REEL
COOL
The
Newsletter of the
November
2008
A Letter from the
Executive Director
Fellow Members,
At the outset
of this month’s newsletter, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is
I would also
like to thank the entire membership for its continued support of the
Philadelphia Film Society. As you know,
the Philadelphia Film Society is a non-profit organization founded for and
committed to the presentation of film, art and the education of the Greater
Philadelphia community.
Beyond
executing this mission via our role as producers of the Philadelphia Film
Festival and the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, we
strive to create a year-round presence through advanced preview screenings,
film discussion groups, and select events such as last week’s Panel on
potential Oscar contenders.
In the near
future, we plan to increase our presence by adding additional members-only
screening events and receptions throughout the year, providing our members with
further opportunities to enjoy films and potentially interact with people from
the industry.
While I do not
wish to dwell on it, it is impossible to ignore the current downturn in the
economy and the effect of this downturn on all of us.
In times of
economic crisis, cultural institutions like the Philadelphia Film Society are
disproportionately affected. It is only
through the support of our membership that we can sustain and execute on our
mandate.
As such, I
wanted to personally express my appreciation on behalf of the entire
Philadelphia Film Society for your continuing loyalty and patronage.
To further show
our gratitude, we are implementing two new policies, effective through the end
of 2008, both designed with our members in mind. The first is a payment plan for memberships,
and the second is a loyalty discount on membership renewals. Greater details on each policy are included
within this newsletter.
The future is
bright for the Philadelphia Film Society and I am very pleased to be a part of
it. Thank you once again for your support.
Executive
Director
This
Month’s Newsletter:
- PFS Membership
- Installment Payment Plans Now
Available
- Loyalty Discount for
Renewing Members
- November Film Club- Adaptation
(2002)
- Free Preview Screenings- A
Glimpse into the Future…
- PFS Members Discount
- Who’s Who in the Film Society
- Other Events across the City
- Philadelphia Jewish Film
Festival- Constantine’s Sword
- Drexel University- Khachaturian
- Bryn Mawr
Film Institute- Chris and Don: A Love Story
- International House- WR:
Mysteries of the Organism
PFS Membership
Installment Payment
Plans now available!
You say you’re an Extra member of the Film
Society, but you’d rather be a Screenwriter?
Or maybe you’re a Best Boy/Best Girl with the
Heart of a Director?
Well, if where you are is not where you want
to be, I ask—what can I do to help?
How about PFS helps to make affording a
membership more attainable?
The Philadelphia Film Society is now making
ALL Memberships available with a 3-time payment option*—that is to say, you pay
for one-third of the membership NOW, one-third at the beginning of March, and
one-third at the beginning of June.
(To learn more about all the great benefits
of Membership, including a breakdown of the various levels of donation and the
inherent benefits of each, click here)
To enroll for a PFS Membership, payable in
three installments, call Jared Miller**, Membership Coordinator, at
267-765-9700 x296 today!
*This offer is only valid through
**Installment plans can only be set up via
phone at this time. Jared is in office
Monday-Friday,
Loyalty Discounts for Renewing PFS Members
New Years is a time for reflection, an
opportunity for an individual to think back on all the good people they met and
all the good things they said to one another over the past twelve months.
In my case, I think back to January when I
first became involved with PFS, and I realize I have met an unbelievable amount
of good people in that short time—members of the Film Society, patrons of our
festivals, guests of our receptions...
If I waited until December 31st to recall everyone, I’d
probably be overwhelmed by the thought.
Which is why I’m not waiting. In fact, come December 31, I don’t want to
reflect on all the good people that came and went; I want to celebrate being
here with the people that are still around.
With that in mind, I am offering ALL MEMBERS OF THE PHILADELPHIA FILM
SOCIETY, expired or current, the opportunity to renew their
membership at a 10% discount.
This is my way of thanking you for remaining
active with the Society, or my way of inviting you back from a hiatus.
