Gathered: On Foraging, Feasting, and the Seasonal Life. A conversation with composer and ecoacoustician Matthew Burtner follows. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com classes

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Halloween Kick-Off: Trunk or Treat. A hauntingly fun evening filled with trunk or treat fun for the kids, adult trick-or-treating at the Winemaker Suites, and mouthwatering Oktoberfest eats served fresh from the food truck. Free, 4pm. Virginia Wine Collective, 1585 Avon St. Ext. eastwood farmandwinery.com

Night of the Living Dead PVCC’s Films Talk Back features one of the most influential horror movies of all time, shown on the big screen with a discussion to follow. Free, 7pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu

Trivia with Olivia. Get the weekend started with beers and trivia. Free, 6pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarm andwinery.com

Virginia Film Festival. See listing for Wednesday, October 22. Prices, times, and locations vary. virginiafilmfestival.org.

Saturday 10/25

music

2025 Mock Star’s Ball Night Two. See listing for Friday, October 24. $20–25, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesouthern cville.com

Aaron & the Beaux Ties. Rockabilly styling with traditional sensibility as the base, hopped up with uniquely unexpected spice. With Flea Bops. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Danny Jams. Indie-electronic loop artist based in Richmond, Virginia, combines jam-focused guitar performances over electro-funk rhythms. Free, noon. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

Heidi Riddell. A singer-songwriter saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

Josh Mayo and The House Sauce. One of Charlottesville’s finest Americana rockers and his band perform a mix of originals and classic crowd pleasers. Free, 7pm. Mejicali, 852 W. Main St. #110. mejicalirestaurant.com

LockJaw. High-energy blues rock. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Melissa Hansen. A blend of blues, pop, country, and soul that comes from Hansen’s own life experiences. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarle ciderworks.com

Nightfall of Diamonds: Grateful Dead Jams. Members of Alligator, The Cows, BC, and 77z come together for a night of magic and a nightfall of diamonds on the Lower Lawn Stage. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Paint + Sip: Autumn Forest. Learn how to paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, 7pm. Hazy Mountain Vineyard & Brewery, 240 Hazy Mountain Ln., Afton. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

Boo Bash Halloween Carnival. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $18–65, 5:30pm. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org

Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners. Balancing folk songwriting, rock ‘n’ roll energy, raw instrumentation, and sonic wanderlust, the Seattle-based musicians draw inspiration from the friendship between them. With Field Medic. $28–35, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Troy Breslow. Country music artist from Hampton Roads, Virginia. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducard vineyards.com

Fleshwater with Chat Pile and Balmora

Accessibility in music is relative. A production choice to drop strident elements can open doors—or close them. A songwriting decision to blow up the arrangement with an unexpected halt, or inject a plodding track with a catchy chorus, can make a huge difference to audience reception. If Rick James were still alive, you could ask him about how the single-note synth line in “Superfreak” got him on Top 40 radio back in the day.

But with Georgetown, Massachusetts, band Fleshwater, the way its overall sound is crafted serves as an example of how relative accessibility is. In another time, the group would have been considered over the top, but certainly not in 2025, and doubly so in context of the fact that it grew out of a side project from Vein.fm, a heavier affair.

Still undergirded by metal riffing and hardcore aggression—yet given nuance and lightness via layered sounds—some of Fleshwater’s borrowed vocal deliveries have set it apart from its birthing band. There’s something shoegazey about Fleshwater’s sound,

especially in the water-logged, heavily effected voices on the debut album, We’re Not Here to Be Loved (2022). The group also dabbles in what comes across like an accidental refraction of emo—just with much better taste and adult maturity.

At a bare minimum, you have to credit the band for its originality in execution. With big singles “Kiss the Ladder” and “Standalone” clocking in at just over one minute, Fleshwater has held on to punk values without explicitly reenacting its conventions, while shared female and male voices infuse it with an inimitable charm.

