‘Throw Away Economy’ series selections examine profit, loss

Published 12:23 pm Thursday, February 18, 2016

Movies and money have always been tentative but inseparable bedfellows.

Even the most artistic of cinematic fare is, by it’s very nature, show business, after all. And, as everybody knows, there ain’t no business like it.

Some cinematic offerings, though, tackle the topics of trade, national economic diversity (or a lack thereof), greed and the consequences of materialistic consumer culture a little more directly than others.

Four such films will be screened at the Lynwood Theater, one each week at 7 p.m. on four consecutive Thursdays in March — 3, 10, 17 and 24 — as part of the “Throw Away Economy” film series, presented by the island arts group Girls of Summer.

The title, group spokeswoman Tova Gannana explained, comes from Pope Francis, who denounced what he called the “throwaway culture” of today’s society, which discards anyone who is deemed insufficiently productive, during a speech in Bolivia last year.

The series, presented in a partnership with Silver Screen Video, will feature four films chosen for their “quiet” nature, Gannana said.

“I feel like today we live in a time when everyone’s always shouting at each other,” she said. “These films, they’re quiet films. They’re not preaching, it’s not like watching an expose.

“These films let you draw your own conclusions,” she added.

If you’ve never heard of the films in the series, so much the better, according to Gannana. She said that Girls of Summer set out to intentionally select some lesser known vintage fare for the series.

“I go to films at the Seattle Art Museum all the time and I don’t really know what they’re playing,” she said. “I just show up.”

In the hyper-connected world of entertainment today, it can be almost impossible to see a film without first having heard or read about — and even seen parts — before, she added.

But, if you can manage to get in the door with a minimum of previous knowledge, it’s a unique experience.

“Sometimes that’s the most incredible thing,” Gannana said. “Just going without expectations.”

However, for those who prefer just a bit of context, the four movies selected include: March 3rd’s “Salesman,” a 1969 documentary from the Maysles brothers Albert and David about four salesmen traveling across New England and Florida trying to sell expensive Bibles door-to-door in low-income neighborhoods;

March 10th’s “God’s Country,” a 1985 documentary by Louis Malle about a struggling farming community 60 miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota reacting to the then-current crisis of overproduction, and the resultantly overwhelming sense of frustration and despair within the agricultural community;

March 17th’s “F for Fake,” 1975, the last complete film to be made by Orson Welles, this semi-documentary focuses on Elmyr de Hory’s recounting of his career as a professional art forger, a story which serves as the backdrop for Welles’ investigation into the very nature of authorship and authenticity;

March 24th’s “Zabriskie Point,” a 1970 American drama directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, which paints a portrait of 1960s counterculture through the story of two aimless young adults who reflect on the state of the nation and try to find themselves in the vast emptiness of the California desert.

Tickets for each screening are $10.50.

Girls of Summer is a relatively new arts organization on Bainbridge, one with a focus on curating interesting and provocative film series set to begin community conversations.

The group’s first such screening series, dedicated to four female-helmed movies, was held this past summer in Seattle, Gannana said. The “Throw Away Economy” series is to be their first on the island.

“We like the old theater,” Gannana said. “We would like people to feel like they experienced something rich.”

The Lynwood Theater is located at 4569 Lynwood Center Road NE. Visit www.farawayentertainment.com/location/lynwood-theater to learn more.

A fest of fine films with one big theme

What: “Throw Away Economy.” Four film screenings, each exploring how our nation has arrived at today’s state of economic inequality.

When: Movies will be shown at 7 p.m. on four consecutive Thursdays in March: 3, 10, 17 and 24.

Where: Lynwood Theater (4569 Lynwood Center Road NE).

Admission: $10.50 per ticket.