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2009-2010 SEASON
Welcome to the Merrick Film Forum’s 52nd year of offering the community an
alternative to the standard movie fare. It is hard to believe we have been doing
this for so long.
We finished this year in relatively good shape financially. Because of the
problems in the New York State Senate we did not receive our usual grant.
Therefore we will have to increase our dues and admissions. The increase will be
$1.00 per movie. We will still be charging several dollars less per movie than
the senior price and even less than that for the regular price. We will still
have our discussion leaders as well as our coffee, tea etc. This will enable us
to maintain our programs even with increasing costs for our films and other
expenses.
We had sad news, our long time treasurer and grants chairman as well as founding
member, Jack Ross passed away at the end of June. He will be sorely missed.
Our schedule this year will allow us to present most our films on the first
Friday of the month. We will meet on the second Friday, in October and January
and the third Friday in April.
We have allocated the same assignments to our Executive Board members and we
all pitch in to assist on all the tasks whenever needed and share in choosing
films and we are very grateful for their efforts. They can always be relied on
to serve above and beyond.
Because we are still operating with a small number of dedicated Board members,
we could use assistance to maintain the FILM FORUM so that all of our members
can continue to come to our presentations and enjoy our films and discussions.
We need a Treasurer, a collation specialist and several people to help at the
door on film nights. We also could use some technically oriented people to
assist with the equipment setup. On the membership application there is a spot
for people to volunteer to join our Board. Please consider joining and helping
us continue to provide our series to the community.
If you would like to see the Film Forum, continue, we need your help. Not good
intentions, but a commitment to the nitty gritty work that is involved in
bringing our programs to the public. It’s not that hard, nor very time
consuming. But it does take a willingness to follow through on that which you
agree to do. If you would like to work with us, please check the box on the
enclosed membership form or contact me, or any board member. If you have any
questions, please call me at (516) 781-8685 or e-mail at jayh@broad.tc
Joe Sturniolo, is contacting speakers for each program. We expect many of your
favorite discussion leaders to be with us again this year. The board has
selected eight outstanding films. They are described starting on the next page..
Joe is also working on a new version of our web page that will be easier to
update and keep current as well as including a link to an email address to make
it easier to contact us.
As many of you know, we present fine films along with great speakers and
discussion leaders, plus coffee and cake during the discussion. All this for
only $5.00 per program (with annual $20.00 membership.)
We have enclosed a membership application inside. Please fill out the
application ASAP, and return it to us with your check. Because of the late
mailing of this newsletter, we will have your membership cards waiting for you
at the table at the door the first time you come. This will also allow us to
conserve on mailing expenses.
Our programs are held in the
auditorium and cafeteria. We start promptly at 8:00 PM. They are usually held
on the first Friday of the month, October thru May. All the films, speakers and
program dates are subject to change due to factors beyond our control. We are
subject to the distributors ability to deliver the films on our schedule. Please
check the dates and save the calendar inside this brochure. We will make every
effort to inform you of changes in a timely fashion. Program postponements will
be made available to Channel 12 News. In addition our Website:
www.merrickfilm.org will carry announcements.
See you at the movies!
Jay H. Broad, President...Jack Ross, Treasurer, V.P. Grants
The Merrick Film Forum is pleased to offer the following programs for our 51st
season,
2009 - 2010
Names of Speakers/ Discussion Leaders will be on our post cards, sent out about
ten days before each program.
October 9, 2009 “Vitus”
In this engaging drama a child prodigy finds a unique way of dealing with being
different. Vitus is no normal child. With a 180 IQ, a voracious appetite for
knowledge, and a preternatural gift for playing the piano, he finds it hard to
fit in with his peers. But like most parents of exceptional children, his
parents are overbearing, eager to see their child succeed. But as his parents
push and fellow children jeer, Vitus’s Grandfather simply allows the boy to be
himself.
