‘The Last Butterflies’ to Continue its Festival Run at the Richmond

The drama short ‘The Last Butterflies’ will continue its stellar summer of festival success at one of the largest international competitive film festivals in the Mid-Atlantic later this month.

Riding high after a series of awards, nominations, and official selections, ‘The Last Butterflies’ is one of 150 premieres slated for the six-day Richmond International Film Festival, which brings Hollywood’s glitz, glamour, and spirit to Richmond each year.

A recipient of nine awards from festivals around the country, including the winner of the Female Filmmaker Award at the Coronado Island Film Festival and Best Drama at the Krampus Kon Film Festival, ‘The Last Butterflies’ also received eight nominations from the San Diego Film Festival back in May. The cast and crew’s trip to Virginia is especially poignant for writer and star Whitney Wegman Wood, who honed her craft at the University of Virginia.

She says, “I am thrilled by the opportunity to present our film at the Richmond International Film Festival and to reconnect with my former mentors and colleagues in the Virginia film industry. As a proud graduate of UVA’s MFA Acting program, I can’t wait to engage in stimulating discussions about the themes and audience interpretations of The Last Butterflies at RIFF.”

‘The Last Butterflies’ was inspired by a series of nightmares experienced by Wegman Wood. Describing the film, she adds, “After a collection of environmental disasters lead society to the brink of collapse, a young mother must find ways to survive with her small child as they navigate the near-future apocalypse.”

The short also stars Cooper Andrews and was directed by the award-winning filmmaker Patrick Rea. The actor and aviator Herb Jackson Jr., served as associate producer in addition to taking on the role of a priest on screen.

He said, “Throughout our festival journey, we have visited memorable locations. Our first screening took place in Tucson, where my parents were able to attend. We’ve also screened the film in my birthplace of Culver City, Albuquerque (where I went to college), and now in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond holds special significance for me as I was once based there early in my aviation career. We are looking forward to the upcoming Richmond International Film Festival.”

‘The Last Butterflies’ will screen on Saturday, September 28th at 9.45 PM at Byrd Theatre (2908 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221).

To access the screening schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: https://riff.eventive.org/welcome

For more information on ‘The Last Butterflies’ visit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22770182

To find out more about Herb Jackson Jr. and the projects he’s currently working on, visit: https://www.herbjacksonjr.com