Noel Schwerin of A Kind of Order visits Pompano Beach, Indie Memphis, and Auburn University

From Filmmaker Noel Schwerin of A Kind of Order:

Well, it was sunny, and the small audience that had heard about the film stayed for a lengthy Q&A with one viewer (a high school teacher) pressing for greater outreach for films like IDEAL, and offering his educational networks to the organizer. There are certainly audiences in southern Florida…I invite them to contact me to see the film and hear about the others in the Circuit!

 
Last night’s screening with Indie Memphis at the Screen on the Square was such a pleasure! The screen was big, the sound was great and the projected image was perfect. More importantly, members of the board of directors at Indie Memphis worked hard to reach out to a variety of communities, and the post film discussion was hugely enriched by their efforts. Thank You! The audience included, for instance, a retired correctional officer whose son had been an offender, the director and volunteers of a Memphis justice organization, MidSouth Peace and Justice Center, and many other curious and knowledgeable community members. Diverse in age, gender, ethnicity, knowledge about prison and in their professions, it was an audience that shared its varied perspective and experiences with each other and with me. Just the kind of screening that helps move the conversation about the role of prison in America!

Now at my final stop - and the final screening of this year’s Circuit - the beautiful Jule Collins Smith Museum at Auburn University. A land grant school with a great football team (my sons tell me), the school has a very active film program at the museum. While exam week kept many students away, an informed, interested and active group of community members came and shared comments, questions and support for the Southern Circuit.

It’s been a fascinating (and beautiful) tour of the south - an opportunity and access I could not have organized on my own, and I have been thrilled and honored to be a part of it!

Danielle Beverly from Old South visits Creative City Collective

From Filmmaker Danielle Beverly from Old South: 

Pompano Beach FL was the 3rd stop on the Southern Circuit with my documentary Old South. The film was scheduled at The Creative City Collective's BaCA Arts space, a cool and inviting gallery space.

Audience members were greeted at the door by the preteen daughter of host Caroline Breder-Watts, who offered cookies, snacks, and information about upcoming events at a welcome table.  It's never too early to get young people interested in the arts, and she was enlisted to be the ambassador. Caroline's whole family were there to welcome me, and the attendees.

Caroline is Executive Director of the Arts Radio Network and is also Pledge Producer/Radio Host at local public radio station WLRN. All day I'd been listening to NPR and they were in the midst of a committed pledge drive. I was thus so grateful for all she did to organize the screening, as it was crunch time for her!

The gallery was turned into a small viewing space, with chairs and a large flat screen television. A diverse crowd of about 15 all stayed to have what was such a thoughtful and engaged conversation that we forgot to take pictures!  Many people there were returning audience members who'd been to see The New Black the previous month at BaCA Arts.  They were now Southern Circuit devotees, and came to my screening to check out what was next on the tour. :-)

One older man offered his experience about how benevolence can be both useful and transforming, but also potentially reinforcing of power dynamics - a tricky balance, and one to be mindful of.  This is exactly the type of meaningful shares that come from the Southern Circuit post-screening discussions.  Insight and context comes directly from the audience - and TO the others in the audience. Sometimes I barely need to speak!  The conversation is happening among those in the room.

Yoruba Richen of The New Black - Oxford College, Presbyterian College, and Creative City Collaborative

From filmmaker Yoruba Richen of The New Black:

Creative City Collaborative Screening

I was super excited to hit the south with my documentary The New Black. Though we have had screenings in the region, this would be the first time I was able to be there and participate in Q and As. The film tackles some pretty hot button issues (race, sexuality, religion) and I was very curious to see how folks in the south would engage with it.

The first stop was Oxford College it Georgia. It was probably the coldest day of the year - but that didn't prevent a packed house for the screening, followed by a really good discussion afterward. The next morning I had breakfast with the Black Student Association and we talked about many issues that the film brought up, including the intersection of being black and LGBTQ, to need for more African-American filmmakers out there telling our own stories, from our own perspectives. I then got on the road and drove to Clinton SC. It was a beautiful drive through the wintry back roads, and I enjoyed the peacefulness and quiet solitude - very different from my New York City life. In Clinton, I screened at Presbyterian College and again the cold weather didn't stop folks from coming out. It was great talking with the students about the role of religion in their lives and how that affected their views on marriage equality. What is interesting is how much folks are engaging in this issue all around the country and how the conversations are similar despite the differences in policy in each state. Next was Creative City Collaborative in Pompano Beach FL. The space was beautiful and the crowd energetic. It was amazing timing to be screening in the south as Alabama was grappling with the recent court order to allow same-sex marriage. This made for rich discussions in each of the venues and I'm so thankful that I got this opportunity 

Katie Damien, My Toxic Backyard - Pompano Beach, FL

The latest update from filmmaker Katie Damien, touring her film My Toxic Backyard on the Southern Circuit:

Had a wonderful screening at Bailey Contemporary Arts in Pompano Beach with a wine and cheese reception before and a long discussion after the screening. Everyone took home a card with the website on it so they could look up toxic sites in their area. They were especially interested when I told them there were two in Pompano Beach alone.