The life of cinema has been in question since the pandemic began. A lot of theaters are struggling to keep themselves above water. However, it’s still possible to watch great movies and encourage local theaters and filmmakers to keep going! Here are a few of the upcoming film events to be excited for.
A2 Tech Films Showcase
The third annual A2 Tech Film Showcase goes virtual this Saturday, August 29, starting at 12am EST and ending at 11:59pm EST. For the last two years, the A2 Tech Film Showcase has brought diverse filmmakers together for tech-inspired short films. Rik Cordero, founder of the showcase, says one of the things that make their experience stand out is its lack of competition. He says the films are specially curated to fit together — like songs on an album, they are meant to flow together as one unit.
Among the highlight films this year in the showcase is Jordan Stanton’s Impulse Ann Arbor, a look at the tech music scene in the Ann Arbor and Detroit areas. Jordan was featured in our January/February edition, where we had an in-depth discussion about Impulse Ann Arbor. Out of Range is an animated film directed by three women filmmakers who studied at the prestigious Gobelins School in France. Finally, Feathers, directed by A.V. Rockwell, a female music video director from Queens, is about a young boy who must overcome a tragic past and bullying from his peers at a new school.
This year’s A2 Tech Film Showcase is being presented virtually by Cinetopia with one hundred percent of the proceeds benefiting The Michigan and State theaters, making this a great way to save our cinemas and invest in future filmmakers. Tickets can be bought online.
$15.00 for non-members, $12.00 for Michigan Theater and Cinetopia Venue Partners. Click here to purchase tickets.
Cinema Detroit’s Third Drive-In Movie Event
8:30pm, Friday, August 28
Cinema Detroit is a non-profit theater in the heart of downtown Detroit. Like all theaters, they’ve been closed since the start of the pandemic, but they have been coming up with creative ways to keep their theater alive while bringing cinema lovers great independent programming.
Owners Paula and Tim Guthat coordinated an outdoor drive-in back in July at the Herman Kiefer Complex with a sold-out screening of Purple Rain. The screening was so successful they added an encore at the end of July which also quickly sold out!
On August 28, they’ll return for a drive-in screening of Mr. Soul!, a documentary about the rise and fall of America’s first “Black Tonight Show” host and it’s amazing guests. The show hosted the who’s who of Black thinkers, athletes, musicians, actors, and activists. This screening is one night only, and tickets to this event have sold out in the past. Be sure to go here for more information and tickets!
