FILM & TV




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No Red Carpet, Just Films! James River Film Festival Is Back

Every spring, I look forward to one of Richmond’s best film traditions, the James River Film Festival. With the mantra “Eclectic Celluloid for the Cinematic Soul,” the James River Film Society curates programs spanning a wide range of subjects and styles. It’s always...

Babe Improv Might Be The Funniest Thing in Richmond Right Now

There’s a moment during a Babe Improv set where you realize two things at once. First, they have no idea what they’re about to do next. Second, it’s all going to work out somehow. That tightrope is what makes it work, and when you have two people this in sync, it...

Hemp Retailers Say New Virginia Cannabis Law Would Shut Them Down

With a major cannabis bill now awaiting Governor Abigail Spanberger’s decision, Virginia hemp retailers, farmers, and small business advocates are urging her to step in before it becomes law. The Cannabis Small Business Association (CSBA) and a coalition of hemp...

Riverfront Music Returns! Allianz Amphitheater 2026 Lineup Drops

Richmond’s riverfront concert season is set to return next month, with more than a dozen shows already announced for the 2026 lineup at Allianz Amphitheater with more to come. The venue, which opened in 2025, is entering its second full season with a schedule...

The Man Who Sold Richmond on a Flying Squirrel

Editor’s note: With Richmond’s new CarMax Park opening soon, it felt like the right time to revisit how the Flying Squirrels first took root in the city. We had the chance to speak with Chuck Domino, the veteran minor league baseball operator during that transition....

‘Summer of Swayze’ at the Byrd Theatre: A Fundraiser

"If you want the ultimate, you’ve got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It’s not tragic to die doing what you love.” — Bodhi, Point Break. Since the dawn of mankind, disparate religions have contemplated the nature of heaven, the afterlife, and the ethereal beings who have guided humanity (for better or worse) — some cultures refer to...

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Summer of Swayze at The Byrd Theatre_RVA Magazine 2024

Will 385 People Come Watch ‘Clerks’ with Us at the Byrd?

“This job would be great if it wasn’t for the fucking customers.”  – Randal Graves, having to work at RST Video.  When we think of the word “hero” in cinema, what comes to mind? Sigourney Weaver as Lt. Ripley in Alien, Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo, Humphrey Bogart as Rick in Casablanca, Viola Davis as General Nanisca in The Woman King —...

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Clerks at the byrd-RVA Magazine movie-nite-promo-2024

The Kids Are Alright: Cristian Espinoza’s Street Life Photos

Cristian Espinoza has been capturing the essence of youth street life for some time, and his film photography provides a raw, authentic look into the underground and art culture of the DMV area. We had the opportunity to send him a few questions. R. Anthony Harris: Your work feels like a digital diary of your life. Is this intentional? Cristian...

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Photographer Cristian Espinoza Interview by R Anthony Harris_RVA Magazine 2024

Update on The Pharrell Movie Shooting in Richmond, VA

As we reported a few weeks ago, Pharrell and director Michel Gondry are coming to Richmond and now we have more information to share. As reported by The Virginian-Pilot, the production of a movie musical based on the childhood of Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams is set to make a significant economic impact on Virginia. With a total...

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Main photo of group N.E.R.D. by Jai Lennard featuring Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams & Shay Haley

A Deep Dive of the James River Film Festival 2024

The James River Film Festival, now in its 30th year, spanned two weekends in April 2024. It began with screenings at Studio Two Three, then moved to the Richmond Public Library, the Grace Street Theater, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and concluded with a full day at the Byrd Theatre. Over its storied three decades, the event has taken place...

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James River Film Festival Deep Dive written by and photos by Todd Raviotta RVA Magazine 2024

Will 225 People Watch ‘Predator’ With Us at the Byrd?

“You’re one ugly motherfucker.”   — Major Dutch Schaefer, upon making first contact with an Alien species. Since humanity has looked to the stars, a singular question has lingered over our non-terrestrial endeavors — are we alone up there in the night sky? Throughout the ages, many philosophers and cosmologists have attempted to untangle the...

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Predator at the Byrd Theatre_RVA Magazine 2024