The Port Jefferson Documentary Series Shows The Loving Story

On Monday, we showed The Loving Story, winner of the WGA Documentary Screenplay Award at AFI/Silverdocs 2011. We had, for the second week in a row, over 100 attendees, a two weeks in a row record, with a total of 113 in the audience.

The Loving Story is similar in message to a current movie, The Help. The social mores of a time 50 years ago, were more codified, however they are still with us in some ways.

Nancy Buirski, the films director, was the speaker and she lead an interesting discussion covering not only the making of the movie but also on the challanges of the times.

I had asked Phyllis Ross–she shepherded the program–for a few comments about the film and the selection process. Phyllis mentioned “The Loving Story, a marriage that changed the law of the land. Racially-charged trials and threats of 25 year prison sentences could not stop one couple's fight for the right to live where they wanted. This story of love, family and the rights of all Americans is inspirational.”

Again from Phyllis: “Choosing this film was easy. Lynn Boland was the first to see and recommend it to the film committee. I contacted Nancy Buirski, the director, after the initial outreach and was thrilled when she consented to speak. The film has been chosen by the HBO network to be shown at in February."

I have included a few photographs from the evening, the full set is available on Pbase.

Next week, Monday in , at 7 p.m., we are showing Werner Herzog’s  “Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Barbara Sverd is the Shepherd for the event and the the guest speakers are: Dr. John Shea, Professor of Anthropology, SUNY Stony Brook, with a special introduction by Dr. Richard Leakey, Professor of Anthropology, Stony Brook University; Chair, Board of Directors, Turkana Basin Institute.

See you next week.