The Religious Education Department of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Salisbury provides a unique educational experience for adults. UUFS’s RE provides Cinema Circle, a drop-in adult film and discussion group as a fun fellowship opportunity for interested adults.
Cinema Circle is a group that meets on the second and fourth Friday of each month to view documentaries or other films about various religions and related topics. Each viewing is followed by discussion on the topics and themes presented.
Cinema Circle begins at 6pm and typically ends around 8pm. It is accompanied by pizza, drinks and popcorn, and it’s a great way to meet and get to know one other. Interested individuals are welcome, and the only cost is a suggested donation of $3 to help pay for refreshments. One does not need to be a member or friend of the UUFS to take part, and visitors are welcomed and encouraged to participate.
Coordinator: Seth Cowall
Spring 2012 Films
January 13
MLK; A CALL TO CONSCIENCE, A TAVIS SMILEY REPORT (2010) “A Call to Conscience” delves into one of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s greatest speeches, “Beyond Vietnam; A Time to Break Silence,” which Dr. King delivered on April 4,1967, at Riverside Church in New York City. The speech, delivered exactly one year before the date of his assassination, is considered pivotal but often under-appreciated. King challenged the morality of the Vietnam conflict and urged a national discussion about the role of America in the world. Smiley examines the context of Dr. King’s words on liberty, responsibility and freedom against the backdrop of the fight for civil rights and an increasingly unpopular war, and examines the implications of his words today. (Approximately 60 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHdkJaGO1AM
January 27
THE AGE OF STUPID (2008) In the desolate future of 2055, an archivist (Pete Postlethwaite) combs through a vast collection of videos to learn what went wrong with the planet. His research points to the first decade of the century, when humans blithely ignored the warning signs of climate change. The footage he views is actually culled from real-life interviews conducted by the filmmaker, whose sharp — and darkly funny — insights populate this sobering documentary. (89 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZjsJdokC0s
February 10
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN (2010) Dynamic documentarian Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) weaves together the stories of students, families, educators and reformers to shed light on the failing public school system and its consequences on the future of the United States. In this Sundance Audience Award winner for Best Documentary, Guggenheim deftly examines the options to improve public education and provide America’s teachers and students with the help they need. (111 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTfaro96dg
February 24
JUDGEMENT DAY: INTELLIGENT DESIGN ON TRIAL (2007) With this episode, the popular “Nova” series examines the trial of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, a controversial legal battle sparked by a group of science teachers who refused to comply with an order to teach intelligent design. Through scene re-creations, interviews and expert testimony, the program presents the arguments of both sides and illuminates the conflict that thrust the people of Dover into the worldwide spotlight. (112 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_sw60C66jY
March 9
JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLES TEMPLE (2006) PBS Documentary. How could one man — Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones — persuade 900 people to commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in the jungles of Guyana? This penetrating portrait of the demented preacher attempts to answer that question. Using never-before-seen footage and audio accounts of two Jonestown survivors, documentarian Stanley Nelson paints a chilling picture of a social experiment gone horribly awry. (86 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY3cx3U0gYE
March 23
DEFAMATION (2008) In addition to gathering thoughts from political scientist Norman Finkelstein, filmmaker Yoav Shamir examines
contemporary anti-Semitism and the possibility of a modern-day Jewish holocaust in his incisive documentary. Surprisingly amusing and unquestionably thought-provoking, Shamir also profiles other figures such as Anti-Defamation League director Abraham Foxman and explores topics such as Israel’s influence on American foreign policy. (91 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJo7LhSPJaY
April 13
THE 11TH HOUR (2007) Actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s documentary on the global environmental crisis paints a
portrait of a planet at risk while also offering some exciting and radical solutions for making life on earth sustainable. Tapping the brains of leading scientists and thinkers — including Stephen Hawking and Mikhail Gorbachev — the film ultimately delivers a hopeful message: Our
planet may be in crisis, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late change. (92 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IBG2V98IBY
May 11
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: INSIDE THE VATICAN (2001) Martin Sheen narrates National Geographic’s behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of the Vatican, one of the most famous, yet mysterious, locales on Earth. With access into the private chapels and papal quarters, no stone is left unturned. For nearly 2,000 years, the Vatican has managed to remain mostly unchanged spiritually and physically as the world has endured repeated wars, famines and political upheavals. (90 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-QbMPqFecg
May 25
THE COMPANY: INIGO AND HIS JESUITS (1992) St. Ignatius Loyola founded the order of the Jesuits, a group of priests renowned for their devotion to peace and social justice. This engrossing documentary, hosted by Irish thespian Cyril Cusack, examines the life of this fascinating historical and religious figure and looks at the impact the Jesuits have made in Christian and secular society. Included are interviews with historians, priests and more. (52 minutes)
Cinema Circle Archive
