September 14, 2018
Community Newsletter
My First Experience at Cinema Arts Centre’s Preview Club
By Nate Close
As the newest member of the Cinema Arts Centre team, there are endless new and exciting experiences just waiting at my doorstep. As a Huntington native, I grew up coming to Cinema Arts Centre; coming to see films as a child, and later as young man- I knew our little community cinema offered something special. The feeling you get when you walk through these doors is quite different from any other cinema experience I’ve had. You get the feeling that each and every person truly values the community that has grown around Cinema Arts Centre and the programming we offer. To me, this level of engagement and dedication are the most exciting aspects of taking on this new position.
 
Within my first week at the Cinema, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the summer season’s final Preview Club event. Now, although I’m familiar with many of the incredible Cinema Arts offerings, Preview Club is an event I had never had the pleasure of attending. To be quite honest, I didn’t know what expect- showing up for a mystery film is an experience many might disregard. But, after finding out that night’s film would be Bel Canto , my interest was piqued. Julianne Moore has consistently remained one of my favorite actresses, with a presence that is both elegant and powerful. 

I can hardly put into words the extent to which the film exceeded my expectations. What I expected was: a hostage-scenario-turned-love-story, but what Bel Canto delivered impacted me in ways I couldn’t have foreseen. Without spoiling the film before its official release, Bel Canto is a film that left me breathless, gave me chills, and left a pit in the depths of my soul. As the credits rolled, I sat in the theater in silence, unable to say a word, contemplating the message the filmmakers hoped to impart on their audience. 

While on its surface, Bel Canto is a story about the romantic relationships that formed during a hostage situation, deep down it is an exploration of human connectivity and the acceptance and embrace of our fellow human beings. Despite our apparent oppositional positions within the culture or society to which we belong, we all have an indisputable connection. The film functions as a message, a way to remind us of the responsibility we each have to one another. Beyond this, Bel Canto serves as a metaphor for the plight of marginalized people and the struggles they are forced to undertake against the powers that oppress them. 

I cherish having had the opportunity to see this film with the Preview Club. Through this story I became able to humanize the motives and desperation of people often labeled as extremists by the powers-that-be. Bel Canto helps remind us that there is always more than one side to a story. In a world with so much intolerance, a film that causes us to question the official narrative and see through the eyes of the oppressed, has real power and the ability to change one's perception. The underlying message that we are all the same; we are all people who deserve dignity, peace, and freedom- despite what differences we may have, is a message worthy of repeating.
 
Thank you to the Preview Club for this opportunity, and to Cinema Arts Centre for continuing to provide this incredible resource to the members of our community. As someone often working behind the scenes; getting a chance to attend events like this really demonstrates what a special resource Cinema Arts Centre is to our Huntington community, and what a great place it is to work.
Call for Volunteers
We will launch the Vic Skolnick Life of Our Cinema Campaign on October 15th with a very special screening. (Watch our Program Guide, email, and website for details.)

The Life of OUR Cinema Campaign is our annual appeal for program and operating support.

The "revenue pie" below shows the sources of all the revenue required each year to cover our program and operating expenses.
An important part of our campaign is to engage volunteers from our community to not only make a campaign gift, but to ask their own contacts to join them in supporting our community cinema. These volunteers are often members of our Circle of Friends volunteer group, but any member can become a volunteer campaigner.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer campaigner , please email rene@cinemaartscentre.org .

Thank you!
Capital Fund Update
Each year, our independent audit shows that we spend 80% of our revenue on program expenses, and just 20% on all administration and overhead. We always prioritize our community programs. The screenings and events we produce for our members and patrons - and the community benefit our programs create - are the reason we are here.

But we also know that our programs take place in our facility. You see them in our building, on our screens, sitting in our seats. And we have heard you when you have told us that our screens are old and damaged, and our seats are not ideal.

The Cinema Arts Centre has been raising funds for such capital needs. Thanks to your support, we have already replaced the screen in Theater Two, and will be replacing the screen in Theater One soon. (We will also be able to make significant improvements to our soundproofing and sound quality during that installation.)

We began to raise money for seats at the end of 2016, when we were made a remarkable offer of used seats at a great price. The seller had to rescind that offer, but funds raised for seats have been held aside, and our plan is to install new seats in 2019.

This plan is predicated on our success in fundraising. We have applied for grant funding. The sale of Seat Plaques will support our project. And contributions to our One Dollar Campaign (our call to members and patrons to give an extra dollar when purchasing tickets) go directly to our capital fund.

The thermometer above shows the amount needed for seats and screens, and our progress so far. We will keep you updated.

Thank you for being part of our Cinema community and helping to make sure we can deliver our mission to Long Islanders every single day.
 The Cinema Arts Centre is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. The mission of the Cinema Arts Centre is to bring the best in cinematic artistry to Long Island, and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community.
Thanks to our September Program Sponsors:
Thanks to Stuart and Ginger Polisner for their ongoing support of our Real-to-Reel and Creativity Series.

When you visit a business that supports the cinema, please let them know how much it means to you.
Major Grant Support
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