After six successful years, the Asheville Film Festival brings the wonder and art of cinema to the streets and theaters of Asheville, North Carolina. Although no annoucement has been made regarding the 2009 festival, it is sure to be a hit.

Among the offerings of 2008 were films offered by some popular directors, short films, feature films, student films, and documentaries. Also during the Festival, there are many receptions before and after the each film showing, sure to delight moviegoers.

2008 Venues:

• The Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place

  In the heart of the Pack Square Cultural District is the city's finest theatre, the Diana Wortham Theatre, an intimate 500 seat theatre inside the Pack Place complex, with convenient off-street parking and numerous restaurants within on block of the theatre. The theatre offers live performances of music, theatre and dance throughout the year by nationally touring artists (the Mainstage Series) as well as a wide array of performances by professional and avocational regional arts groups.
  www.dwtheatre.com

• Fine Arts Theatre - 38 Biltmore Ave.

  Offering two separate theater screen rooms, it has been recently renovated to provide a comfortable and modern viewing area for first-run independent and art films.
  www.fineartstheatre.com

Asheville Community Theatre and 35below 35 E. Walnut St. Asheville Community Theatre’s long history of artistic excellence continues as it strides into the new millennium. Voted “Best Theater Group in Western North Carolina” many times by readers of both the Asheville Citizen-Times and Mountain Xpress, ACT remains an institution committed to providing quality entertainment at a reasonable price. Although it’s best known for large-scale musicals, ACT also offers classic comedies and dramas, contemporary pieces and children’s theater productions in both its Mainstage Auditorium and black box theater, 35below. For more information, call (828) 254-1320 or visit us at http://www.ashevilletheatre.org. Theatre seats 399, 35below seats 40 YMI Cultural Center 39 S. Market St. The YMI Cultural Center is an Asheville landmark, conveniently located close to City Hall, Pack Square, Pack Place and many art galleries and other cultural attractions. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the YMI has served Asheville’s African-American community since it was established in 1892 as the Young Men’s Institute. It houses numerous collections and artifacts, including a core exhibit that focuses on the history of African-Americans in Western North Carolina. The YMI presents annual cultural events, such as Asheville’s Goombay Festival, a Kwanzaa Celebration, an Evening of Jazz and the Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration. Blue Spiral 1 38 Biltmore Ave. Blue Spiral 1, founded in 1991 and part of New Morning Ltd., presents the works of Southeastern artists and object makers in elegant and spacious surroundings. The 15,000-square-foot gallery spans three floors that are connected by an open stairway. The changing exhibitions of sculpture and paintings, objects and photography are either discipline-based or developed around fascinating themes. This premier space is also home to the estate of Will Henry Stevens (1881-1949), whose oil paintings and pastels drawings are included in major museum collections and significant private collections throughout the United States. Gallery hours are Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sundays (May - October), noon-5 p.m. Pack Place Education, Arts & Science Center 2 S. Pack Square The nonprofit Pack Place Education, Arts & Science Center is strategically set in the heart of beautiful downtown Asheville. This bustling complex includes the Asheville Art Museum, Colburn Gem & Mineral Museum, Diana Wortham Theatre and The Health Adventure. An Asheville landmark, Pack Place offers meeting rooms and creative spaces for hosting special events. Surrounded by the scenic beauty of Western North Carolina’s mountains and featuring unique museum shops, Pack Place is a short stroll from many galleries, restaurants and other amenities. Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place