Virginia has joined with Empire 8 Productions and Screen Siren to produce “Fighting Gravity”, a documentary about some athletes trying to get the International Olympic Committee to allow women ski jumpers to compete in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The trailer for the documentary has been released a few days ago, click the video below to stream.

Alexander Payne, Virginia Madsen and Jim Taylor are here to help The Studio@620 celebrate its fifth anniversary with a screening of the film at the Vinoy tonight and a discussion tomorrow at the Studio. The connection? Studio Co-Artistic Director Bob Devin Jones explained via email:

Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor and I lived next door to each other in Silver lake (East Hollywood near Griffith Park). I had a small part in Alexander’s graduate (UCLA) student film, I also catered one day of the shoot. I and my best friend Joe Marenelli were the two actors in Jim Taylor’s graduate film that got him into the film school at NYU. We have all known each other for nearly 25 years. In Silver Lake – I still have that apt – we would have these Friday night dinners nearly every Friday night (lots of stuff from Trader Joe’s). Jim and Alexander were frequent guests. Alexander loves to cook.

Here are the details on the weekend’s festivities: 620 Sideways: Sideways screening and discussion Fri. May 29, 7 p.m., Renaissance Vinoy, 501 Fifth Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg. $50, includes food and wine. Sideways panel discussion only, Sat., May 30, 1:30 p.m., Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, free admission. 727-895-6620.

Virginia Madsen is one of the celebrities scheduled to attend the ninth annual Phoenix Film Festival, which kicks off an eight-day run Thursday at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theaters. The movies will be shown simultaneously in seven theaters beginning at 9 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Screenings will start at 5 p.m. Monday through April 9.

Virginia, who has starred in such films as “Sideways” and “The Astronaut Farmer,” will attend a 7:30 p.m. Saturday screening of “I Know a Woman Like That,” a documentary directed by her mother about women over the age of 65.

Phoenix Film Festival
When: Thursday through April 9
Where: Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd.
Cost: Opening night $40, individual screenings $10, flex pass (four screenings) $30, festival pass $150, VIP pass $425
Information: (602) 955-6444 or www.phoenixfilmfestival.com