This year’s 2000: In Search of the Endless Sky veers a bit further into clearer production and more expected arrangement choices, but the main aesthetic is far from by the numbers.

The Jefferson Theater FRIDAY 10/24

Openers Chat Pile enlivens the evening with an Oklahoma-raised brand of destructo-noise metal, while post-hardcore Balmora starts the festivities with an equally enraged brand of music balancing tuneless vocal barking and harmonizing runs.—CM Gorey

Viva la Vida: A Musical Celebration of the Art and Times of Frida Kahlo. Accomplished guitarist William Feasely leads a musical journey through Mexican culture and history that celebrates the groundbreaking painter Frida Kahlo through classical guitar. Free, 7:30pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu

dance

October Ballroom Dance: Halloween Theme. The class for this month is Viennese waltz, taught by Steven Babusko. Beginners welcome, no partner required. Come for the class and stay for the social dance. Pay at the door. Cash or checks only. $5–15, 7pm. The Center, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

ORH Dance Company: Haunting to Healing. An immersive dance performance that brings together history of place, memory of the body, and opens our concepts of what haunts us and what heals us. $25–30, 2pm and 4pm. McGuffey Art Center, 201 Second St NW. orhdance.com

Spooky Silent Disco for SARA. An all-ages event bringing music, movement, and community together to support survivors of sexual violence. $10–15, 5pm. Random Row Brewing Company, 608 Preston Ave., Ste. A. randomrow.com

stage

Halloween Drag Spooktacular. Queen Jackie of All Trades hosts a Halloween drag show featuring Cinnamon Ice, Bendn’ Prayzir, and Gimmea Attenshun. $15, 9pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Romeo & Juliet. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $35–70, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespeare center.com

Significant Other See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, 8pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org

The Pirate Ballad of Bonny and Read. See listing for Wednesday, October 22. $35–70, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com

words

An Evening with Victoria Wyeth. Victoria Wyeth, granddaughter of acclaimed artist Andrew Wyeth, presents a lecture paired with a three-course meal inspired by Maine. $150, 6pm. Près Des Prés, 115 S. Main St., Gordonsville. eatpresva.com

Author Event: Amber Sparks. Sparks reads from her debut novel Happy People Don’t Live Here. A conversation with writer Anna Beecher follows. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominion bookshop.com

Visions of Progress Catalog Launch. The public unveiling of “Visions of Progress: Portraits of Dignity, Style, & Racial Uplift,” a companion catalog to a 2022–23 exhibition at the Albert & Shirley Small Special Collections. Free, 3pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. albemarlehistory.org

classes

Learn to Knit. Learn the basics of knitting, no experience needed. Leave with a pair of knitting needles, the beginning of a scarf, and enough yarn to finish it. Ages 12+. $25, 3:30pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Needle Felted Pumpkins, Gourds, and JackO-Lanterns. Make a soft little pumpkin, gourd, or jack-o’-lantern using a specialized notched needle to sculpt dyed wool. Beginners and returning students welcome. Ages 12+. $40, 1pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappy elephant.com

Stick and Stitch Embroidery. Learn how to make and use a dissolvable stick-on pattern for embroidery. Bring a washable cloth item you’d like to add some embroidery to, or use cloth provided by the instructor. Ages 12+. $40, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

STAGES CULTURE

etc.

32nd Annual Martha’s Market. A curated selection of specialty vendors offering clothing, jewelry, home décor, children’s toys, and more. Free, 10am. Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave. mjhfoundation.org

Black Barbers of Charlottesville Tour. Take a look at the City of Charlottesville through the history of its Black barbers on this walking tour focusing on stories from the late-19th and early20th centuries. $5–20, noon. Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, 200 Second St. NE. albemarlehistory.org

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Charlottesville City Market. Produce and products from 80+ local vendors. Visit the Market Management tent to match your SNAP dollars up to $50 each visit. Free, 8am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov

