East Coast Independent Film has started a new program at UConn that helps independent filmmakers find an audience. This is the second screening of a Connecticut made film for this new “Screening & Talk Back Program” started by “East Coast Independent Film” director Alexander J. Andriulli.

On Monday, March 28, from 6-9 p.m., there will be a screening of the Connecticut-made independent film “Being Michael Madsen” which features the actors Michael Madsen, Virginia Madsen, and Daryl Hannah at the UConn Student Union Theater. This event will be open to the public.

The program is hosted by the UConn student union body of government film committee. Purpose for this program: To help generate tangible growth for the film industry on the East Coast. This program is similar to what a major film studio would do to help promote its upcoming films. It connects the filmmakers to college students who can help spread the word about their film, which gives the filmmakers access to a larger audience. The more revenue the company makes the more likely they are to make more projects here on the East Coast.

LA Femme Film Festival’s Founder Leslie LaPage announced today that the 6th Annual LA Femme Film Festival 2010, October 14-17, 2010 will be honoring Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got to do with it, Green Lantern), Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Scoundrels), Angela Kinsey (The Office), Loretta Devine and Maggie Wheeler (Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond) at the festival’s Awards Ceremony on October 17, 2010.

LA Femme’s full program of films screening is available on line. Some selected films screening at the festival include: “Truth About Kerry”, Stana Katic (Castle); “ I Know a Woman Like That” Rita Moreno (Westside Story), Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Eartha Kitt (Batman), Lauren Hutton (American Gigolo); “Mountains that Take Wing” Angela Davis (Political Activist) & Yuri Kochiyama (Japanese American Human Rights Activist); “ Assisting Venus”, Michael Steger (90210), Jordan Bridges (Rizzoli & Isles), Julian Sands (24), Kirsten Gronfield (10 Items or Less); “Nothing Special” , Karen Black (Five Easy Pieces); “B-Girl” Jonathan Wesley (Roll Bounce), Jules “Lady Jules” Urich (America’s Best Dance Crew, Beat Freaks), Ivan “Flipz” Velez (Step Up 3D), Rynan “Rainen” Paguio (America’s Best Dance Crew, Jabbawockeez (Winner), Jonathan “Legacy” Perez (So You Think You Can Dance).

For more information, please visit the website at www.lafemme.org

On April 3rd Virginia taped an interview for Growing Bolder Radio Show to promote the documentary I Know a Woman Like That. Click here to stream!

Virginia Madsen is one of our most beloved, and stunning, actresses, but she’s much more beautiful on the inside. With her dynamic and Emmy Award-winning mother at her side, she’s produced a documentary that celebrates extraordinary women over the age of 65. Virginia says the film has not only erased any fears she may have once had about aging, it’s made her excited for the next, liberating chapters in her life.

Virginia Madsen is a Golden Globe- and Academy Award-nominated actress known for her work in Sideways, The Astronaut Farmer, and The Number 23. Her mother, writer-director Elaine Madsen, has a wide range of creative projects on her list of achievements, including a new book of poetry and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary. In their new collaboration, I Know a Woman Like That, the mother-daughter duo join forces to take a close look at grace, age, vitality, and what it means to be a woman. ABILITY Magazine’s Chet Cooper and Nancy Villere caught up with the Madsens to discuss this ambitious and personal project.

Chet Cooper: Your film does a nice job of making a viewer more aware of a relationship between women as they age and their degree of invisibility in society. And, in many ways, I see that parallel how we tend to address social understanding and awareness about disability.

Elaine Madsen: Oh, yeah, I think there’s an attitude towards age that treats it as a disability. But in reality, aging involves recognition of abilities you didn’t know that you had, abilities that you have to find within yourself in order to deal with society. Bookshelves are filled with titles about how to stay young, and telling us all that there’s something wrong with not being young. But the purpose of this film, I think, is to show that the experience of aging can be wonderful, if you don’t get sucked into that mentality.

Virginia Madsen: My mother’s level of activity, of productivity, was exactly why I thought a project like this would work. Originally, when we put the idea together, she had said, “I’m far too busy. I’m going to Holland, and then I’m going here and there and I’m writing my book.” But that’s really what it’s about. Continue Reading »

Here’s the trailer of “FIGHTING GRAVITY” documentary, following 14 Female Ski Jumper’s court case against the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee. Directed by Alex Mar, produced by Nicholas Shumaker, Karly Meola, and Trish Dolman; and executive produced by Ryan Harrington and Virginia Madsen. A Screen Siren and Empire 8 Production in association with Title IX Productions.