AVON THEATRE FILM CENTER INC

MANY PEOPLE VIEW THE CINEMA AS A SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT; HOWEVER, THE AVON IS DRIVEN BY ITS MISSION TO EXPAND THIS ROLE BY SHOWING FILMS THAT ARE ARTISTICALLY AND/OR SOCIALLY MEANINGFUL, AND BY USING CINEMA AS A MEANS OF EDUCATING, INSPIRING, AND/OR ENGAGING THE GREATER COMMUNITY. THESE GOALS ARE ALWAYS A TOP PRIORITY WHEN THE AVON DESIGNS ITS PROGRAMMING, ONLY A PORTION OF WHICH IS DESCRIBED HERE. THIS YEAR WE SAW, AS IN THE PRE-PANDEMIC PERIOD, SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT COLLABORATED WITH THE AVON TO PRESENT FILMS HIGHLIGHTING MAJOR SOCIETAL ISSUES, INCLUDING IMMIGRATION, GUN VIOLENCE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND CLIMATE CHANGE. THESE PROGRAMS, EACH FEATURING A SPECIAL SCREENING FOLLOWED BY A PANEL DISCUSSION, ATTRACTED WELL OVER 1,000 ATTENDEES. OUR SERIES, "MOVIES THAT BUILD COMMUNITY!," NOW IN ITS SECOND SEASON, PRESENTS FILMS FOCUSING ON SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY-RELATED ISSUES. THIS SPECIAL SERIES, UNIQUE TO THE AVON AND FREE OF CHARGE FOR ITS AUDIENCES, EDUCATES AND INSPIRES BOTH LARGER AND NEW CROWDS. THE AVON'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW EACH YEAR. THE AVON ALSO CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FREE MEMBERSHIPS TO TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, WITH THE GOAL OF ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS TO USE QUALITY CINEMA AS A TOOL FOR ENHANCING CLASSROOM LEARNING. APPROXIMATELY 185 EDUCATORS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFERING, WITH MANY ENCOURAGING THEIR STUDENTS TO ATTEND SCREENINGS AT THE AVON THAT CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THEIR CURRICULA. THE AVON'S COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AWARDED $8,500 THIS YEAR TO 11 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO SUBMITTED ESSAYS ON WHY FILM MATTERS. THE VARIETY OF FILMS DISCUSSED, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOLS AND TOWNS REPRESENTED, CONTINUES TO GROW EACH YEAR, WHILE THE QUALITY OF THE SUBMISSIONS CONSISTENTLY IMPRESSES OUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGES. THE AVON IS STRONGLY COMMITTED TO ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND CONTINUES TO BUILD UPON ITS PROFESSIONALLY CURATED BLACK LENS SERIES UNDER THE "MOVIES THAT BUILD COMMUNITY!" UMBRELLA, HIGHLIGHTING FILMS MADE BY BLACK FILMMAKERS AND/OR FILMS THAT EXPLORE THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA. ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR, THESE FEATURES WERE WELL RECEIVED AND WERE FOLLOWED BY PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE FILMMAKERS.