From Art House to "Microcinema"

                I feel as though the sense of community is the key element here when considering the best elements of “Microcinema.” In 302 alone we’ve been nurturing a community with the class by collectively involving ourselves in various projects with various partners. And with the upcoming music video project our collaborations and associations with continue to grow into bigger and better groups!

                Regarding Avin’s article, I enjoyed getting a sense of her idea of Microcinema she that “there was a sense of adventure in seeking out the obscure films shown there…” I can certainly say that while my own exposure to Microcinema is limited, a can totally get on board with this sentiment. Microcinemas have this unique ability to foster a localized film community, branching out from the ciné-clubs out post-War France, or Vogel’s Cinema 16 (40s- 60s) in New York.

I remember going to a Microcinema last winter in the basement of a café in Greensboro, NC. There were some scattered chairs seating no more than a few dozen. If fact, the support beams were actually in the way of a few of the seats blocking the screen! However, the film was great, audience was engaged and inquisitive during the Q & A afterwards, and the whole experience was totally nuanced and memorable.  

                We are fortunate enough to actually have a ciné-club right here on campus, each Saturday afternoon. This is something that I’ve yet to take advantage of and sincerely hope that it continues on into the following semesters.

                The low overhead is also an important aspect of keeping ciné-clubs and Microcinemas economically feasible, as it continues to aid in building an immediate community of eclectic cinema lovers. Here in the department and at the university, let’s continue to support our own ciné-clubs, start up new Microcinemas and generally focus on building community amongst our friends and peers.