March 13, 2009 — The University of Virginia's College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences announced Thursday that the upcoming 22nd annual Virginia Film Festival will be all about getting down to "Funny Business."

The festival will be held Nov. 5-8 at venues throughout Charlottesville.

"There are no better times than these to appreciate and experience the healing power of laughter," said Andrea Press, the festival's executive director and chairwoman of the media studies department at U.Va. "Films have a unique ability to allow us all to turn the world off for a couple of hours and lose ourselves in comic characters, situations and stories.

"Of course, in typical VFF fashion, we'll take our exploration far beyond giggles and guffaws and explore a full range of issues surrounding merrymaking in the movies, from the serious business of making people laugh to the historical and social contexts of some of our greatest comedies and more."

The Virginia Film Festival has earned national recognition and extensive media attention for its unique dedication to the art of film and, at the same time, to its rigorous educational mission. The four-day event is known for celebrating films and for inviting the public to explore a variety of cultural themes through them.

The festival is currently in the final stages of selecting its next director, who is expected to be on board by early summer.

For information on the festival and on the director position, visit www.vafilm.com.