2006.....123 min.....Swiss German / English.....PG
Speaker/Discussion Leader - TBA
November 6, 2009 “What’s Cooking”
Coming together is the theme of “What’s Cooking”.This funny and mouth watering
and deeply moving vision of 21st century diversity and the future of the
American family – all set on Thanksgiving.
Flowing from
seemingly disparate families as they confront differences and familiarity;
laughter and festering anger, shiitake mushrooms and mashed potatoes; near
disaster and ultimately the astonishing power of love to connect them all.
2000.....109 min.....English / Spanish / Vietnamese ? Yiddish.....PG13
Speaker/Discussion Leader - TBA
December 4, 2009 “Merry Christmas”
This film is set in December 1914, where the French and Scots are fighting the
pesky Germans in the trenches. Morale is low on both sides as the soldiers
realize that it won’t all be over by Christmas after all. On Christmas eve the
sound of bagpipes prompts a German opera-singing soldier to start singing
carols, whereupon the Scots join in on the bagpipes and everyone applauds. It
isn’t long before the three leaders are meeting on the battlefield and declaring
a cease fire for Christmas. The cease fire includes games, drinking, presents,
burial of the dead, etc. The question is after all the camaraderie will the
soldiers be able to resume shooting each other afterwards?
2005.....French / German / English / Latin.....116 min.....PG13
Speaker/Discussion Leader - TBA
January 8, 2010 La Buche 1999 ( The Kiss)
Christmas, family
, and infidelity. Yvette's husband has died, and her grown daughters
join her at the grave: Sonia, wealthy, bourgeois, and generous; Louba, living with their Dad Stanislas,
singing at a Russian restaurant, pennilous, the
mistress for the past 12 years of a man who will never leave his wife; Milla the youngest, acerbic, lonesome. Christmas was when
they learned their parents were divorcing 25 years ago. Over the next few days,
yuletide depression, Louba's pregnancy, Sonia's
crumbling marriage, Stanislas's overtures to Yvette,
and Milla's attraction to the man who's her fathers
rent-free lodger lead each one to to re-examine,
self, family and hopes. Is renewal possible?
Our speaker is
JO-ANN CARHART
Head
of Adult & Young Adult Services at the
French- English- Russian
February 5, 2010 “Avenue Montaigne”
Avenue Montaigne takes place on the fashionable
takes its name. People from a theater, an auction house, and a concert hall
gather in and around a central bistro where Jessica has wiggled her way into a
temporary job, having just moved to the big city. At the auction house and
Jacques, is selling off his lifelong art collection and trying to reconnect with
his son. At the concert hall, classical pianist Jean Francois is tired of being
on the road and wants to settle down into a more easy-going lifestyle, much to
the consternation of his manager/ wife. Meanwhile at the theater soap opera star
Catherine is trying desperately to impress director Brian in order to play
Simone de Beauvoir in his next film. And in the middle of it all is wide-eyed
Jessica, who has an innocent love of life that captures the heart of just about
everyone she comes in contact with.
2006.....French / English.....100 min.....PG13
Speaker/Leader -TBA
March 5, 2010 “The Italian”
Despite the title, The Italian is actually a Russian film set at a bleak
orphanage in rural
introduced to an Italian couple, who are hoping to adopt a child. Vanya is a is
a handsome bright eyed little boy and the couple takes an instant liking to him,
agreeing to give him a home. It is quite clear to the other children, and to
little Vanya that he is in an extremely enviable position. The adoption by the
Italians will take Vanya away from the miserable condition of the orphanage,
where the teenagers run a mini mafia, taking candy from the children and doling
out beatings whenever anyone withholds money from them. Vanya is nervous, though
accepting of his fate until the mother of another orphan comes to reclaim her
son, and she is told that he has already been adopted. When Vanya learns of
this, he is desperate to find out whether or not his own real mother is still
out there.
2005.....Russian.....90 min.....PG13
Speaker/Discussion Leader - TBA
April 16, 2010 “After The Wedding”
In After the Wedding, a business man offers to make a huge donation to an Indian
orphanage . On fortunately, he makes some unreasonable demands on the
owner of the oil finish including a bizarre request to return to his
native
is caught in the middle of an event that is far more than it appears .
