Cinematheque brings entertainment, inspiration
By Rachel Hanes, Staff Writer
October 23, 2007 | 1:45 a.m.
Everyone knows that one of the best things about seeing a film is talking about it afterwards. Thanks to Arts for Ohio, every second weekend of the month there will be film screenings at the Athena that showcase pictures from around the world and initiate discussion. Cinematheque, which began this month, will certainly become a student tradition.
Arts for Ohio is a program that stems from the College of Fine Arts. In its mission to integrate the arts into the lives of students and those of the Athens community, Arts for Ohio strives to create stimulating art events that are free for students. Their newest creation, Cinematheque, is no exception.
While university classes are in session, students and members of the community will have the opportunity to view films, both classic and contemporary, at the Athena movie theater on Court Street in their original formats.
At only $4 for non-students and free admission for students of Ohio University and local high schools, this week-long event is one that can accomplish Arts for Ohio’s goals of enlightening viewers while entertaining them.
Audiences will be able to see cultural, inspiring and enriching films, as well as have the chance to discuss them post-screening. Discussions will be led by an OU faculty member who is enthusiastic about the film and knowledgeable about its possible influence on viewers.
Chris Iacofano, the program manager of Cinematheque, hopes that this exciting addition to campus will inspire movie-goers to discuss the films in the classroom as well as in the community.
“I believe that the scope of these films encompasses the lives of everyone in the region, not just students,” he said. “It is my hope that these screenings might provide an intersection between students and the greater Athens community through a shared love of films.”
The movies that are showcased span many different cultures and subjects, so they are connected to different areas of the university. Iacofano’s choices in pictures for the week are often “connected to individual classes, departments and student organizations across campus.” Some films are foreign, while others reflect on different cultures in the United States.
When looking at the films showcased during Oct. 12 to Oct. 18 during its debut, Cinematheque has demonstrated the wide range of pictures that are to be expected in months to come.
International films such as "Fire," a controversial Indian film about following traditional values, and "Infernal Affairs," the picture from Hong Kong that inspired Martin Scorcese's "The Departed," give audiences a glimpse of cultures in a way that they may have never seen before.
The event’s debut also showcased American films "Wattstax" and "Dave Chappelle's Block Party," both of which document politics and culture within the African American communities of the 1970s and present day, respectively. The two films were introduced by Akil Houston, a professor in the African American studies department of Ohio University. Houston believes that the films shown by Cinematheque will only help facilitate consideration and understanding between people of the community.
“I think the issues that [the films] talk about are relatable across genres, genders, races and ethnicities,” Houston said.
The next Cinematheque will start Nov. 9 and run through Nov. 15, bringing with it a new set of films to watch and discuss. Kicking off the event will be the European film "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" beginning at 8 p.m. Films from Hungary, Italy and India will also be shown throughout the course of the event. Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" will be another movie audiences won’t want to miss. Films will have multiple show times throughout the week.
An opportunity to see free films is enticing enough, but adding in the element of discussion and debate about controversial, cultural, ethnic and classic films adds a twist to the equation. Cinematheque is bound to become a loved tradition of all those in the Athens community who not only appreciate film, but also those who wish to expand their knowledge of the world and those living upon it.
---