Charlottesville Jamboree. A family-friendly music festival in the Belvedere area featuring kids’ activities, arts and crafts, and music by Lilly Winwood, Mike Miz, Jen Tal Band, and Paul McDonald & the Mourning Doves. $27, 11am. Fairview Swim and Tennis Club , 707 Belvedere Blvd. cville jamboree.com

Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Tour. A walking tour exploring the history of the region from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and the removal of four controversial monuments in 2021. $5–20, 10am. Albemarle County Courthouse, 501 E. Jefferson St. albemarle history.org

Crozet Book Fest & Book Fest Jr. A local book fest featuring national and local authors. Find a way to celebrate your love of reading with different events all day, including ones catered just for kids. Prices vary, all day. Locations vary. bluebird crozet.com

Fall Festival. All-day activities including tractor sitting, farm animal viewing, and barrel train rides

with local food and beverage, arts, and craft vendors on site. Free, 9am. Bellair Farm, 5290 Bellair Farm. bellairfarm.com

Historic Downtown Mall Tour. A casual eightblock walk around Charlottesville’s historic pedestrian Downtown Mall discovering local history. $5–20, 11am. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. albemarlehistory.org

Sidewalk Art Sale. Offering a wide range of artworks by beloved local artists, including pieces from past Gallery Rallies and Teeny Tiny Trifecta exhibitions at discounted prices. Free, 10am. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. secondstreetgallery.org

Storytime. Featuring readings from recent storybooks and the classics kids know and love. Rain or shine. All ages welcome. Free, 11am. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Vintage Street Market. An outdoor vintage and secondhand market featuring 15+ vendors from all over Central Virginia. Free, 10am. Darling Boutique, 115 First St. S. shopdarlingxdashing.com

Virginia Film Festival. See listing for Wednesday, October 22. Prices, times, and locations vary. virginiafilmfestival.org.

Sunday 10/26 music

Acoustic Aubrey. A soulful blend of R&B and acoustic rock—raw, heartfelt, and totally unforgettable. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Anthony Semiao. Influenced by music from all genres, including artists like Eric Clapton, Rush, U2, CCR, and the Allman Brothers. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

Sunday 10/26

Dave’s Basement. A Sunday session featuring crowd-pleasing songs. Free, 1pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

GootGenuG. Jazz fusion classics and a few originals. Free, noon. Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, 5022 Plank Rd., North Garden. pippinhillfarm.com

Gov’t Mule After-Party with Pink Lady Slipper. Eric Cope’s newest southern funk jam rock outfit performs for a Gov’t Mule after party. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Gov’t Mule: Back in the Saddle. For three decades, Gov’t Mule has galvanized a global fan base with their honest, organic, and daring music and improvisational virtuosity. With Andy Frasco & The U.N. $50–68, 7pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Matt Johnson. Local singer-songwriter featured on NBC’s “The Voice.” Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Rachel Karpo. Karpo’s unique blend of music includes ’80s and ’90s hits, classic rock, and country. Free, noon. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

SuperFly Goth Night. Celebrate Halloween with The Wedding Funeral’s Gothic Americana, Jaguardini’s darkwave and synthwave, and Dead Cool’s dark electronic music. $10 suggested cover, 7pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. Ste. 2. superflybrewing.com

dance

BRIMS Creepy Ceili. The monthly Ceili dance gets a family-friendly ghostly glow-up. No dance experience or partner needed, costumes encouraged. Free, 3pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

stage

Significant Other. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, 2:30pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org

The Two Gentlemen of Verona See listing for Friday, October 24. $35–70, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com

words

Appalachian Ghost Stories. Storyteller and Virginia Humanities Folk Master Kathy Coleman shares spooky tales to celebrate the season. Ages 13+. Free, 6pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Silent Book Club. Join fellow readers that want to share space and silence together. No assigned readings, bring your own book—all formats welcome. Free, 3pm. Ethos Wine & Tea, 817 W. Main St. ethoswineandtea.com

classes

Bead and Leather Earrings. Use leather, wire wrapping, and small accent beads to create statement earrings. Ages 16+. $35, 1pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

