Young@Heart director Bob Cilman doing a run-through of the James Brown classic "I Feel Good"

As a gift to our audiences, Community Cinema presented the heart-warming and inspiring hit documentary YOUNG@HEART this past December 2009. Many of our over 42 free events included live performances. Exceptional seniors shared their talents and personal stories of courage, persistence, and triumph in the face of adversity.

Our national partners created unique ways for audiences to learn more about the link between creativity, culture, and aging. The mission of the National Center for Creative Aging is to foster an understanding of the vital relationship between creative expression and healthy aging and to developing programs that build on this understanding. Learn more about their public awareness campaign “The Art of Aging: Creativity Matters” and the center’s free online resource guide “Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit.”

WTTW Reception for young musicians and their families at the Chicago Cultural Center

Local partners connected our audiences with “on the ground” resources to turn the passion they experience during the film into action in their community. Audience members have said after an event, “I’m going to look for a local choir for my husband!” and “Made me want to join a chorus even if I can’t sing.” Our partners included such distinguished and esteemed partners as the Jazz Institute of Chicago, WTTW Channel 11, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center (BMAC), KETC, the Missouri History Museum, the SIFF Cinema at Seattle Center, the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Office of Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, and Project:Involve. Project:Involve’s mission is to foster diversity in the film industry and to promote independent film making.

Our events included many super seniors who keep young at heart by performing their talents into their 70′s, 80′s, 90′s, and beyond. Watch videos and see photos from our events.

In Chicago, jazz legends Fred Anderson, Mwata Bowden, and Willie Pickens who have all known each other for years spoke following the film. Mwata and Willie have made regular appearances and Fred’s famous club, The Velvet Lounge.

Pianist Willie Pickens explained that constantly exploring such a vast art form keeps one young at heart.

From left to right: Steve Martin (Young@Heart chorus member), Bob Cilman (Young@Heart chorus director), Danny Lichtenfeld (BMAC director), Jeanne Hatch (Young@Heart chorus member), Joe LoMonaco (BMAC trustee)

At our free event at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center we had the great pleasure of welcoming Bob Cilman, director of the Young@Heart chorus, and two members of the chorus, Steve Martin and Jeanne Hatch. Despite the worst weather forecast of the winter, about 35-40 audience members showed up for the event, which included a pre-screening meet-and-greet and a post-screening Q&A session. Bob and the chorus members were, in fact, the first to arrive — the trip up to Brattleboro from Northampton, Mass. being much shorter than they had anticipated. All the guests and the hearty and courageous audience members enjoyed mingling and talking about the film.

Seattle's Raging Grannies Keep Young at Heart By Performing Humorous Songs About Current Events

The Seattle Raging Grannies opened the show in Seattle with a few humorous ditties they’ve written about the issues of today. The Grannies say on their web site, “In the tradition of wise women elders, the mission of the Seattle Raging Grannies is to promote global peace, justice, and social and economic equality by raising public awareness through the medium of song and humor.” The audience in the crowded theatre applauded after each of the Grannies’ numbers. Though they rarely all perform together, the Grannies chorus has over 20 members throughout the area. They told us, “We sing out to gain respect for all persons and encourage everyone to grow above their prejudices.” Please enjoy a clip from the Seattle Raging Grannies performance ripped from the headlines.

Gloria Lockhart (63, in pink on the right) has the distinct honor of being one of the first African American women to reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro

At the historic Warner Grand Theatre in the Los Angeles area, 15 amazing seniors wowed the crowd at a pre-film talent show. The show ended with a very inspiring senior, Gloria Lockhart – 63 years young – who has the distinct honor of being one of the first African American women to reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. She is currently the President and CEO of Toberman Neighborhood Center, where she works to assist over 18,000 people to move from poverty to self-sufficiency. A once aspiring Olympic runner, Gloria went on to compete in master track meets for the older American; and now kickboxes as a way to relieve stress. She was joined on stage by her 43 year old coach Michele.

During over 42 events throughout December, thousands of guests attended free Community Cinema events featuring the inspiring hit documentary YOUNG@HEART which was followed by dozens of senior citizens across the country who refuse to let their advancing age limit their increasing talent. We hope to have inspired more people young and old to join choruses in their communities and share their messages and passions through song.

