In Yellow Springs, Ohio, the Little Art Theatre successfully secured a $100,000 grant for a new marquee thanks to the help of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steve Bognar. Bognar, a resident of Yellow Springs, directed and filmed an eight-minute video for the grant application that highlighted the importance of the theater as a community hub. The video showcased classic film titles and included interviews with local residents reminiscing about their favorite movie experiences.
Bognar emphasized the communal aspect of movie theaters, stating that they are places where people come together to experience art and community events. The video resonated with the grant provider, Plex, who awarded Little Art Theatre the first Theater of Dreams award. The grant will be used to replace the current marquee with an art deco design reminiscent of the theater’s past.
The theater, which has been a fixture in Yellow Springs for 95 years, has hosted various events throughout its history, including film festivals and Q&A sessions with survivors from Hiroshima. Bognar, who credits the theater with inspiring his filmmaking career, expressed his love for creating shared experiences through cinema and believes that the collective energy experienced in a theater setting is unique and valuable.
In a time where communal experiences are becoming increasingly rare, the Little Art Theatre’s successful grant application serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving independent theaters and the sense of community they bring to society.
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