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 $2 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 2010 SCHEDULE
February 12 (CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER)
ONE NATION UNDER GOD (1993) This documentary explores the humorous techniques — including theory from psychiatry and religion — proposed to “cure” homosexuals. Through interviews and footage from the annals, the argument is made that homosexuality is nothing short of an affliction that can be treated. “Former” lesbian women are featured getting beauty tips, while “former” gay men take to the football fields to prove their masculinity. (83 minutes)
February 26
FOOD, INC. (2008) Drawing on Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, director Robert Kenner’s documentary explores the food industry’s detrimental effects on our health and environment. Kenner spotlights the men and women who are working to reform an industry rife with monopolies, questionable interpretations of laws and subsidies, political ties and rising rates of E. coli outbreaks. (94 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0
March 12
ONE PUNK UNDER GOD (2006) In a six-part Sundance Channel series, punk rock evangelist Jay Bakker spreads his gospel of a more tolerant Christianity while managing his relationships with his famous parents, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. The program follows its pierced and tattooed hero as he faces some tough challenges. Jay grapples with his mother’s cancer, reaches out to his estranged father, adopts a gay-affirming stance in the church and ponders a move to New York City. (168 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU7nvSrxblE
March 26
CONSTANTINE’S SWORD (2007) Director Oren Jacoby’s intriguing documentary examines the history of anti-Semitism in the Catholic Church (as exposed in James Carroll’s controversial book Constantine’s Sword) and the link between the U.S. military and the Christian right. From Constantine’s reign in the fourth century to today’s evangelical base at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jacoby’s film offers a provocative look at the roots of holy war. (95 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSQWHqBLrSo
April 9
COAL COUNTRY (2009) Increasingly, Big Coal is spelling big trouble for Appalachian communities whose members have worked the mines for generations. This documentary reveals why with its explanation of the effects of mountaintop-removal mining on the region. Miners, coal company officials and area residents weigh in on the high price of “cheap energy” — especially when it involves blowing off mountain summits to expose seams. Journalist Michael Shnayerson narrates. (85 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ9n_Fu_ItE
May 14
MERTON: A FILM BIOGRAPHY (2004) Prolific writer and philosopher Thomas Merton’s work has had a lasting impact on society, inspiring debate over still-relevant social and religious concerns (such as war and faith) for decades. This biography examines the trajectory of Merton’s life, which included a 27-year-stint as a Trappist monk and a vocal opposition to war. Features interviews with singer Joan Baez, the Dalai Lama, publishing magnate Robert Giroux, and others. (120 minutes)
May 28
LAKE OF FIRE (2006) Using footage of procedures, exploring the murders of doctors and interviewing individuals who represent the gamut of opinion, director Tony Kaye examines the loaded issue of abortion in America in this evenhanded black-and-white documentary. Cultural critic Noam Chomsky, Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry and others lend their voices to the ongoing discussion in this blend of personal stories, political realities and philosophical debate. (152 minutes)
Click for a preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b6h0lsiQcw
Cinema Circle Archive