Rodger Despres, a local Michigan paper folder, displays a 45-foot long paper model train that took him 1,500 hours to construct.

Our first free event for BETWEEN THE FOLDS took place at the fabulous Urban Institute for Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids, Michigan where Community Cinema is in its 3rd smash season. Emily Maurin, Community Cinema Producing Partner with WGVU, told us, “We were extremely lucky to have two amazing paper folders with us––Richard Alexander, one of the film’s participants, and Rodger Despres, a local paper folder who has constructed a 45-foot long paper model train. They each offered a different perspective on paper folding. Richard spoke about his artwork as well as his experiences making his own paper. Rodger discussed how he has used paper to engineer working train cars and tracks. He was very excited since Richard was the first paper folder he had met! They talked about how paper folding is almost a secret society that is just now emerging as a mainstream art.”

In the video below, director Vanessa Gould gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like making the film, how she worked with artists and a discusses a variety of issues related to independent filmmaking.

“Crease Is the Word!” Jim Ridley wrote in Nashville Scene about  BETWEEN THE FOLDS at the Nashville Public Library. “Vanessa Gould’s documentary has received rapturous notices for concentrating on the intersection of art and science that the ancient paper-folding art represents.”

Mary Delach Leonard wrote in the St. Louis Beacon about our event at the Missouri History Museum. “Watching a former sculptor in France fold a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional human caricature … is worth far more than 1,000 words — which makes “Between the Folds” one of those unexpected documentaries you have to see to appreciate.” Read more>>

In St. Louis, approximately 340 people showed up for the viewing of the film at the Missouri History Museum. Sydney Meyer of Community Cinema Producing Partner KETC said, “I was amazed watching the diversity of people fill the auditorium and overflow onto the steps and the sides of the theater. People of all ages laughed and clapped at various parts of the film, signaling they understood what the artists were trying to communicate to them. After the film, the fun continued as more than 120 folks stayed to try their hand at paper-folding with artist Sugi Taylor. There was a lot of laughter and concentration as people attempted to make a paper box and bird.”  As I walked around the tables, I heard comments like “I thought the simple figures would be easier. Now I admire the film artists even more!” or “I loved the film and I am amazed I can make this figure out of almost nothing… one simple square of paper.”

Director Vanessa Gould spent 3 days at 3 Community Cinema events in The Los Angeles area, and we were so lucky that she took time to write about it.

“…I entered the room [at LA’s Pitches Detention Center] with Deputy Bates and a few other staff members just as [the prisoners] had finished the film. …It was quite possibly the most enthusiastic reception the film has ever seen: a room brimming with almost-rowdy excitement and big smiles, a few thumbs up and hands on hearts. Even some paper hats and paper stars made out of the local county newspaper were floating around. There were far more questions and comments than we had time for. After about 20 questions, we all folded a simple model of a fox. I tried to remind them that if anyone made a mistake it was okay. They could try again. One of the good things about paperfolding is you can start over. More chances are possible.” And, with that apt metaphor the afternoon was clearly a success. Community Cinema hopes to bring more films to prisoners through our new partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Read Vanessa’s complete post here.

Members of the Puget Area Paperfolding Enthusiasts Roundtable (PAPER) assisted audience members in folding a range of origami pieces in Seattle at the SIFF Cinema. PAPER founder Mark Morden spoke about paperfolding after the event while the audience members folded all around him.

Even months after BETWEEN THE FOLDS screened for thousands at Community Cinema, and aired nationally for millions on PBS, the film’s impact continued.

Lois Vossen, series producer of Independent Lens and Vice President of ITVS, attended the Peabody Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, where the film Between the Folds won the prestigious award. Ms. Vossen  talks about the unprecedented evening:

From L to R: Vanessa Gould, Lois Vossen and Margaret Brown at the Peabody Awards Ceremony

The 69th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony, hosted by Diane Sawyer, marked the third consecutive year that Independent Lens received two Peabody Awards in one year, perhaps the only television series to ever achieve this honor.

Dr. Susan Douglas, the chair of the Peabody Awards Board, said that the 34 honorees were selected from nearly 1,200 finalists, confirming that the Peabody selection process is perhaps the most rigorous of any of the top industry awards.

