Group Forms to Save Film Program at Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Media Contact: Kathleen Dunleavy
310.709.3689
savefilmlacma@gmail.com

Powered by Internet social networking site, group of diverse stakeholders band together to demand rescue of LACMA film program

LOS ANGELES, Ca. – Aug. 4, 2009 – To combat the July 28 decision by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to suspend its 40-year old film program, a group of concerned citizens, museum members and passionate film lovers--responding with blazing speed--has formed to help save film in Hollywood’s backyard. This group, known simply as Save Film at LACMA, boasts over 600 members including prominent movie critics, university professors, film-makers, film programmers and other art, culture and industry leaders. The online petition (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-LACMA-film) gathered over 250 signatures since it was posted on Aug. 2.

"That a museum as prominent as LACMA would cancel its popular film program and turn away its loyal constituency is sad. That it would treat cinema so shabbily is unthinkable. I hope the powers-that-be will reconsider their decision,” said Leonard Maltin, prominent film critic, author and historian.

“It should not be assumed that Los Angeles is only concerned with big-budget Hollywood cinema. Los Angeles has a long history of fostering and hosting various forms of alternative cinema,” said Berenice Reynaud, Co-Curator, Film at REDCAT and Faculty, California Institute of the Arts School of Film/Video. “LACMA’s film program created a dialogue about classic and international cinema and I hope the LACMA leadership will rethink its demise.”

About Save Film At LACMA

The mission of Save Film at LACMA is to prevent the elimination of the film program at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The grass-roots group wants LACMA Director Michael Govan to reconsider his decision to terminate the current film screening series and to restore the film program under the leadership of popular long-time programmer, Ian Birnie. Save Film at LACMA is an open group and anyone can join via Facebook at “Save Film at LACMA” or at: www.savefilmatlacma.blogspot.com. Interested parties can also get updates via Twitter at savefilmlacma. Save Film at LACMA is composed of key individuals volunteering to participate in the film program's improvement and contribute to fund-raising and marketing/publicity efforts to increase the audience size and protect a treasured program from future dismantling.

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