College Town Film Series returns with a new lineup for 2017

The College Town Film Series is back this spring with a lineup of three films. In coordination with this year’s theme “On the Margins,” the series’ films feature stories of marginalized or overlooked groups of American society. The films will be screened at Macon’s historic Douglass Theatre, which has served as a venue for film and the performing arts since 1921 according to the theatre’s website.

The series was founded as an opportunity for students and faculty of Mercer University, Middle Georgia State University, and Wesleyan College to enjoy films together and discuss pressing societal issues.

“I’m hoping that for each night, students will come out from each institution,” said Dr. Michele Beverly, a Mercer professor who will lead the discussion after the second film in the series, “Middle of Nowhere.”

“[It’s important] for students to look around and see each other and know that we have some bright and engaging minds [in our community],” Beverly said.

“Middle of Nowhere” follows the story of a medical student who must reevaluate her life path after her husband receives a lengthy prison sentence. The film was written and directed by Ava DuVernay, whose work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including an Oscar nod for 2014’s “Selma.”

“I’m a big fan of all of (DuVernay’s) work,” Beverly said. “This particular film was the first film to be awarded ‘Best Director’ at Sundance by a black woman… it’s just a phenomenally done film.”

Beverly said that she chose the film in part to encourage students to think about stories that often go untold in the film industry.

“[‘Middle of Nowhere’] deals with incarceration, and often times these people are not seen as viable characters in narrative films,” Beverly said. “We don’t normally get a window into that world.”

In addition to the screening, Beverly looks forward to the discussion after the film. “I’m hoping we can have a conversation about where filmmaking is going,” Beverly said. “There has been an explosion of other voices (in the film industry), and I don’t know that people realize that. That’s part of why this film choice was important, because (Ava DuVernay) is a new voice.”

“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” the first film in the series, will be screened Thursday, Feb. 26. The 1993 film depicts a 24-year-old man (Johnny Depp) struggling to support his family in small-town Iowa. Middle Georgia State University’s Dr. Patrick Brennan will host the event and lead the discussion following the screening.

The series’ final film, “Mystic River,” covers the topics of sexual assault, familial love, street violence, and the nature of justice.  The event will take place on Feb. 9 and will conclude with a discussion led by Dr. Tom Ellington of Wesleyan College.

Though the films all cover strikingly different groups and cultures within American society, Beverly stressed that the theme “On the Margins” was chosen to highlight their differences from the majority of film subjects.

“We see so much about the same narratives, and heroes, and villains, and heroines, over and over again,” Beverly said. “But there are countless other ways to approach storytelling, and countless other subjects and characters that are worthy of our attention.”

Each of the films in the series will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door and are $5 for the public and free with a student ID. Admission includes free refreshments.