Vanessa Gould received a Peabody Award for Between the Folds, her first film, a film exploring the intersection of fine art and science embodied in the practice of origami.

In what surely must be a Peabody first, paper-folding artist Robert Lang created a true-to-scale origami Peabody statuette that everyone at the ceremony admired — though I don’t think there were any offers to trade it for a real Peabody statuette.

Kembrew McLeod, co-producer of COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS, answers questions from the audience with Tony Berman of Berman Entertainment and Technology Law, who is featured in the film.

For more than 30 years, as hip-hop evolved from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry, hip-hop performers and producers have been reusing portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions. But when lawyers and record companies got involved, what was once referred to as a “borrowed melody” became a “copyright infringement.” Through interviews with many of hip-hop music’s founding figures—like Public Enemy, De La Soul and Digital Underground—along with emerging artists such as audiovisual remixers Eclectic Method, COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS by Benjamin Franzen and Kembrew McLeod illuminates both sides of the debate, from traditional musicians who view sampling as pillaging to those who argue that the practice of borrowing is by no means new nor is it unique to hip-hop or even music: Think of Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup cans.

With OVER 50 free screening events from coast to coast audiences were able to sample the flavor of hip-hip and electronic music first-hand from some of the subjects featured in the film. The Philadelphia event featured worldwide DJ sensation based in Philly, RJD2 (RJ Krohn – pictured to the right, on the left). The photo is a TwitPic uploaded live from the event.  Our event in Oakland welcomed DJ legend Jeff Chang. Local hip-hop radio DJs hosted events in St. Louis and Seattle. In Seattle, KUBE 93 FM DJ Hyphen who co-hosts “Sunday Night Sound Session” introduced the film. “Sunday Night Sound Session” airs every Sunday night at 10:45 PM. “J. Moore and I offer listeners the newest, dopest hip-hop from all around the country, including local music from our own backyard,” boasts DJ Hyphen. Tune in around the Puget Sound Region or online worldwide. DJ Hypen introduced COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS and left the audience with some things to think about while watching the film.

Read on for more video clips, photos, and community connections.

Northwestern University law professor Peter DiCola.

Our guest speaker at the Community Cinema event in Evanston, Illinois was Northwestern University law professor Peter DiCola, who co-authored the forthcoming book Creative License: The Culture and Law of Digital Sampling with filmmaker Kembrew McLeod.

We could not have asked for a better guest speaker when it comes to questions of copyright. DiCola was able to give in-depth answers that helped the audience understand legal issues in a clear and engaging manner.

In St. Louis, DJ Alejan talks about how the film exposes the many layers and areas of sampling that have never previously been explored on film.

Find more videos like this on Community Cinema Series St. Louis

Community Cinema partnered with Future of Music Coalition to present COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS. Future of Music Coalition encouraged discussions about sampling and more as part of their 8th Policy Summit in Washington DC in early October 2009. Community Cinema Regional Outreach Coordinator Michon Boston explains, “Fair use is … described for documentary makers, as follows:

Fair Use is the right, in some circumstances, to quote copyrighted material without asking permission or paying for it. It is a crucial feature of copyright law. In fact, it is what keeps copyright from being censorship. You can invoke fair use when the value to the public of what you are saying outweighs the cost to the private owner of the copyright.

– Source: “Documentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use”

Boston continues during her chat with Kembrew McLeod, “When it came to fair use, he appeared cautious about their selection process for COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS.”

McLeod said, “We didn’t want to ruin it for people following us through the door.”

Speakers and audience members in St. Louis feel the music after the film an discussion.

For the hundreds of people who attended our free screening events for COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS nationwide, McLeod and Frazen busted the door open for musicians, artists, and others to explore the myriad aspects and themes of sampling, borrowing, mashing-up, and paying tribute. Now get out there and make some music. Holla!

I just completed my first full season of Community Cinema — that’s 18 screenings, with more than 30 community partners, 40 panelists, and more than 1,000 audience members.

