November at the West Virginia International Film Festival

By RealWV Staff,

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia International Film Festival (WVIFF) is settling into the holiday season with an eclectic assortment of films for every taste. There’s no better way to get ready for Turkey-day than with a great movie at the beautiful Floralee Hark Cohen Theatre, in the heart of downtown Charleston.

A DIFFERENT MAN

DESCRIPTION: Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING:

“Schimberg brilliantly anticipates every ethical qualm you might have, and every artistic parallel you might spot from Beauty and the Beast to The Elephant Man, and lobs them all back at the audience like water bombs.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph (UK)

“Come to this clever satire for Sebastian Stan’s radical transformation, beyond the prosthetics, but stay for Adam Pearson’s remarkable performance as a bona fide matinée idol.” – Iana Murray, Empire Magazine

“With strangely thoughtful panache and a helping of absurdity, Schimberg makes us rethink how we look at people and ourselves alike – and who’s to blame when we don’t like the view.” – Brian Truitt, USA Today

Directed by Aaron Schimberg, and staring Adam Pearson, Patrick Wang, and Sebastian Stan, “A Different Man” screens Fridays at 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 5 p.m. through November 23.

THE OUTRUN

DESCRIPTION: Rona, fresh out of rehab, returns to the Orkney Islands; a place both wild and beautiful right off the Scottish coast. After more than a decade of living life on the edge in London, where she both found and lost love, Rona – now 29 – attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. As she reconnects with the dramatic landscape where she grew up, memories of her traumatic childhood merge with more recent challenging events that have set her on the path to recovery.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING:

“In every shot and every scene, mostly in closeup, Ronan carries the film with her unselfconsciously fierce and focused presence. Out-of-control-drunk acting in montage is a difficult thing to bring off, but she does it with intelligence and plausibility.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“’The Outrun’ is [Ronan’s] symphony, and she conducts it with an unwaveringly steady hand, right down to the very last note.” – Adam Graham, Detroit News

“Ronan, and her empathic director, catch without words the sensation of when someone who has been buried under unfathomable pain and grief and trauma discovers they still have the capacity for joy.” – Kimberley Jones, Austin Chronicle

Directed by Nora Fingscheidt, and staring Izuka Hoyle, Lauren Lyle, Nabil Elouahabi, Paapa Essiedu, and Saoirse Ronan, “The Outrun” screens Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through November 24.

AMBROSIA

DESCRIPTION: Ambrosia! is an original feature-length comedy film from the minds of Butter Chicken Pictures’ David Gravely & Shane Pierce, produced in collaboration with Mtn Craft and shot entirely in Beckley, WV. This movie spends an unforgettable day in the life of Quilliam Frankfurt, the frazzled host of the Ambrosia Inn, as he entertains a crew of colorful characters in beautiful southern West Virginia.

WEST VIRGINIA WEDNESDAYS FEATURE

Directed by David Gravely and Shane Pierce, and staring Chris Oxley, David Sibray, Eliska Hahn, Kelsey Hofe, and Robby Moore, “Ambrosia” screens at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 6, and Wednesday, November 13.

Coming Soon

LEE

DESCRIPTION: The true story of photographer Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller, a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING:

“Enough cannot be said about the film or Kate Winslet—irritating, admirable, challenging, sometimes unlikeable, always heroic—as she elevates the complex personality conflicts of Lee Miller into a cohesive, resplendent, three-dimensional whole.” – Rex Reed, Observer

“This is a penetrating biopic, and while it may take a familiar shape, the pioneering woman at the center was anything but traditional.” – Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service

“As an argument for how urgent and powerful photography can be, and the debt we owe Miller for the lengths she went to take those images, Lee wins hands down.” – Alex Sims, Time Out

Directed by Ellen Kuras and staring Kate Winslet, Alexander Skarsgård, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg, and Josh O’Connor, “Lee” screens at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, November 9, Saturday, November 16, and Saturday, November 23.

DEEP RED

DESCRIPTION: An English pianist living in Rome witnesses the brutal murder of his neighbor, a psychic. With the help of a tenacious young reporter he tries to discover the killer using very unconventional methods, and the two are soon drawn into a shocking web of dementia and violence.

BEYOND THE BACK ROW FEATURE

Directed by Dario Argento, and staring Daria Nicolodi, David Hemmings, Eros Pagni, Gabriele Lavia, and Macha Méril, “Deep Red” screens at 9:45 p.m. Saturday, November 23.

The Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema is located beneath the art gallery in Taylor Books at 226 Capitol St, Charleston. For more information, visit wviff.org.