Alienated? Let a festival expert help plan attack

It’s almost here.

Next Thursday, the stars, the directors, the producers all roll into town for the 21st annual Virginia Film Festival.

With more than 60 events scheduled over four days, it’s always a quandary of picking what to see.

Do you go for the classics? Are you interested in brand new films? Do you want to see the people who make the magic unfold on the giant screen?

Well, there is another aspect to the festival besides sitting back and just watching a good film. Film fans also can learn. And some top educators also are en route to tackle this year’s theme of Aliens: Immigrants! Outsiders! Extraterrestrials!

Now that may sound like yet another element to cloud your decision-making process, but not so.

Let Harry Chotiner decide for you.

Why, you may ask, would I want someone else to decide what I watch?

Harry knows movies.

He’s a film teacher at New York University.

And, oh yes, he used to be a vice president at Twentieth Century Fox.

Harry knows movies.

And he is coming back to Charlottesville for the third year in a row to offer his Behind the Scenes Festival Symposium.

Fifteen to 20 lucky participants will get to watch seven films, then go back and disuses each, often with the filmmakers who brought them to town.

“He has been one of the best additions to the festival in the past few years, along with Adrenaline [Film Project],” said Richard Herskowitz, the artistic director of the festival.

“What we have been doing, is the festival has been finding these fabulous teachers — Jeff Wadlow and Harry Chotiner and, this year, Hamid Naficy, who are giving people these intensive film classes. In such a short time, they have access to some of the best film teachers around.”

Plus, if you are having difficulty choosing which films to see, let Harry do it. And meet some actors, directors, producers or screenwriters.

This year his lineup includes:

l “Prince of Broadway:” Director Sean Baker and some cast members are expected to be at the Regal to screen and talk about their new film, which looks into the world of a young Ghanaian immigrant who peddles knock-off goods in New York.

l “Bad Day at Black Rock:” Speaking of classics, here’s the 1955 Spencer Tracy movie about a one-armed stranger who comes to a desert town to deliver an important package.

l “My America … Honk if You Love Buddha:” Documentary filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pena will show her 1997 film, which searches for answers regarding the media’s stereotypical Asian-American.

l “The Response:” Actor Peter Riegert and writer Sig Libowitz will be on hand to discuss their 2008 project, which is based on the actual transcripts of the Guatanamo Bay military tribunals.

l “Local Hero:” Riegert starred in this 1983 comedy about a American who is sent to Scotland to buy up a coastal village for a refinery. (Burt Lancaster played a Texas oilman in this 25-year-old film.)

l “Waltz with Bashir:” This is a 2008 animated documentary about the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. This Israeli film was a hit at Cannes this year.

l Shot by Shot Workshop with Gregory Nava: On the 25th anniversary on the release of the film “El Norte,” the director will be there to discuss the background and editing of selected portions of his film.

Sandwich those around two class sessions each day, and you have a pretty full schedule.

“Harry has a reputation both at NYU and L.A. as being one of the great teachers,” Herskowitz said, “and we are lucky to have him for a few days.”

The symposium is open to students and adults. The cost is $150.

For information on how to register, email .

For more festival details, visit http://www.vafilm.com.