A DJ spins at the Copyright Criminals screening in Oakland

Copyright Criminals brought out some of our most energetic and diverse viewers. People flooded into the theater and almost immediately lost themselves in the music.  Maybe it’s because I’m a hip hop fan, but having youth DJs mixing Lauryn Hill and Tribe Called Quest started my night off right. Law students, hip hop enthusiasts, teenagers, established authors, and DJs all contributed to conversations about artistic expression, creative ownership, and the overall impact on hip hop.

Last Christmas brought out some of the Bay Area’s finest musical gifts for Young@Heart, in the form of two legendary jazz and blues artists, Margie Baker and Craig Horton. The film gave us a chance to re-introduce our audiences to musical talents in the Bay Area with more than 40 years in the game; performers who at 70 years young still sparkle onstage and have first person accounts of what the “Harlem of the West” was like in its heyday.

Artist, biologist, and origami aficionado — Bernie Peyton — at a Between the Folds screening

Between the Folds brought out some of the world’s premiere paper folders, renowned in the origami community. It is always interesting to stumble into a thriving community that you had no idea existed. Watching Oakland audience members learn to fold panda bears with origami experts Bernie Peyton and Robert Lang was truly heartwarming.  One of our strongest partnerships in Oakland is with DEAF Media, and many of the audience members who stayed to learn folding were students who are hearing impaired. We usually have a discussion component that is translated, but for the first time this was a visual demonstration and the students lit up.

Garbage Dreams brought out massive crowds, including one ambitious teacher in Oakland who summoned her elementary school students to the event in order to reinforce lessons on recycling. In San Francisco, the Department of the Environment was able to provide pictures of the city’s waste removal program in the early 1900’s … pictures that looked like modern-day Egypt.  And so as is often the case at Community Cinema screenings, audiences arrive expecting to watch stories from far and away places only to find themselves rooted in the pictures before them.

And it’s the final highlight of the season which builds on that idea — our community partners, panelists, and audience all participate on a volunteer basis.  They share their time, resources, questions and knowledge with each other graciously.  A most sincere thanks to all of you!  It’s been a great year full of music, art, and wonderful dialogue here in the Bay Area.

(left) D TOUR director Jim Granato and (right) June R. Wallace, Community Affairs Coordinator, California Transplant Donor Network at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center

Throughout the month of September 2009, Community Cinema presented free preview screenings of the documentary D TOUR. Each of the 36 events between September 1 and September 29 connected audience members with information about local organ donation registries and shared the stories of transplant recipients and the donors who saved their lives. The emotionally moving film follows indie rock drummer Pat Spurgeon on a “dialysis tour” as he waits for a kidney transplant match and tours with his band, Rogue Wave.  The film lead to many deeply personal and heartfelt discussions with speakers afterward. Even if you missed one of our events, you can still easily connect with the local donor registry in your area.

And, you should.  The need is dire.  Every 13 minutes another person is added to the national organ transplant waiting list. One in nine American adults— more than 20 million –have kidney disease, and most don’t know it.  Nationally,  about 106,000 people are awaiting transplants of all kinds. In the Puget Sound region around Seattle there are over 1600 people waiting. In the DC area alone, there are nearly 2,000 people waiting desperately for an organ to save or enhance their lives.  More than 3,400 individuals live in the New England region waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.  20,000 people on the wait list live in California.

Every D TOUR event gave audience members a chance to hear the local stories of transplant recipients, donors, doctors, nurses, and/or those living their lives while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

Washington DCJCC screening 9/13/09 – left to right Ellen Weiser (kidney recipient), Elaine Weiss (liver recipient), Jean Cook (Future of Music Coalition), John Odgen (WRTC), Ellen Blaock (donor parent)

Regional organ donor registries we worked with included Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (Chicago), The California Transplant Donor Network (N. CA and Nevada), the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee (Nashville area), New England Organ Bank, Washington Regional Transplant Community (DC area), Louisiana Organ and Tissue Donor Registry, Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency (Miami), Gift of Life Donor Program (Eastern PA, southern NJ, and Delaware), and Donate Life Today (WA and Montana). Each of these organizations can give you information about donating in your community. They also offer resources for transplant recipients and patients waiting for a transplant.

