Wallingford’s Weekly Film Festival

When I was younger and childless, I use to make a point to go to several films every year at Seattle International Film Festival. Many of the movies I saw were documentaries. Over the years driving across town to a SIFF cinema and waiting in line became less appealing, and it was one of those activities that just dropped off for me.

Little did I know that every Friday in Wallingford, I could get the same experience and more. Rick Turner along with a handful of others created Meaningful Movies in Wallingford in 2003. As he tells it, Meaningful Movies started out as a six week film series organized by Wallingford Neighbors for Peace and Justice together with the S.N.O.W. (Sound Non-Violent Opponents of War) Coalition. The movie nights and community outreach were a response to the government’s military escalation in Iraq. The groups wanted to create a community where people watch relevant films and have meaningful discussion.

The six week series was so successful that the group decided to continue and they created the Meaningful Movies Project. The project has also been successful. Very successful. There are eleven other Meaningful Movie nights in the Puget Sound area.

I visited on Friday night for the screening of Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective. The screening was at the Keystone Church just north of 50th. I was astounded by the turnout. There were probably around a hundred people there, and according to Rick that is not unusual. I don’t know if you’ve been to a commercial movie lately, but movie attendance has steadily been on the decline. This was a good showing. I can’t remember the last time I went to a movie that had that many audience members.

I recognized a few faces from Wallingford. Rick pointed out people from Issaquah, Woodinville and Bellevue. Part of Meaningful Movies’ great success is that they have now sprouted new “franchises” in neighborhoods all around the city like West Seattle, Beacon Hill and Greenwood. With all the outcrops Rick wants to build more Wallingford involvement in the original location. He says families are absolutely welcomed.

I still can’t believe how much work must be involved in producing this event. Every Friday there is a screening, and just like the film festival experience there are guest speakers. On this last Friday, the speakers were Jesse Bloom and Dave Boehnlein, authors of Practical Permaculture for Home Landscapes. On Friday the 15th they will be screening Princess Angeline and the guest speakers will be the filmmakers. Rick calls the seven people who organize the event a collective. Each person will bring to the table a film they would like to have screened. If your film is chosen then you are responsible for organizing the screening which includes getting speakers. The organizer must also arrange to get screening rights for the film. He says: “It’s important to us that we support filmmakers.”

The evenings start at 6:30 pm. There are a few snacks and the DVD lending library is put out. You can see the offerings here. Admission to the film is by donation. Attendees can then go and talk to the special guests. On this last Friday Jesse Bloom and Dave Boehnlein had their book on display and were selling autographed copies. The movie began at 7:00 pm and the community discussion followed.

I guess my take from all this is that this is an incredible resource to have in our neighborhood. If you are film buff or if you are active in social justice issues, then you should absolutely go.