THURSDAY 10/23

MEDICINE GETTING DOWN

Grammy Award-winning Americana stalwarts Old Crow Medicine Show return to town with that down-home sound that’s earned a faithful following since the group got together nearly 30 years ago. From busking on street corners in New York state to being inducted as members of the Grand Ole Opry and earning the Recording Industry Association of America’s Double-Platinum certification for the classic single “Wagon Wheel,” OCMS has consistently raised the bar for American roots music with its brand of energetic and introspective folk. Special guest Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country will bring fans in early as the show’s openers. $55, 7pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Paint + Sip: Batty Moonrise. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials and first drink included. $44, 5pm. Starr Hill Downtown, 946 Grady Ave. Ste. 101. blueridgebrushes.com

Paint + Sip: Pumpkin Patch. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, 2pm. Patch Brewing Co., 10271 Gordon Ave., Gordonsville. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Halloween Festival Boo Bash. Featuring palm readings, a costume contest, face painting, a bounce house, food, live music, campfire s’mores, kid’s crafts, and a spooky scavenger hunt. Free, 2pm. Unity of Charlottesville, 2825 Hydraulic Rd. unitycharlottesville.org

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, October 23. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Virginia Film Festival. See listing for Wednesday, October 22. Prices, times, and locations vary. virginiafilmfestival.org.

Monday 10/27 music

BRIMS Presents: Le Vent du Nord. This awardwinning and highly acclaimed band is a leading force in Québec’s exciting and progressive Francophonefolk movement. $35, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Tuesday 10/28 music

High Fade. A three-man crusade to set dance floors alight with an inimitable brand of razor-sharp funk and disco. $25, 8pm. The Southern Cafe & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Tim Holehouse. Holehouse’s sound is hugely varied, adapting to the atmosphere of a show. He has been known to release folk, blues, experimental music, and covers many other genres. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Tuesday Evening Concert Series Presents: Víkingur Ólafsson. Icelandic pianist Ólafsson has captured public and critical imagination to become one of the most sought-after artists of today. $41–74, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Tuesday Jazz with Stephanie Nakasian. Vocalist Nakasian brings a rotating cast of local and regional jazz monsters. Free, 7:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Vincent Zorn. Lively flamenco rumba with a unique percussive technique that incorporates a diverse range of strumming styles, rhythms, and taps. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com etc.

Bent Theatre Improv. Charlottesville’s “Best Performance Troupe” of 2025. Free, 7pm. Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery, 520 Second St. SE. threenotchdbrewing.com

Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Teams of two to six people compete to win prizes like gift certificates and pint glasses, plus bragging rights. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

The Run Club. Do a 5K run, then drink beer. $1-off pints for runners. Free, 6pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St.

ALL YOU CAN EAT CULTURE

On foraging

Local Mushroom Auntie writes it down

BY SARAH LAWSON

If you’ve ever foraged for mushrooms or berries locally, it’s possible you’ve encountered Gabrielle Cerberville. Also known as Chaotic Forager or the internet’s Mushroom Auntie, Cerberville is a foraging influencer on social media as well as a composer, community mycologist, and climate advocate. She recently published Gathered: On Foraging, Feasting, and the Seasonal Life, a book that shares Cerberville’s own relationship with foraging—from humble brags to instructive mishaps—as well as a philosophical framework for foraging, advice for those developing their practice, and recipes. With cheerful selfdeprecation and a storytelling style echoing her peripatetic explorations, Gathered is a tribute to curiosity, humility, and our capacity to notice. Cerberville recently discussed her work with C-VILLE.

C-VILLE: How did Chaotic Forager come into being as an identity and social media presence for you?

