Sunday, February 7, 2010

Cinema offers diverse viewing opportunities

One of the hidden gems of Athens is the Athena Cinema located on Court Street. It is the quintessential example of a small town theater. The antiquated marquee adds quite a bit of character not only to the theater but to the street as well. The décor in the theater gives off an air of nostalgia with red carpeting, a wide staircase and a chandelier. While watching a film in the Athena, it feels like you stepped into a 1920s film.

The Athena only has three theaters, so the variety of showings is limited, but the theater shows movies that are difficult to find on the big screen anywhere else, especially documentaries and independent films. The prices also tend to be cheaper than larger theaters, which is a huge plus for college students.

The Athena hosts the annual Athens International Film and Video Festival, a weeklong event featuring diverse film and video projects, largely from local artists.

Arts for Ohio has recently collaborated with the Athena to produce Cinematheque, a “screening of classic ‘art’ films from around the world.” The event brings in speakers and fosters discussion and debate about the art. The great thing about Cinematheque is that it is free for Ohio University students and local high school students as it is funded through the Arts for Ohio Initiative.

The Athens International Film and Video Festival will take place this year from April 23 to April 29.

The next Cinematheque is not planned yet, but you can follow the process on the Arts for Ohio Web site.

0 comments:

Post a Comment