Speaker/Discussion Leader - TBA
2006.....Danish / Swedish / Hindi / English.....120.....R
May 7, 2010 “Arranged”
Two teachers starting
their first year in a
common than meets the eye. Though both women come from very different
backgrounds – is Rochel is Jewish Orthodox and Nasira is Muslim -- they are
each going through arranged marriages. This character driven film surveys their
developing friendship.
2009.....English / Hebrew / Arabic.....90 min
Speaker/Discussion Leader - TBA
Directions To The
From Southern
Exit at
Proceed South on
Turn right at 7th Traffic Light into parking lot at the school.
From
At
Proceed North on
Turn left at 4th Traffic Light into parking lot at the school.
Please park toward rear of parking area near the Auditorium entrance(Second
entrance)
DIRECTORY OF
Professor Michael D’ Innocenzo - Professor D’ Innocenzo is a well-known speaker
who has always been welcomed by our audiences. He has been involved in local
politics for many years. Professor D’ Innocenzo has received the Hofstra
University Distinguished Teacher’s Award and is the author of more than two
dozen books and other publications.
Mr. Milan Lucac - Mr. Lucac, now retired, has been in various positions
involving communications and media,
primarily in
his winters in
Ms. Rhea Pollock - Ms. Pollock was born in
years during the Six Day War. She was formerly a social worker and is now a
librarian at the Brentwood Library. Her interests include theater, politics and
travel.
Mr. George Rystar - Mr. Rystar is a retired English teacher and travels
extensively. He has led several film discussions for us in the past.
Professor Karsten Struhl - Professor Struhl teaches Philosophy and Political
Theory (with emphasis on media and films) at
cross-cultural philosophy.
Professor Karen Smith - Professor Smith has been with us for three years and has
received very good reviews from our members.
Ms. Maggie Gough - Ms Gough has led several discussions for us and has been well
received by our members
THE
PLEASE MAIL THIS FORM TO:
THE
WITH YOUR CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO “
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
Name________________________________________ Telephone #___________________
Address_______________________________________________Apt. #_______________
Post Office______________________________ State_________ ZIP+4_______-_________
E-Mail Address_________________________________________
Number of Memberships @ $20.00 Each _______ Amount Enclosed $___________
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP (ANY FOUR PROGRAMS) - $20.00 PER PERSON
INDIVIDUAL ADMISSIONS SOLD AT THE DOOR:
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS WITH MEMBERSHIP CARD - $6.00 EACH
EACH PROGRAM WITHOUT MEMBERSHIP CARD - $7.00 EACH
Please include, on a separate sheet of paper, the names and addresses of
any persons whom you believe would like to receive this Newsletter
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If you are no longer interested in being on our mailing list, please send us
this part of this page with your address label. We will delete your name from
our list.
PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT SELL OR SHARE OUR MAILING LIST
WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION OR INDIVIDUAL
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We are looking for some additional interested (and interesting) people to join
our Executive Board to help operate and manage the Merrick Film Forum. You will
help us to choose our films, pick speakers, serve refreshments, operate our
equipment, make decisions as required, etc. We may have Executive Board
meetings about 2 weeks before each film program plus 2 or 3 meetings between May
1 and October 1 to plan and prepare for the next season. If you would like to
join us, please sign below and put this strip in the envelope with your
membership application and check. NOTE: Executive Board members must be members
of the
Name:___________________________________ Telephone
No.:_____________________________
*******************************************************************************************************************************
THE
Please tear off this Calendar and place it on your refrigerator for future use.
Friday, Oct. 9, 2009 Friday, Feb. 5,
2010
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 Friday, Mar. 5,
2010
Friday, Dec.4, 2009 Friday, April 16,
2010
Friday, Jan. 8, 2009 Friday, May 1,
2010