Table of Contents
In a time when film lovers have endless platforms for virtual connection, I believe it's important to highlight the value of local, in-person film clubs. Recently, I got the opportunity to speak with Genevieve Blythe, Jesse Fine, and Shea Satterlee, the creators of Portland, Oregon-based film club FILM SCHOOL, about their experience fostering community and connecting with peers over a shared passion.
Blythe and Fine met in film school, where Blythe worked as a 35-millimeter projectionist on campus. “Genevieve used to show the wildest movies at Fifth Avenue Cinema, which is how I knew her because her choices were… something,” says Fine. Satterlee is a graphic designer with a shared love of film who designs a monthly zine sold at every screening. “Movies were the first thing that made me feel seen and have a sense of belonging… We all bonded over being into movies, and we just wanted to create a space where we could show the movies that we really care about and connect with the community,” she says.
The screenings take place on the last Monday of the month and are hosted at Jojo, a downtown Portland restaurant owned by their friend. Each month focuses on a different decade, narrowing down the film choices. “We show films that we’re passionate about and want to talk about and connect with people over, as well as movies that don’t necessarily get shown in the theaters here,” says Blythe. “And since we are ‘film school,’ we are also trying to teach people about movies that are important to film history or have value to keep watching and talking about.”
Discussions after the film are an important aspect of community building within the club. Following the screening, attendees are asked questions and encouraged to talk with the people beside them before returning for a group discussion. “I think since we hold (the club) in an unconventional space, not a theater where there are rows of seats, that's helpful,” says Blythe.
“It's really good to just get on a first-name basis with the people who come to the screenings. Just treat them like a new friend, you’re both there for the same purpose of watching and talking about film…” says Fine. “Eventually, you start seeing them around town, and that's how your network expands, and you feel more connected to your city. There's no better feeling for me than when I go into a place where I don’t really know anyone, and then someone's like, “Oh, you’re doing that club!”
The size and artistic emphasis in Portland help to cultivate this kind of environment. “Portland is like a big small town, so word gets out fast, and it's easy to flock somewhere,” says Fine. Blythe adds, “In Portland, the art you love is something that people strongly identify themselves with, so there's a lot of desire to engage with those things and other people who are interested in those things, like you would in New York or LA. There are a lot of people now who are like, ‘let's make Portland like that, we can do that too.’”
Blythe, Fine, and Satterlee have found the community-building aspect to be the most rewarding part of the club. “The big thing we talked about was that we would go to movies at the theater, and then everyone just goes home. It's like, ‘let’s talk about it!’ says Satterlee. “I personally haven’t had a community like this before," says Blythe. "You see people around, and you know that you’re all passionate about the same thing, and you can talk about what you want to talk about the most without the other person being annoyed by it.”
You can find FILM SCHOOL on Instagram at @filmschoolpdx to follow their upcoming screenings.
