Join the Way Down Film Society for great movies at monthly screenings

Screenings and discussions bring filmmakers and lovers together

by Jacy Jenkins

Contributor

The Fountain City Film Society was formed in September 2016 so people who appreciate cinema could gather on a monthly basis to watch and discuss the kinds of films that rarely screen in our local theaters. Beginning this summer, the Film Society is joining forces with Way Down Film Festival to pursue a common goal: building an active community of film lovers and filmmakers in the Columbus, Georgia area.

The Way Down Film Society (WDFS) seeks to expand the appreciation of the art form by the general public, and to create a networking environment for local filmmakers. Member participation and a diversity of viewpoints are essential to its success.  The WDFS is not a film appreciation class, or a monthly lecture on cinema.

The Film Society currently meets on the third Tuesday of every month at the Cunningham Center at Columbus State University; mix, mingle, and socialize at 6 p.m. with the official meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. The group watches a feature-length film and participates in a post-screening discussion.  Scott Phillips, a festival programmer for the Way Down Film Festival, and a member of the Georgia Film Critics Association, curates the films being shown and moderates the meetings.

Previous meetings have focused on classic films from France (“The 400 Blows”), Hong Kong (“In the Mood for Love”), Iran (“A Separation”) and India (“Pather Panchali”) as well as American, indie films like “Coherence” (2014) and “Songcatcher” (2000).  The meeting on May 16, 2017 featured a screening and discussion of William Friedkin’s 1977 thriller “Sorcerer.”  Friedkin is best known as the man who made “The Exorcist” and “The French Connection.” Why have you never heard of “Sorcerer”? Why did it crash and burn when it was released on June 24, 1977? Because it ran into a little box office juggernaut called “Star Wars” and then disappeared into obscurity. Watching films and discussing them at our monthly meetings is the perfect way to learn more about these great movies.

If you have any questions about the Way Down Film Society, or if you would like to receive email notifications about meetings and events, please contact Scott Phillips at waydownfilmsociety@gmail.com.

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