In an ongoing effort to inform the public about local arts and culture, the Norwich Arts Council (NAC) offers some insight into the goings-on in the arts community in our bi-weekly feature NAC Corner, which appears in the Norwich Bulletin’s Arts Section every other Saturday. Written by volunteers, artists and board members of NAC, featured articles have let readers in on some of the many exhibits, concerts, productions and events not just behind our four walls on Broadway but at other arts organizations and venues in the region as well.

If you’re ever wondering what’s going on in the arts, take a look at the NAC Corner and find out what you’ve been missing.

Norwich Community Cinema opens to sellout crowd

The Norwich Community Cinema opened on June 13th in the Donald L. Oat Theater to a sellout crowd of over 100 people and had to turn others away at the door. The local cinema foundation's premier event was held on Saturday evening and featured three independently produced short films followed by a discussion with director/producer Alec Asten, screen writer Nick Checker and actor Brian Ellsworth. All three men participated in the production of one of the evening's films, "The Curse of Micah Rood." The evening’s discussion also included the showing of a work-in-progress documentary about the real Micah Rood. Asten showed his unfinished historical documentary which featured interviews with local historians and residents, and also sought feedback on the documentary from the audience.

The crowd enjoyed an evening of film, fresh popcorn from a vintage 1966 popcorn machine and a lively discussion afterwards. Each of the movies received resounding applause. The selected short films represented several of the film genres in which the cinema foundation intends to show full-length features in the coming months. The screening opened with, "Gone Fishing" (2008), a short film by British director Chris Jones which has swept up awards at film festivals around the world. Upon viewing the film, “Curse” director Asten said, “That was a great little movie. I can see why it is winning so many awards.” “Gone Fishing” was followed by a somewhat darker, yet not oppressive, Italian language film (English subtitles), "Under My Garden" (2008), directed by Andrea Lodovichetti.

After a brief intermission, the evening tied into the Norwich Semiseptcentennial celebration with a showing of the locally filmed, "The Curse of Micah Rood" (2008). “The Curse” gives a fictionalized account of a circa 1700 legend about a reclusive apple farmer from West Norwich (Franklin) and the infamous Rood apples with a stain of red at their core. About half the crowd stayed for the following discussion and presentation of the Rood documentary. Asten, Checker and Ellsworth discussed film making and answered questions before showing the Rood documentary. Asten is looking for ways to engage youth in history education through the medium of film.

The cinema will present its next award winning film, "Goodbye Solo" on July 11th at 7PM. Doors will open at 6:30. The all volunteer cinema is seeking individuals interested in helping with any aspect of movie presentation; from concessions to marketing.

The Norwich Community Cinema was created to entertain and enrich local culture by presenting independently produced, alternative, foreign, local and other films in downtown Norwich. The small, non-profit, community cinema is seeking to fill a niche by selecting movies that would not otherwise be available to area residents. It also seeks to bring people into downtown Norwich to enjoy the city's offerings. The cinema will screen films monthly, on the second Saturday of each month, at the Donald L. Oat Theater, located at 62 Broadway. Norwich Community Cinema is an affiliate organization of the Norwich Arts Council. More information about Norwich Community Cinema can be found on the web @ www.norwichcinema.org.

-Andrew Harvey

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