Gabrielle Cerberville: Social media started as a pandemic hobby for me. I had just moved from Indianapolis to Michigan to start my master’s degree … left all my foraging spots behind, which led to long days spent hunting for new ones. It seemed like it might be fun to start making little educational videos about my journey, and after a few months, I suddenly found myself with a viral hit in the form of a giant puffball mushroom. From there, it just sort of took off. I realized that people were hungry for good information about foraging, and I had the skills to give them that information.

Your foraging is interwoven with your work as an artist and chef. How do you navigate the connections between these realms as well as your academic work? For me, they’re not really separate realms at all, they’re more just different expressions of the same ever-evolving practice. In my academic work, I’m interested in how sound connects us to environments and communities. In the kitchen or in the forest, I’m interested in how taste, focus, intention, and creativity achieves the same thing. What ties it all together is the desire to understand how we can be in deeper, more intentional, more reciprocal conversation with the living world around us.

How is foraging a social and political act?

Foraging is intensely sociopolitical, and there isn’t really a way around that. It challenges systems that tell us anything worth having will cost us money, that expertise belongs only to those who have these specific kinds of access, and that community care is a theoretical possibility rather than a present reality.

ing “What abundance is already here?” is a radical act.

Foraging can be joyful, but it’s also deeply political: It’s about access, equity, reshaping our values, and imagining different futures.

Gathered is full of field-totable recipes, helping readers consider gastronomic options for specific foraged foods. What did the process of recipe development look like?

It was a mix of discipline and curiosity, for sure. I’ve been making social media content with my own recipes designed around wild foods for a while, and this felt like an opportunity to try some new things out. I also bounced ideas off others, in particular, my good friend JB Douglas, a fellow forager and trained chef. You might notice that there is a strong emphasis on longterm preservation in the book, whether lacto-fermenting, drying, freezing, making salts and sugars, or other methods. I also selected everything for accessibility: Could someone new to foraging, with a regular kitchen setup, make this?

The book also features Gathering Exercises that draw inspiration from John Cage, mindfulness, and other grounding techniques. What led you to include these and how did you craft them?

Foraging also comes with its own history— every culture has foraging practices in their histories, and when people can feed themselves, they are far more resilient, and therefore, much more difficult to control. That’s why many areas in the American South started creating anti-trespass and private property laws post-Emancipation, as many formerly-enslaved people would forage for their food on the plantations where they had been captives, and why Indigenous people throughout America have historically been prevented from gathering traditional foods.

In a culture shaped by individualism and extraction, simply stepping outside and say-

The Gathering Exercises grew out of my background in interdisciplinary sound art and experimental music. Some exercises are about slowing down, some about sharpening the senses, some about reflecting on our relationships with plants, fungi, and people. They’re designed to be playful but also profound; to remind us that gathering isn’t actually about extracting, it’s about co-creation and coexistence.

What are you most excited about foraging locally in Central Virginia this fall?

I’m really focused on lion’s mane, hen of the woods, blewits, and hedgehog mushrooms. For non-mushrooms, I’m squirreling away acorns, black walnuts, hickory nuts, American persimmons, spicebush, and sochan. I’m looking forward to being well fed this winter, with lots of extras to share with friends and family.

Gabrielle Cerberville will discuss Gathered: On Foraging, Feasting, and the Seasonal Life on October 24 at New Dominion Bookshop. She will also lead a foraging foray and book-signing at Stone Soup Books in Waynesboro on October 25.

FOR FUN PUZZLES

SUDOKU

#1

#1 #4

#3

#4

PUZZLES FOR FUN

Thanksgiving 23. Quar ter, quaintly 26. The magic word?

“___ with the fur ”

(pet

34. Picasso and Braque, for two 36. “The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science” author

41. “Hey Ya!” duo

42. Sounds in a dentist’s office

44. Walk of Fame insignias, usually

47. Joan of Arc, e.g., for short

48. Jail, slangily

50. Barr y Manilow’s longtime label

52. “It’s a deal!”