Through the Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP^®) the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee in the Nashville area 226 people at risk for kidney disease were given free screening tests last year. The National Kidney Foundation’s nationwide KEEP offers free screening for those at risk – anyone 18 years and older with high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of kidney disease.  KEEP provides three simple tests that determine kidney function to thousands of people each month in dozens of cities across the U.S.  Pat Spurgeon’s story in D TOUR highlights the need to regularly monitor kidney health for those who are in at-risk categories.

In St. Louis we met husband-and-wife speakers, Keya and Darion. Keya was surprised to find herself a perfect donor match for her husband, Darion. “The decision to be a donor was very easy because I wanted my husband alive and healthy and to live a long life with me. The film reminded me of the importance of what I did as a donor.” For husband Darion, “The film triggered feelings I had forgotten. The film was like looking in a mirror. At 23 when I needed a kidney I felt invincible but this film makes you aware that kidney failure can happen to you or someone you know at anytime.”

Based on observations at our events and talking to our partner organizations afterward, we estimate that at least 50 people signed up to become organ donors with their local registry (including one of our own regional event producers and two ITVS staff members) at D TOUR events.  Up to 50 lives can be saved or made better by each donor, which means that about 2500 people could potentially benefit from connections made at D TOUR events in September. June R. Wallace, Community Affairs Coordinator, for California Transplant  Donor Network said after the D TOUR event she attended in Oakland,”The filmmaker captured the experience of just what a recipient, their families,  and their friends go through while waiting. The emotional rollercoaster of waiting for an organ is devastating.  My volunteers were so impressed to see both sides of  the process, and it gave them more encouragement to continue this great work they do.”

Panelist Uyen Le is interviewed for Saigon TV KJLA

Community Cinema’s National Coordinator Desiree Gutierrez reflects on a screening of A Village Called Versailles held earlier this month before an entirely Vietnamese audience in Southern California.

As one of the National Community Cinema Coordinators, I am use to hosting screenings with diverse crowds, but Sunday night I had the chance to be the outsider at a screening of A Village Called Versailles hosted by Nguoi Viet Daily News in Orange County’s Little Saigon.

The newspaper was the first Vietnamese publication outside of Vietnam and has a rich history. As it was told to me, the newspaper originated out of a series of letters that traveled back and forth between Vietnam and the U.S. as people tried to track down their family members and friends after the war.

Tiffany Le a reporter at Nguoi Viet reached out to me last month wanting to learn more about hosting a screening of A Village Called Versailles. She knew the residents of her community would want to see the film, but as she pointed out, they would not drive to LA or West Hollywood to attend one of our already scheduled events. We made arrangements to host the film at the newspapers auditorium in the heart of Little Saigon.

The newspaper had given us tremendous media coverage. We had a feature with images run a few days before the screening, and an interview with the filmmaker run the day of the event, not to mention a half page ad in the World Cup edition of the paper. Needless to say, the Vietnamese community knew we were having an event and they turned out. Nearly 200 people and four media crews filled the auditorium, and as I had been warned, I the only “Westerner” in the room.

Although I brought the film to this community, I was also an outsider. People could tell I didn’t speak Vietnamese (I am an obvious Caucasian-Mexican mix) and they would give me a welcoming nod, but few people tried to speak with me. When I went on stage to introduce the film in English, I was told that out of cultural respect, I should say, “Even though I am not Vietnamese, I love this film.” When I joked, I think they can tell I am not Vietnamese; I was informed that few people would understand me and as long as I said that sentence they would understand why I was there. With that, I was happy to oblige.

Reporter Kristoffer Kennedy of Viet Weekly, directs a question toward the panel

The film features both English and Vietnamese speakers.  Vietnamese subtitles ran while English speakers were on screen.  Watching the film with this crowd was a very different experience than with my typical “Western” crowd. This community understood the cultural humor and the true meaning of what people are saying, which can get lost in translation.

The panel discussion and community dialogue was also held entirely in Vietnamese. I was told that a majority of the conversation was focused on the current devastation from the BP oil spill, and the conversation ended with people talking about how their community could reach out to the New Orleans East community.

After the event, two men told me that they didn’t know about the situation presented in the picture or that this was happening to “their people,” and thanked me for sharing the film.

By screening the film, we shared a story about a community that received little commercial attention and that, conversely, brought a story to a community that is rarely the recipient of media attention. Even though I understood very little of the conversation, I knew Community Cinema had achieved its mission.

