PVCC Films Talk Back Series to Feature Black Fiddlers Documentary
Charlottesville, Va. – January 5, 2024 – The Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) Art Department will host another session of its new “Films Talk Back” documentary series Friday, January 19, at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature “Black Fiddlers,” a film that explores the legacy of African-American violin players. Charlottesville-based director Eduardo Montes-Bradley will share stories and answer questions about the film and his work documenting the personal biographies of important artists, intellectuals and figures of our time. The screening will take place in the V. Earl Dickinson Building’s Main Stage Theatre. Admission is free.
Black Fiddlers traces the history and culture of African-American violinists in the United States with interviews and performances by musicians who are descendants of Black fiddlers from the times of the Indian Wars and the Gold Rush. The film showcases the work of cousins Joe and Odell Thomson–some of the last musicians to carry on the black string band tradition–along with Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson, and Earl White, who have revived and reinterpreted 300 years of Black music. Drawing on the expertise of local historians, academics, and award-winning authors like Kip Lornell and John J. Sullivan, the film digs deep into the stories and songs of the Black fiddlers who shaped the music of a new nation.
Independent filmmaker Eduardo Montes-Bradley, who was born in Córdoba, Argentina, is an award-winning documentarian, author, producer and director. His achievements include the co-founding of the Heritage Film Project, which has published “biographical studies” of Holocaust survivors, American civil rights activist Julian Bond, Cuban artist Humberto Calzada, and many other subjects. His films have been aired on American and European Public Television and presented at prestigious film festivals.
Films Talk Back screenings are held the third Friday of the month and feature a curated selection of documentaries shown on the big screen, paired with a talk by a passionate expert–often the filmmakers themselves. For more information about Films Talk Back, contact Chairperson of Visual and Performing Arts Fenella Belle at 434.961.5362 or fbelle@pvcc.edu.
The V. Earl Dickinson Building is at the south end of 501 College Drive on the main campus in Charlottesville. Ample free parking is available in front of the building.
For more information about all upcoming Fine Arts and Performance season events, visit www.pvcc.edu/performingarts, email boxoffice@pvcc.edu or call 434.961.5376.
About Piedmont Virginia Community College
Established in 1972, Piedmont Virginia Community College is a nonresidential two-year institution of higher education that serves Central Virginia – principally, residents of the City of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson. PVCC is one of 23 community colleges in Virginia that comprise the Virginia Community College System. PVCC is committed to providing access to a college education for all who can benefit, an opportunity for each student to reach her/his potential and excellence in all programs and services. Visit pvcc.edu.
###
MEDIA CONTACT:
Susian Brooks
Director | Marketing and Media Relations
434.961.6574 | sbrooks@pvcc.edu