Either way you come at it, however, this
offer is only valid through
To renew your membership and take advantage
of our PFS Members’ Loyalty Discount, call Jared Miller, Membership
Coordinator, at 267-765-9700 x296, today!
PFS Film Club
Like a Book Club… where the books read to you!
Each month, the Philadelphia Film
Society offers its members a chance to engage like-minded cinephiles in a
film-centric discussion. We choose one
film to watch, pass around discussion topics to get the mind turning during
viewing, and meet at the month’s end for a lively and engaging discussion.
This month’s film is Adaptation. (2002), starring Nicholas
Cage, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268126/
Throughout the month, all TLA
Video locations will be renting and selling this film, as well as all selected
Additional Viewing titles, to all PFS members at
a discount.
For more information on the Film Club, including Discussion times and
topics, TLA Video locations and discounts, and more, click here!
A Glimpse into the Future…
Free
Preview Screenings. . .One Great Benefit of PFS
Membership
You’re the first! One of the great benefits of membership with the Film
Society is the ability to see major motion pictures year-round before
they are released to a ticket-buying audience.
These screenings are FREE, and all members are invited to bring along a
guest (a fringe benefit) when they attend*.
Recently, members of the Film Society were privy to advanced screenings
of films such as Religulous and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
Soon, all members will have the opportunity to attend a screening of Slumdog Millionaire, with director Danny Boyle in attendance
for a post-screening Q&A!
PFS are also working out the details for screenings of upcoming
blockbuster hits like
For more information on these Free Preview Screenings and the other
great benefits of a year-round membership (such as discounts on festival
tickets and badges and discounts at other arts, cultural and educational
organizations) with the Philadelphia Film Society, call Jared Miller,
Membership Coordinator, at 267-765-9700 x296.
*Invitations to these screenings are
distributed to the members based on level of membership and number of seats
available.
PFS Members Discounts
Updated Monthly—As WE get them, YOU get them!
International House
Members of the
To redeem this offer, simply show your PFS
Membership Card when you purchase your tickets at the International House box
office.
For a
complete listing of all International House screenings and events, click here!
941 Theater
Members
of the
Specializing in genre and activist-related film and video, Northern
Liberties’ premiere screening room (
To redeem this offer, simply show your PFS Membership Card when you
purchase your tickets at the theater.
For a complete listing of all
941 Theater screenings and events, click here!
Help Support
The Philadelphia Film
Society, a Non-Profit organization, relies upon the generosity of its
supporters to continue to provide the exceptional year-round services its
members and patrons have come to expect. While our two major film events-the Philadelphia Film
Festival and the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival -
take less than a combined month out of any year, there are months of
preparation and planning required to organize and execute such large and
all-encompassing events.
In addition to the two Film
Festivals, the Philadelphia Film Society also provides Free Preview Screenings
year-round for its membership. PFS is also constantly building relationships
with other film organizations and learning institutions in the Greater
Philadelphia region, in order to provide our members with discounts and event
information pertaining to the Greater Philadelphia film world.
Activities like these take
time and funding, and PFS gratefully acknowledges the major role its members
and donors play in keeping our organization strong.
To make a
fully tax-deductible donation to the
Who’s Who in the Film Society?
It’s an exciting time to be a part of the
Film Society—three new full-time staff members have recently joined PFS.
This year’s newest team of interns from colleges in the
tri-state area and beyond have joined our ranks. PFS is continuing to recruite more interns in preparation of the festivals in
2009. Our office is quickly filling up, and the level of excitement is
palpable!
I’m pleased to introduce the administration,
management and staffers at PFS:
You already know who I am (or you should,
since you receive my Newsletter), so I’ll skip over myself.
Of course, (counting me) you are sure to
notice that there are only five members of the PFS staff. So how are we
to put on one of the largest film festivals on the East Coast (or for that
matter, TWO of the largest festivals…) with such a small staff? With interns
and volunteers*, of course! We’re fortunate enough to already have a
great, diverse group of interns assisting:
Evan Silverstein recently moved to Philadelphia
from NYC; he holds a Bachelor’s in Telecommunications Arts from the University
of Georgia; Alexandria Katinos holds a Masters in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton
Hall; Noelle Roberts is currently an undergrad in
Temple University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management; Nelly
Singh is a Drexel University student studying Business
Administration, Marketing, and Legal Studies.