54. Way serious

55. Acting coach Strasberg

58. Lackluster

59. Arced tennis shot

60. Remove a controversial post without warning (thereby removing the resulting discussion)

64. Academic URL ending

65. Sheepish

66. Senior church official

67. Valentine’s Day color

68. Tablelands

69. Vacuum inventor Sir James ___

DOWN

1. “Casablanca” pianist

2. Longtime U.K. record label

3. Went astray

4. Owing

5. “Truth be told ...”

6. ___ Taylor LOFT (clothing brand)

7. Oven protection

8. Indian tourist city

9. 1993 Salt-N-Pepa hit

10. Initials on a Cardinals cap

11. Least tentative

12. From birth

13. Prop for Yosemite Sam

18. East, in Berlin

22. Organization with a lot of tests

23. “We don’t know yet,” on schedules

24. Vocation

25. Moves furtively

27. Cracker brand with seven holes

30. “I’m on ___” (late-2000s “SNL” song)

31. Late hip-hop phenom Hussle or comedian/game show panelist Russell

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By Rob Brezsny Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov.21): Many cultures regard obsidian as having protective powers against negative energy. This makes it popular for healing talismans. Obsidian mirrors have often been used to scry for visions and prophecies. Because obsidian is so sharp, ancient peoples incorporated it into tools used to hunt for food, like knives and arrowheads. In modern times, obsidian is used for its beauty in tabletops, tiles, and architectural components. Do you know how this precious substance is formed? It’s born in the shock between elements: molten lava meets water or cool air and hardens so quickly that crystals can’t form, trapping a mirror-dark clarity in volcanic glass. I propose we make it your symbolic power object in the coming months, Scorpio.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec.21): Medieval alchemists engaged in literal laboratory work as they attempted to create elixirs of immortality, concoct medicines to heal diseases, and metamorphose lead into gold. But the modern practice of alchemy is primarily a psychological effort to achieve awakening and enlightenment. In the early stages of the work, the seeker experiences the metaphorical “black sun.” It’s a dark radiance, the beginning of creative decay, that fuels the coming transformation. I suspect you now have the potential to call on this potent asset, Sagittarius. It’s wild, though. You must proceed with caution and discernment. What worn-out aspects of yourself are you ready to let rot, thereby fertilizing future growth?

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Japan, shakkei refers to the practice of “borrowed scenery.” The idea is to create a garden so that surrounding features become part of its expansive context: distant mountains, an expanse of sky, or a nearby body of water. The artistry lies in allowing the horizon to merge gracefully with what’s close at hand. I recommend this approach to you, Capricorn. Frame your current project with a backdrop that enlarges it. Partner with places, influences, or longview purposes that augment your meaning and enhance your beauty. Align your personal actions with a vast story so they send even more potent ripples out into the world.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Computer scientist Radia Perlman is the Mother of the Internet. She invented the Spanning Tree Protocol, a component that’s essential for the flow of online data. Despite her work’s splashy importance, hardly anyone knows of her. With that in mind, I remind you: Some revolutions unfold with little fanfare; positive transformations may be inconspicuous. How does that relate to you? I suspect the next beautiful or useful thing you contribute may also be veiled and

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN

(Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): When I began writing horoscopes years ago, I had greater empathy with some of the signs than with others. But I worked hard to overcome this bias, and now I truly love and understand every tribe of the zodiac equally. I attribute this accomplishment to the fact that I have three Libra planets in my natal chart. They have propelled me to develop a warm, affectionate, fair-minded objectivity. I have a deeply honed capacity for seeing and liking people as they genuinely are, without imposing my expectations and projections onto them. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to tap into these qualities in yourself, dear Libra.

