In Solidarity at the Dryden Theatre
Film is a particularly powerful means of expressing solidarity and shared grief, as each screening is a communal event among the audience members. Each individual experiences a motion picture differently, but filmgoing is a collective activity, and before and after each screening there are opportunities to connect with others.
Over the past several years, the George Eastman Museum has responded to acts of atrocity by presenting free film series at the Dryden Theatre in solidarity with the targeted groups.
In 2016, one week after the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, we commenced the Summer of Solidarity film series — seven landmark films from our collection that deal with LGBTQ themes — in commemoration of the lives of the victims and in solidarity with the entire LGBTQ community.
After the atrocity at the Tree of Life –Or L’Simcha Congregation in Pittsburgh in 2018, we presented L’Chaim: Celebrating Jewish Life, a series of seven films, in commemoration of the lives of the victims and in solidarity with all Jewish people.
In 2019, in commemoration of the lives of the victims of the atrocities at the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Center in New Zealand and in solidarity with all Muslim people, we presented the Salam series of films by renowned directors from Egypt, Iran, and Turkey.
We initially chose film screenings as the means to respond to the tragedy at the Pulse nightclub because the Dryden Theatre is our exhibition space that has the greatest audience capacity and can be most flexibly scheduled. With deft and determined work by our curators of film exhibitions, we have been able to program the series, secure the films, and add the special screenings to our regularly scheduled program. For each of these series, we partnered with local organizations that serve the peoples that were the target of these hateful acts.
The Dryden Theatre was closed from January 2020 until April 2021, and we were unable to present a film series in the aftermath of the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Daniel Prude, George Floyd, and other Black individuals. This summer, in solidarity with Black communities in Rochester and nationwide — which continue to face pervasive discrimination, bigotry, and violence — we have organized the free film series Spotlighting Black Film Artists. These nine motion pictures will be presented on Wednesdays from July 7 through September 1. The films, from 1930 to the present, show exemplary achievements by Black actors, directors, and screenwriters.
During the past 18 months, Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have faced increased violence, harassment, and discrimination. In solidarity with Asian/Pacific Americans and to raise awareness of this spike in bigoted acts, we will present the free film series Celebrating Asian/Pacific American Directors on Thursdays from July 1 through August 19. These eight motion pictures showcase remarkable contributions to cinema during the past three decades.
For each of our In Solidarity series, the films have been selected for their stories of diverse cultures, their avoidance of destructive stereotypes, their role in advancing inclusivity among film artists, and their presentation of exceptional artistic achievements.
This summer at the Dryden Theatre, these two free film series — seventeen films in total — are an expression by the George Eastman Museum and its partners of solidarity with Black people and Asian/Pacific Americans. Particularly now, we look forward to providing opportunities for people to share an experience with others. We invite you to join us in coming together at the Dryden to celebrate these contributions to the universal medium of cinema.
Bruce Barnes, PhD
Ron and Donna Fielding Director
July/August 2021 Bulletin
