The VCU French Film Festival is a huge draw for francophiles both nationally and internationally each spring here in Richmond, but the fate of the Festival hangs in the balance with the latest news from VCU:

Peter S. Kirkpatrick stepped down as executive director of the
Office of International Education and as co-director of the renowned
VCU French Film Festival.

Kirkpatrick, who is credited with helping to internationalize the university, will remain an associate professor of French.

He and his wife, Francoise Ravaux-Kirkpatrick, founded the film
festival 16 years ago. He could not be reached for comment yesterday on
the reasons for his departure.

Rob Tregenza, director of VCU’s cinema program, said the fate of the
French film festival is under discussion and “I’m hoping it will be
resolved positively.”

VCU said in a statement that it is committed to continuing the festival, which is held at the Byrd Theatre in Richmond.

For more of a background on the VCU French Film Festival go here, or here, or here.  Let’s hope that we don’t lose this long-standing tradition!