Bryn Mawr Film Institute shows indie films in great atmosphere

For one local theater, film education and education through film are part of the mission. The Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI), located on Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, shows old classics and current independent and foreign films. It also holds film discussions and film education classes.

“If you're really interested in movies in general or there’s a film that's showing that’s one of your favorites, this is the place to see it,” said Andrew Douglas, director of education at BMFI.

The theater shows movies that you may not see commercials for on TV, but ones that tend to receive good reviews from critics and film lovers. If there’s a movie that was nominated for an Oscar and you hadn’t heard of it, chances are that it played at BMFI.
Student favorites like “The Great Lebowski” and “The Sandlot,” as well as classic films from decades back, often pop up for one-night only shows.

One film currently playing at the theater is “The Art of the Steal,” a documentary about the controversy behind the movement of the Barnes Foundation. St. Joe’s has a particular connection to the art education institute, which sits just beyond campus houses on Lapsley Lane.

In addition to showing a regular run of screenings, the BMFI will host a number of panel discussions about “The Art of the Steal.” Lawyers will talk about the legal technicalities of the collection’s movement, a city representative will talk about how the Barnes Foundation might affect the Parkway, and selected philanthropists will reflect on the Barnes Foundation in the current economic climate for donations. The directors and producers, as well as a former Barnes director, spoke with audiences earlier this week. The panels for “The Art of the Steal” are just a few of the conversations on films that BMFI hosts.

The theater pays special attention to putting together film reels, which arrive at the theater with about 12 to 20 minutes of film on each, and need to be assembled.

“We have projectionists who really take a lot of care in assembling the film prints that come in and projecting the film prints,” said Douglas. “The films are going to look a lot better here. They’re shown with more care, the prints are treated with more care, so when you come see a movie, it’s going to look and sound better than it does at a lot of other area theaters.”

Most people have been in a theater where there are scratches on the film, there are pops on the soundtrack, the projection is not straight on the screen, or frames of the film are missing.

“That stuff doesn’t happen here. We take it very seriously. And the people who come here take their movies seriously,” Douglas said. “It just makes for a really pleasant experience.”

For St. Joe’s students, the theater is a financially viable option, with ticket and concession prices lower than those of the chain theaters in the area.

BMFI brings in filmmakers, experts, and those who can comment on films being shown on a regular basis. Notable guests included Louis Sachar, the author of “Holes,” who came when the movie adaptation hit screens and Danny DeVito.

“You rarely have the artist with you at the museum to [talk about their work], so when people are able to access that, they find it really engaging and really rewarding,” said Douglas. “We really feel it adds something.”

Education through film and discussion are part of BMFI’s mission.

“When we show a film that's connected to an issue, whether it’s an expressly vocal issue or a broader issue….We don’t just try to educate people about film. We try to educate them through film as well,” said Douglas.

BMFI holds around two to three classes a month on different directors, genres, and topics relating to film.

“Over the years we’ve had a number of [college] students come take the classes. Most of them tend to be students who are studying film making.”

These film classes can sometimes offer students an environment they would not find in a college course.

“That’s one of the great things about the classes, when we do have college age students with people who are 65: the different perspectives that you get. It’s better for both those groups of people,” said Douglas. “It really makes for some interesting discussions.”

Some older students can attest to a film’s reception when it first came out, Douglas said. One former student told a story about cutting class in high school so that she could see “The Philadelphia Story,” a 1940 romantic comedy with Katherine Hepburn that has become a classic. Another student in a musicals class shared her story of seeing “Singin’ in the Rain” in the ’50s.

Younger students in tune with pop culture can offer interesting perspectives as well.

“Especially for more contemporary films, the insights of younger people are as enriching to the older people as the older people's memories of those older movies,” said Douglas.

In addition to regular programming and classes, BMFI holds special programs that may appeal to those interested in particular aspects of film. Past programs included bringing some makers of NFL Films in to show some work and “Fashion in Motion,” which brought in costumes from the Philadelphia Art Museum, and held a discussion on the role of fashion in film.

On “Open Screen Mondays,” BMFI opens one of its screens for people working on films to come in and show up to a ten-minute clip of a project they are currently working on. The filmmakers can then receive feedback from the theater’s programmers, people from the Philly film community, and other filmmaker in attendance.

Open Screen Mondays tend to draw college students, as well as people of all ages, according to Douglas. It occurs every first Monday of the month and is free for those showing work and for anyone who just wants to watch.

If you’re looking for a good film in a great environment and at a cheap price, try the Bryn Mawr Film Institute for a change.

For more information, visit www.brynmawrfilm.org.