We asked audience members at last month’s events for The Horse Boy about what brought them to the event, how the film affected their feelings about the topic of autism and alternative healing, and finally what was their experience at Community Cinema.

In March, we presented Dirt! The Movie in dozens of communities nationwide. One of our most successful events was at the San Francisco Public Library. This video is an edited wrap-up of the event including speakers, the audience, and what people were talking about after watching the powerful film.

We presented the award winning documentary Garbage Dreams in January. This edited video captures the activities surrounding our event in Oakland, California.

December’s gift to Community Cinema goers was the delightful and touching Young@Heart about the Young@Heart chorus which is made up of older folk who sing punk, rock, and a lot of roll. We were so fortunate to be joined by many talented seniors at our events. Including Legendary jazz musician Willie Pickens at Community Cinema Chicago.

In Seattle, Young@Heart audiences were treated to a few numbers by Seattle’s Raging Grannies.

And in West Hollywood we were inspired by a number fo talented seniors at the Community Cinema Senior Talent Show.

In November, the runaway smash hit of the Fall was Between The Folds a compelling documentary about paperfolding and origami. Many of our events included interactive paperfolding workshops with local experts sharing their talents. Here’s a glimpse of the paperfolding activities.

Copyright Criminals asked, “Is sampling stealing?” at dozens of events throughout October. We had some stellar DJs and other artists speak and perform at events around the country. We talked to Seattle’s DJ Hypen who was the host of our event.

The audience also weighed in on the question of music as an artform and/or a business.

We want to hear from you.

Rowan holds hands with his father while riding together.

Community Cinema’s April selection, The Horse Boy airs nationally tonight on Independent Lens on PBS. (check local listings). The film was such a success at Community Cinema, I wanted to share a few more stories from the events. Tune in tonight.

Regional Outreach Coordinator Cindy Burstein and Co-Coordinator Sara Zia Ibrahimi in Philadelphia, produced a unique event with PBS station WHYY for The Horse Boy.

“On April 21, Station Partner WHYY hosted a screening in Philadelphia. More than 200 people packed the venue, including many parents who are raising children who have Autism. To create engagement opportunities around the screening, ITVS awarded WHYY a Station Outreach grant to support an innovative video project that captures the stories of families with Autism called The Horse Boy Family Media Project. Designed in collaboration with local families affected by autism; WHYY’s Community Relations Department, Learning Lab, and Health and Science Desk; and several local autism organizations, the Family Media Project creates a supportive space for families with Autism to find their own voice. Watch the videos here.”

Producing Partner Emily Tobin in Grand Rapids, Michigan produced an event featuring an author with experience dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome.

“We had an amazing screening! One of our biggest crowds of the year, and a truly great speaker. Liane is a local speaker and author who has Asperger’s Syndrome – as do her father and daughter. She discussed her own experiences at length, especially the difficulties she had with her daughter, who had terrible tantrums, much like in the film. She talked about experiences that her daughter and father had being bullied and beat up as children and for her daughter, even in the first year of college, because of their differences. Liane also discussed her work with a local group who uses horses in therapy with children who have mental and physical disabilities. She spoke of the amazing changes she has seen in these children, as well as adults who have been victims of abuse and violence. We discusses the affect of animals on children with autism, and several people in the audience shared their experiences with family members who are autistic, including siblings and children. It was a very emotional and touching discussion overall, with lots of tears and smiles.

Sydney Meyer our Producing Partner at St. Louis’ KETC TV always packs the house at the beautiful Missouri History Museum.

There was a full house for The Horse Boy event in St. Louis. We had a smaller room than usual at the Missouri History Museum and so we had to keep adding more and more chairs as 160 people flowed in to watch and discuss this wonderfully, touching film. One of the panelists, a professor of film studies, pointed out, ‘This film humbles us because it points us toward what we don’t know. It is an example of a film that is great because it shows us the heart of the filmmaker. It is love in action’. Several panelists who advocated more traditional treatment methods acknowledged that we don’t know all the answers to autism and that what works with some does not work with others. But the best voice of the night was a young autistic man who said, ‘I do not have a disorder. I am uniquely wired and parents should keep trying new ways to open up our world. Mine opened up by typing. But the most important thing to remember from this night is that the world should except all people, however different they are and not separate us from everybody else’. The night ended with applause but the talking and discussing went on as groups filed out of the museum. I’d say that was a successful night!

