Luke, Owen, and Andrew Wilson to Screen 'The Wendell Baker Story' at UVA

Luke, Owen, and Andrew Wilson to Screen 'The Wendell Baker Story' at UVA

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Why are actors Luke, Owen, and Andrew Wilson visiting the University of Virginia this Sunday? No, the Virginia Film Festival is not starting early this year. But, thanks to the eager folks at the Festival's Virginia Film Society, you won't have to wait until October to get your film-fest fix.

The Wilson brothers, stars of "Bottle Rocket" and "The Royal Tenenbaums," will be screening their latest collaboration, "The Wendell Baker Story" at UVA's Newcomb Hall Theatre at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 3rd as a benefit for the Virginia Film Festival. In true festival style, the screening will be followed with a Q& A session. They will be joined by the film's producer, Mark Johnson. Tickets will go on sale (maximum of two per person) at Newcomb's box office at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 31, and organizers expect that the theater's 400 seats will be snapped up within an hour.

"The Wendell Baker Story," written by Luke Wilson, directed by Andrew and Luke Wilson, starring Luke and co-starring Owen, follows the altruistic attempts of the upbeat, dreaming-scheming titular character to set things right wherever he may be, from prison to a retirement home populated by the likes of Harry Dean Stanton, Kris Kristofferson and Seymour Cassel.

Peppered with dry wit and quirky '70s cultural iconography, the comedy charmed critics at its pre-release premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin two weeks ago. The Newcomb Hall event will be the third national screening of the film.

Why start here? The film's producer, Mark Johnson, happens to be a UVA alumnus and chair of the Virginia Film Festival Advisory Board. "I wanted to give something back to the UVA community," says Johnson, whose production credits include "Diner," "Rain Man," "The Notebook," and the upcoming, much- anticipated "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe."

"I've been coming to the Virginia Film Festival since it began in 1988," says Johnson, who will raise funds for the Festival via the Wilson event. "The Festival has really been picking up steam lately, with attractions like Sandra Bullock and Jeff Wadlow's 'Adrenaline Film Project,' and the board has more exciting year-round programs that we're about to unveil."

Indeed, the Festival's year-round Virginia Film Society has exploded this year, more than doubling its membership. Following the popular pre-release screenings of "The Chorus" and "The Upside of Anger," the Virginia Film Society is also hosting the Black Maria Film and Video Festival (March 31, 7 p.m., Vinegar Hill Theater), and Director Ross McElwee with his cult classic "Sherman's March" (April 14, Newcomb Hall, 7 p.m.) and acclaimed new film "Bright Leaves" (April 15, Vinegar Hill, 7 p.m.).

Source: Virginia Film Festival

CONTACT: Cara White, +1-843-881-1480, or carapub@aol.com , for Virginia Film Festival

Web site: http://www.vafilm.com/php-bin/news

NOTE TO EDITORS: Press passes will be strictly limited. Photos of the event will be posted at http://www.vafilm.com/php-bin/news on the night of April 3. Publicity photos available: http://www.vafilm.com/phb-bin/news .

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