When Patti North first moved to Del Ray in her 20s more than 40 years ago, she couldn’t afford much. But with pets and a yen for gardening, a yard was a must. She found her home, a 990 square foot bungalow–now 100 years old–on Alexandria Avenue, and never looked back. One expansion and a few upgrades later, her home now comfortably accommodates her feline Spidey and canine Jelly, as well as her passions outside of professional work in communications at Georgetown University – creating glass art and running the Alexandria Film Festival.

North’s pursuit of crafting fused glass started with a single class that led to her membership in Del Ray Artisans (DRA). “I made a ton of artsy friends, but DRA also revealed a vibrant arts community that not only contributes so much to the quality of life in Alexandria, but fundamentally supports economic development,” says North. That led her to a stint on the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. In 2006, while serving as the commission’s vice chair to Alexandria living legend and Del Ray resident Pat Miller, the film festival was born.

In the early 2000s, filmmaking was becoming more accessible because of the digital revolution. At the same time, the Washington metro area was attracting an impressive array of filmmakers producing content for traditional broadcast media as well as new, online channels. “With so much local talent producing quality content, coupled with Alexandria’s marketability as an arts-destination city, festival development just took off,” explains North.

At its inception, the city financed the festival but in 2012, it transitioned to an all volunteer-operated, sponsor-supported 501(c)(3), and commission arts grantee. Over its nearly 20-year history, the festival has continually evolved. What was once a small festival of 20 films in one location has grown into quarterly film screenings, culminating in a multi-day festival of 60 films, most with their makers in tow eager to participate in moderated Q&A panels, across multiple venues in the city. “Cultivating good relationships with filmmakers and film distributors has been a key to our success in attracting top talent,” says North. In fact, a 2024 festival-included film won an Oscar this year – the third alum to walk the red carpet.

With the recent announcement that MetroStage in the Old Town North Arts & Cultural District will become the film festival’s permanent home, the outlook for another 20 years of the festival is bright. “We are very grateful to Carolyn Griffin and MetroStage leadership, as well as developer Carr Companies, for making the space available to us,” says North. “This partnership is a dream come true.” With few venues across the city equipped for first-rate film exhibition, the state-of-the-art projection, sound, and commercial theater aspect-ratio screen at MetroStage are a big boost to the cinematic arts in Alexandria.

Even with a permanent home and thriving reputation among independent filmmakers clamoring to submit their work, the festival still faces challenges, chief among them the popularity of home-based media streaming. North’s response? “With online content available 24/7, it’s easy to forget that filmmakers create their films for the big screen, designing sound and visual effects to create an immersive cinematic experience for an audience that largely gets lost on smaller screens.

“As an art form, film is like no other,” continues North. “It combines visual, audio, movement, dimension, color, performance – the power and resources of all other art forms – in a way that can mimic reality, but also exponentially expands on it.”

Another growing worry is the impact of federal funding cuts to prominent grant-making arts and cultural institutions, and how those cuts will affect the ability of filmmakers to create films and film festivals to operate. “To our fellow residents and the local businesses we love and frequent, we say the best way to ensure the future of the Alexandria Film Festival is to join us! Get on our mailing list, attend our events, volunteer with us, sponsor us or donate,” urges North. “The DMV is full of movie nerds who know the difference between a jump cut and a two shot, but they love learning more and sharing it over dinner.”

The 19th Alexandria Film Festival takes place November 6-9, 2025. Expect all genres of films at this year’s event. For more information on the Alexandria Film Festival, visit www.AlexFilmFest.com.