underestimated, at least at first. And yet it may ultimately generate a shift more significant than you can now imagine. My advice is to trust the long game. You’re doing good work, though its recognition may be late in arriving.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): The mystical Persian poet Hafez wrote, “Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I’d like to see you living in better conditions.” Picture that shabby room, Pisces: cramped, dim, damp. Now imagine you have resolved to never again live in such a place. In fact, sometime soon you will move, metaphorically speaking, into a spacious, high-ceilinged place with wide windows and skylights, fresh air flooding through. I believe life will conspire on your behalf if you initiate this bold move. You now have extra power to exorcize at least some of your angsts and embrace liberating joy.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): I bet your upcoming night dreams will include marriages, mating dances, and sacramental unions. Even if you are not planning deeper mergers with trustworthy allies in your waking life, your subconscious mind is musing on such possibilities. I hope this horoscope inspires you to make such fantasies more conscious. What collaborations and blends would serve you well? Give your imagination permission to ponder new and exciting connections. Visualize yourself thriving amidst new connections.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): In winemaking, malolactic fermentation softens a wine’s tart malic

acid into gentler lactic acid. This process imparts a creamier and rounder mouthfeel, while preserving the wine’s structure. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to adopt this as your metaphor of power. See if you can refine your intensity without losing your integrity. Keep things interesting but soften the edges a bit. Introduce warmth and steadiness into provocative situations so they’re free of irritation and easier to engage with, but still enriching.

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to practice the art of strategic disruption. One way to do it is to interrupt your patterns so they don’t calcify and obstruct you. Just for fun, you could eat breakfast for dinner. Take a different route to a familiar place. Talk to a person you would usually avoid. Say no when you’d normally say yes, or vice versa. Part of your brain loves efficiency, habits, and well-worn grooves. But grooves can become ruts. As a rousing spiritual experiment, you could do things differently for no reason except to prove to yourself that you can. Playful chaos can be a form of prayer. Messing with your standard approaches will unleash your creativity.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): In Shinto mythology, Ameno-Uzume is the goddess of mirth and revelry. In one story, she seduces the sun out of its hiding place by performing a humorous and provocative dance. I am sending her over to your sphere right now in the hope that she will coax you out of your comfort zone of retreat, control, and self-protection. While I’m glad you have taken this break to recharge

your spiritual batteries, I think it’s time to come out and play. You have done important work to nurture and process your deep feelings. Now we would love you to express what you’ve learned with freewheeling panache.

Leo

(July 23-Aug. 22): Ancient cultures in Sumeria, Egypt, and China used willow bark as a pain reliever. Many centuries later, in 1828, European scientists isolated the chemical salicin from the bark and used it to create aspirin. What had been a folk remedy became a widely used medicine all over the planet. Is there a metaphorically comparable development unfolding in your life? I think so. Something you’ve known or practiced could be evolving into its next form. The world may finally be ready to receive wisdom, a technique, or an insight you’ve used for a long time. Consider refining and upgrading it. Share it in ways that meet the present moment’s specific need.

Virgo

(Aug. 22 to Sept. 22): In honor of your special needs right now, Virgo, I am coining a new English word: edge-ucation. It’s like “education” but with an extra edge. Though booklearning is included in its purview, it also requires you to seek out raw teaching in all possible ways: on the streets, the bedroom, the natural world, everywhere. To properly pursue your higher edge-education, you must hunt down provocative influences, thoughtprovoking adventures, and unfamiliar stimulation. Make the whole world your laboratory and classroom.

Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888

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P.S. THE BIG PICTURE

Air time

Charlottesville skaters went deck to deck on October 18 during a length and height tournament at the Charlottesville Skate Park. Competitors tested their speed and lift for prizes and bragging rights, while spectators enjoyed free food and a brisk fall evening. Mohamed Nour claimed the top spot, clearing eight decks with a high Ollie to set a new event record and take home a shirt and hat from Small Size Productions, a side project from event co-organizer Edgar Batcheller. Batcheller says the competition, which he co-created with Dan Zimmerman, was meant to create “a stronger community through skateboarding and creativity. Skateboarding provides kids, teens, and adults a great outlet and Charlottesville is a great community for it.”