Community Cinema New Orleans Presents Special Challenges and Rewards

Allison Inman, our Nashville-based National Community Cinema Coordinator recently spoke to Jerald White, Director of the Charitable Film Network, our Community Cinema Producing Partner in New Orleans. Since 2006, Community Cinema – led by courageous volunteers – has presented free events in a variety of unique community venues.

Community Cinema New Orleans Presented BETWEEN THE FOLDS This Past Saturday

Allison writes, Of all the cities that host Community Cinema screenings, I’m most grateful for the New Orleans program. That post-Katrina transition — a mixture of financial setbacks and relentless creative spirit — makes it fertile ground for discussions around the social issues in the films.

AI: What are the challenges and triumphs of organizing events in New Orleans these days?
JW: Juggling the demands of our ongoing recovery effort, with the hardships brought on by the current recession can make it difficult to organize Community Cinema events. People sometimes get stuck in survival mode, and they don’t always feel like they can afford to take a break or connect with others in the community.

It’s always a challenge to secure program venues and funding, but we’ve moved the program forward despite these challenges. We’ve been very fortunate this year to attract new partners like the New Orleans Office of Film & Video, the Louisiana Office of Film & Television, Antenna Gallery, and the Dillard University Theater Department.

Antenna Gallery New Orleans, Louisiana

At the end of the day it seems that “organizing” in New Orleans is really about improvisation – learning to take advantage of the moment at hand, and understanding the importance of cultivating long-term community relationships.

AI: Which films resonate most with your audience? What kind of subject matter — social justice films like Tulia, Texas, or more light-hearted art films like Helvetica and Copyright Criminals?
JW: Films about the environment and hardcore social justice issues tend to draw larger crowds here. There is also a strong audience for films like HELVETICA and BETWEEN THE FOLDS. However, films with New Orleans themes like A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES traditionally resonate the most with our audience.

AI: You like to move the events around to various venues around town. Why do you think that’s important?

JW: New Orleans Community Cinema screenings were held exclusively in the Central City neighborhood during the first two years of the program. Central City is one of the most dangerous and underserved neighborhoods in New Orleans. Central City residents did not traditionally have access to programs like Community Cinema, and we wanted to change that. We hosted many successful screenings in Central City and intend to have more in the future.

New Orleans is changing. There has been a huge influx of new residents and new energy in the city. This year we’ve made it a priority to re-introduce Community Cinema to local residents. We want to create friendly space for old and new residents to come together, meet new people and discuss important issues. Right now we’re reaching out to folks in the Gentilly and Bywater neighborhoods, and the Central Business District. Coordinating screenings in different areas of the city has helped us build greater awareness about Community Cinema, and it also promotes greater audience diversity.

The Louisiana Office of Film & Television

AI: What do you hope to do with Community Cinema in the future? What’s your dream screening scenario?
JW: We want to use Community Cinema to create growth opportunities for local residents. We want to work in close partnership with our local PBS affiliate WYES, and broaden the outreach and impact of New Orleans Community Cinema. We would like to hire student interns to support Community Cinema and Community Classroom activities. We also want to build upon the success of our first ITVS Film Salon, and offer additional workshops and funding resources to local filmmakers.

Our dream screening scenario would be to have a Community Cinema film or activity inspire the audience and guest speakers to become more involved in addressing community issues. This takes time and commitment, but we are moving in that direction.

Community Cinema New Orleans Presented BETWEEN THE FOLDS This Past Saturday at the Antenna Gallery

AI: How have you been able to use Community Cinema to connect with other organizations in New Orleans?
JW: We try to identify diverse organizations that might benefit from being involved with a Community Cinema event and we invite them to help us shape the screening event and subsequent discussion.

The upcoming screening of DIRT! THE MOVIE is a good example of how we’ve used Community Cinema to connect with organizations. We invited several organizations to participate in the screening, including: Our school at Blair Grocery, New Orleans Food & Farm Network, Viet Village Urban Agriculture Program (the same community featured in the film A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES), and the Latino Farmers Cooperative of Louisiana. Audience members who attend the DIRT! THE MOVIE screening will learn how diverse community groups are engaged in soil remediation initiatives and collaborating on food justice and food security issues.

For the YOUNG @ HEART screening, we’ve reached out to several senior service providers and theater groups for support in promoting the screening. We’re also using the screening to introduce the audience to The Golden Heart Players, “the oldest theater troupe in New Orleans.” Each screening takes us on journey with new and interesting community organizations.

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