The 2,010 in 2010 Project

Many of us have left the theatre thinking, "Everyone should see this movie." At the Palm Springs International Film Society, our thought process went something like, "Every student should experience the power of film!" In 2007, we turned thought into action and created Cinema TO GO!

Cinema TO GO!, as part of our community outreach initiatives, focuses exclusively on educational opportunities for students through the creative use of film. Aptly named as it often takes film out of the theatre and into the classroom, its deeper meaning is derived from the power of film as vehicle for transformative learning.

The downturn in the economy, especially here in California, has sharply narrowed creative teaching options in the classroom. Cinema TO GO! fills that gap through an engaging and interactive program that combines curriculum-enhancing classic and contemporary films with lively analysis, open discussion and in-classroom guest speakers.

For example, Coachella Valley students experienced the California Supreme Court in action last October at a special session held on the CSU San Bernardino/Palm Desert campus. Our Educational Outreach Coordinator was quick to maximize this opportunity by scheduling a Cinema TO GO! presentation of 12 Angry Men shortly thereafter at Desert Hot Springs High School. The screening was followed by a discussion of the drama in relation to actual law, facilitated by a local law professor who donated her time.

Based on positive feedback received from both teachers and students, Cinema TO GO! was an immediate success. Confident that 2009 was the right time to introduce the Cinema TO GO! concept into the Festival, the first Student Screening Day was held on January 7, 2009. Nearly 1,000 students flocked to Palm Springs for a full day of free screenings, dialogue and entertainment-with-a-purpose. And next year, with your help, we want to double that number: 2,010 in 2010! Toward that end, we offer the following overview on how it all came together.

Preparations for Student Screening Day began months ahead to identify participating Coachella Valley high schools and coordinate all of the necessary resources. Curriculum-enhancing films were selected from the Festival line-up with attention to cultural relevance, content, messaging and the availability of the film's director to attend the screening.

A total of 498 students from five high schools were bussed to Palm Springs High School to see Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, the true story of a young writer's heroic acts to rescue Hungarian Jews during WWII and The Black Balloon, an Australian coming-of-age story about a teen coping with an autistic brother. The films' directors were on hand for Q&A after each screening while teachers received discussion materials for the following day in the classroom. We even provided lunch, which was served on school grounds between films.

That same evening, three films were screened free-of-charge at the Regal Cinemas. We welcomed 456 students, many with their parents. These screenings accommodated those students who were unable to attend the daytime screenings and created an opportunity for their parents to share the experience of Cinema TO GO! with their children. Again, the directors of the films, The Witch of the West Is Dead, Nerdcore Rising and The Inheritance of War, were on hand for facilitated Q&A sessions.

And here's what it will take to reach 2,010 in 2010...

The resources needed to mount Student Screening Day encompass technology, promotion, logistics, staff support and community outreach -- from theatre managers and projectionists to busses and burritos. Donations of time, products, services and money are needed in order for us to reach our goal. Your gift will help defray Student Screening Day expenses in addition to supporting Cinema TO GO! programming in our schools.

Film has the power to bring history to life, open windows into other cultures and engage students in learning in a way that no other medium can duplicate. No other organization is providing this opportunity to Coachella Valley students. We hope you'll join with us in making a reality by making a donation right now. In advance, and on behalf of the students your generous gift will benefit, thank you!

If you would prefer to mail a check, please make payable to "PSIFF" and mail to:
Palm Springs International Film Society, 1700 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way #3, Palm Springs, CA 92262.