Balliceaux for Film

A Sunday supper should be a group event and mine tonight was just that. My photographer/bartender friend invited me to join him and three filmmakers plus companions for dinner at Balliceaux, followed by the James River Filmmakers Forum. We started early, 5:30, to ensure plenty of time for feasting and talking beforehand.

We began this eating extravaganza with a cheese course (four Virginia cheeses and one Wisconsin) and an enormous platter of mussels in lemongrass/lime/chilies and grape tomato broth. Next up it got ridiculous: forest mushroom asparagus tart over ratatouille for two, roasted whole free-range chicken with corn pudding, roasted leg of lamb with pan jus and roasted potatoes for four and backyard seafood boil with clams, mussels, shrimp and grilled corn for two. If it sounds like an obscene amount of food for eight people, let me assure you that it was. I'm not even going to recite all the sides that we were foolish enough to order. Everything, and I do mean everything, was absolutely delicious.

Stuffed beyond belief and with enough leftovers for another full feast, the group moved to what was the old Bogart's Back Room. It was a very cool place for the screenings, with sort of a retro rec-room feel, but infinitely hipper: some painted brick walls, some wood-paneled walls, seating groups with 50s chairs and lamps on end tables, a bar tucked into the corner. Even the screen reminded me of the ones Dads used to set up to show home movies to bored relatives. The last Forum was held at the Carver Healing Arts Center, which didn't have nearly the ambiance of Balliceaux's back room...or a bar with a mixologist to meet your every libation need.

The Filmmakers Forum showed six features including a director's montage, a documentary, two animated pieces and an experimental video meditation piece. A directors' panel followed to take questions from the audience about their films and there was some lively discussion of technique, the creative process and inspirations.

My friend has been to my apartment before, and said nice things about it, but tonight's comment may be my all-time favorite, "I love the energy in this room, with all the flowers." It's not every day a guy compliments your flowers. And so I finished the easy-does-it slide through my day after a night with too little sleep. Good night now.