Michel Orion Scott, director of The Horse Boy

Julie Coan at Producing Partner Houston PBS produced an amazing event at Rice CInema.

“Our screening of The Horse Boy, during Autism Awareness Month, was wonderful. I heard many of the audience members express their surprise that the film was so insightful and poignant, yet real. One audience member said to me that she was surprised by how “non-typical” the film was in that it offered viewers another perspective on Autism. Topics for discussion were varied and had the entire audience raising thier hands and asking questions. On the medical aspect of Autism, Dr. Soares explained the research his institution conducts on Autism and the medical breakthroughs his UT Medical branch is currently making in the field. We also discussed the issue of ‘faith healing’, or alternatives to Western Medicine in the treatment of Autism. What we learned from this discussion was that, while there has been a lot of research done, Autism is still a medical mystery and treatment options have varying success rates, depending on the child. We also discussed the need for adult programs for those with Autism and other Neuro-psychiatric conditions. On the whole, the audience was extremely engaged in the discussion and everyone, including the panelists, thanked us for bringing this topic up for community discussion.”

One family's journey to find healing in Mongolia

While our free screenings of A Village Called Versailles continue through May with events Tuesday, May 11 in Colorado, California, and Wisconsin our audiences were so moved and touched by our April documentary selection, The Horse Boy that I wanted to share some follow up stories.

Community Cinema Regional Outreach Coordinator, Lynn Allen says of  the event in Boise ID for.

“This is what we dream about–a Community Cinema screening that was a life-changing event for one audience member. A graduate student at Boise State University earning her Masters in Social Work said after the event ended that this film and the follow-up discussion changed her career choice. Watching the trials and triumphs of the family and of Rowan convinced her that working with autistic children is what she wants to do after she graduates. She also mentioned that it was great to have an opportunity to talk with service providers in the audience about their work.”

Community Cinema events in Boston are hosted by our Producing Partner, Boston Cares.  Shannon Crane of Boston Cares shares the details of her event.

“We had an intense and revealing conversation following the film, our panelists opened up about their personal experiences with autism. Of the three speakers, two have children with autism and their journey hasn’t been easy. The resistance on mother met in attempting to enroll her daughter in extracurricular activities within her school district motivated her to create the Autism Higher Education Foundation. She has built a ground-breaking, first-in-the-nation program at the prestigious Boston Conservatory to support the educational development of young musicians on the autism spectrum. The program will be expanded to 24 students in the fall of 2010 and she is working to expand this movement to Conservatories all across the country.”

Our panelists (l. to r.) Nanette Fok, Thao Nguyen, Trang Tu, and Trong Pham

Despite another unusually gorgeous sunny day in Seattle, we had 130 people attend our recent free Community Cinema Seattle premiere event for A Village Called Versailles. Eight people showed up just for the panel discussion. The audience loved the film finding it humorous, touching, and inspiring. There were big reactions to the story and the people in the film. The audience laughed, gasped, and were silently moved by the inspirational residents of East New Orleans’ Versailles.

We were lucky to have Trang Tu on our panel. Trang, an urban planner, is featured in the film. She spoke eloquently about Versailles and then about plans for development in Seattle and how the community can support or protest the new development in Little Saigon. Trang was integral in the development of the master plan for the rebuilding of Versailles.

Repeating that message was Thao T. Nguyen of the Vietnamese Friendship Association and Neighborhood House. Thao is a young board member who gave the audience some great tips for local activism and community support.

The Vietnamese feast provided by the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce

Our moderator, Nanette Fok, is a local activist and community organizer who drew fascinating opinions and stories from our panel. She asked how the lessons learned in A Village Called Versailles could be applied to Seattle. The audience decided that the film was an excellent catalyst topics like disaster preparedness on the community/neighborhood level.

Also on the panel was Trong Pham, President of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, who spoke about the robust Vietnamese business community in Seattle. He and the Chamber sponsored a Vietnamese feast in the lobby after the event. At least 50-60 people stayed after the panel discussion and mingled and networked in the lobby.