Washington West Film Festival Coming to Reston

"Story can change the world" is the theme of the first Washington West Film Festival, which will kick off in Reston on Nov. 3.

The event is the brainchild of Brad Russell, a native Northern Virginian who says he has been trying to get an area film festival organized for three years.

"I love a great movie," says Russell, the pastor of Dulles Community Church. "I like when a film is talked about and has some impact that goes beyond entertaining."

Russell says the 23 films that will be part of the festival all have elements to inspire and educate, as well as entertain.

The festival opens Thursday, Nov. 3 with a screening of The Loving Story at

The Loving Story, a documentary co-produced by HBO, tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, the couple whose 1958 marriage led to their arrest and a watershed Supreme Court case that overturned anti-miscegenation laws in Virginia.

Filmmakers Nancy Buirski (Director, Producer) and Elisabeth James (Producer, Editor) will be in attendance and available for a Q & A session following the film. Bernard Cohen, one of the two attorneys who represented plaintiffs Richard and Mildred in Loving v. Virginia will also be in attendance, says Russell.

The festival continues Friday and Saturday with screenings at Herndon's .

The closing-night film on Saturday is Sun City Picture House. This movie is about the quest to build a relief center by day/movie house by night in Port Au Prince, Haiti.

Sun City filmmaker David Darg will be in attendance at the closing-night screening. The movie's executive producers are actresses Maria Bello and Olivia Wilde.

The festival will give 100 percent of box-office proceeds (after expenses) to a non-profit organization, said Russell. This year' beneficiary is Operation Blessings, which offers relief efforts in Haiti.

 The other film titles and schedule will be released soon, said Samantha Dols, senior director of festival operations. Tickets for the event go on sale on Oct. 10. Visit Washington West Film Festival's web site for more information and to purchase tickets. You can also get more festival info by following it on on Twitter @WWFilmFest or on theirFacebook page.

Other local businesses that will play a part in the festival: the will be official headquarters; the opening party will be held at The at Reston Town Center; and has formed a partnership with the festival.