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Rehoboth Film Society kicks off What Makes Us Tick? series Jan. 12

January 3, 2018

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society will present its popular What Makes Us Tick? series during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, Friday-Sunday, Jan. 12-14. This analytical film and discussion series explores aspects of the human condition. This year's theme is Connections Across the Divide. All screenings will be held at the Cinema Art Theater, 17701 Dartmouth Drive, Dartmouth Plaza, Lewes (behind Wawa).

Three films with very different stories will be presented, each followed by a post-screening discussion addressing the question, "How can you hate me when you don't even know me?" Subjects include an unexpected truce early in World War I; a car ride that changes the fate of two nations; and a black man who makes it his life's project to persuade white supremacists to turn away from hate. Each film uniquely deals with the universal issue of moving past perceived differences to find the common humanity that unites all people.

The series begins Jan. 12 at 7 p.m., with the French/German co-production “Joyeux Noel.” On Christmas Eve, 1914, World War I rages across the European countryside. But for a short few hours, the soldiers in the trenches put down their arms in truce to share a cigarette or a piece of chocolate in the spirit of Christmas. The Academy Award-nominated movie follows four characters on each side of the conflict as their fates entwine during this brief window of peace. 

Moderators for this session are Carolyn Walter and Ronnie Green. Walter is a PhD, LCSW, professor emerita, Center for Social Work Education, Widener University, and an adjunct professor at University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Work. Green recently retired after working as a career counselor for a Baltimore nonprofit for 15 years, where she provided job search strategies, articulated career focus and facilitated workshops on interviewing, resume writing and networking skills to a wide range of professionals from all backgrounds. She also has a lifelong love of film. She chaired a film group as an undergraduate at Temple and volunteered for many years for the Maryland Film Festival, in addition to organizing monthly film screenings in her community.

The series continues Jan. 13 at 1 p.m., with “The Journey,” a gripping fictional account of how two men from opposite sides of the political spectrum came together to change the course of history. In 2006, amidst the ongoing, decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland, representatives from the two warring factions meet for negotiations. In one corner is Ian Paisley (Timothy Spall), a deeply conservative British loyalist; in the other corner is Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney), a former Irish Republican Army leader who has devoted his life to the cause of Irish reunification. Opposites in every way, the two men at first seem to have little chance of ever finding common ground. But over the course of an impromptu, detour-filled car ride through the Scottish countryside, each begins to see the other less as an enemy, and more as an individual – a breakthrough that promises to at last bring peace to the troubled region. Driven by two virtuoso central performances, the movie is a more-relevant-than-ever reminder of how simple humanity can overcome political division. Moderators for this session are Green and Walter.

The series closes Jan. 14 at 1 p.m., with the documentary “Accidental Courtesy.” Musician Daryl Davis has played with legends like Chuck Berry and Little Richard, but it's what he does in his free time that sets him apart. Showing remarkable courage, Davis travels the country building personal relationships with white supremacists to convince them to shed their hatred through honest discussion and friendship.

Moderators for this session are Saro Dedeyan and Karen Barwick. Dedeyan received a BFA from Pratt Institute in NYC in art direction. He worked for 22 years as a graphic designer in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md., and has spent the last 11 years working as a realtor with Cummings and Co. in Baltimore. He has a lifelong love of film. Barwick is a licensed mental health counselor and has a private practice in Rehoboth Beach. She is also the program director and a founding member of The Minds Over Matter Initiative.

What Makes Us Tick? is open to the general public and RBFS members. Admission prices for each screening are $9 for RBFS members, $10 for nonmembers. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the start of the film. Tickets can be obtained online at www.rehobothfilm.com, by calling 302-645-9095, Ext. 1, or visiting the RBFS office, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are nonrefundable. To receive the membership discounted admission, proof of current membership must be presented at the time of purchase or, in the case of online or telephone reservations, at admission to the event.

The mission of the RBFS is promoting cinematic arts and providing education and cultural enrichment for the community. The film society sponsors ongoing screenings, special events, and the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival (Nov. 1 -11, 2018). For more information on this series, other events, or to become a member, visit the Rehoboth Beach Film Society website at www.rehobothfilm.com, or call 302-645-9095.

 

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