*If you are
looking for internship or volunteer positions with the Philadelphia Film
Society, you may direct any inquiries to
These
people recognize a good deal when they see one!
Wilkommen! Bienvenue! Welco
PFS
gratefully acknowledges all new and returning cast
Producer: Don Levinson
Best
Boys/Best Girls: Dwight
Bechtel, Fred Bresler, Patricia Guy
Student: Maria Bizo, Suzanne Tenuto,
Gregory Tobias, John Witherspoon
Keep Your Reel Love Alive!
Are you enjoying your PFS membership?
Relishing the opportunity to see major studio films before their official
release dates? Basking in the admiration
of family, friends, and co-workers who consider you a film oracle? Don’t let your PFS Membership expire. Renew today and keep your reel love alive!
Joining or renewing couldn’t be easier.
Contact our Membership Coordinator,
Thanks
for Playing a Starring Role!
The
Monday, November 17 •
The Gershman Y •
The latest film by
Oscar-nominated Oren Jacoby is an astonishing exploration of the history of
anti-Semitism. Following acclaimed author and former priest James Carroll on
his journey of remembrance and reckoning,
**Guest
Speaker: Jonathan Steinberg (Walter H. Annenberg Professor of Modern European
History,
For more
information on the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, including a complete list
of screenings, click here.
Khachaturian
Wednesday, November 19 • 7pm
Bossone Auditorium • 3120 Market St.
Free and Open to the Public
Khachaturian, winner of ‘Best
Documentary’ at the Hollywood Film Festival, examines the dramatic life of
Armenian-Soviet composer Aram Khachaturian,
one of the most respected composers of the 20th century. In
Peter Rosen, who will be at Drexel for a
two-day residency, will screen his noted documentary Khachaturian and speak after
the film. Peter is an award winning
filmmaker whose 36 documentaries have focused on the performing arts. His
work includes films about such unique artists as Van Cliburn,
Garrison Keillor, Enrico
Caruso, Artur Rubinstein, Leonard Bernstein, I.M. Pei and Toscanini. Rosen’s two day residency will also have
him working with students and faculty in Film & Video, Art & Art
History and Music classes.
For more information on this screening,
or on the Drexel University Antoinette Westphal
College of
For More information on Peter Rosen,
click here.
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Chris and Don: A Love Story
Saturday, November 15 •
Bryn Mawr Film Institute •
CHRIS AND DON chronicles the
lifelong relationship between American portrait artist Don Bachardy
and British writer Christopher Isherwood. Including
interviews with Leslie Caron, Liza Minelli, and John Boorman, this
film is a heartfelt testament to the power of love.
**This screening will be followed by a
discussion with the filmmakers Guido Santi and Tina
Mascara, and artist Don Bachardy.
For more information on the Bryn Mawr Film
Institute, including a complete list of screenings and courses, click here.
International House
WR: Mysteries of the Organism
Saturday, November 15 •
$7 general admission • $6 PFS Members
International House •
What
does the energy harnessed through orgasm have to do with the state of communist
Purchase your tickets in person
at the International House box office to take advantage of the PFS Members
Discount!
To purchase tickets online, click here!
For more information on International House, including a complete list of
screenings, click here.
Manthia Diawara:
New African Documentary
Wednesday, November 12 •
$10 • Free for Students
401 Fisher-Bennett Hall •
Documentary filmmaker and cultural theorist, Manthia
Diawara, surveys the trends and developments of
contemporary African cinema. A cinema that took form during the early years of
independence, film in
Manthia Diawara is director
of the Africana Studies Program and the Institute for African-American Affairs
at
For more information on Manthia Diawara’s visit to