Film society
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A film society is a membership club where people can watch films which would otherwise not be shown in mainstream cinemas. In Spain they are known as Cineclubs, and in Germany they are known as Filmclubs. They usually have an educational aim, introducing new audiences to different audiovisual works through an organized and prepared program of screenings.
Editorial work reinforces the work of these organisations, as they produce hand-programmes, brochures, schedules, information sheets, and even essays, supporting the significance of their exhibitions.
Two common features that may characterize a film society screening are:
They begin with an introduction of the film to the audience and end with the promotion of a debate / discussion about the film, where assistants, organizers and sometimes filmmakers, interchange their views.
There are networks in many different countries, and these are organized into federations, councils, collectives, and local networks.
Famous film societies include Amos Vogel's Cinema 16 and the Cinémathèque Française.
Before you set up your own film society it is important to understand the legalities, in many country's you can simply show a commercial film you may already own to an audience, this is because this falls under a different licence too the one that came with your film when you bought it, for example see Showing a commercial film to a private audience.
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[edit] International
The international body for film societies is the International Federation of Film Societies. This international association was set up in 1947 in Cannes (France) among groups of film societies in countries throughout the world and this association is called Federation Internationale des Cine-Clubs (F.I.C.C.).
[edit] Australia
The national body for film societies in Australia is the Australian Council of Film Societies (ACOFS).
Notable members of the Australian "film society movement" include David Stratton, Michael Thornhill, Frank Moorhouse, Ken Quinnell and John Flaus.
[edit] Germany
The first film clubs developed in Germany after 1945 on the suggestion British and French after the Second World War the such combination after domestic model initiated, in order to promote unpolitical cultural exchange and democratic consciousness. To in 1950s, the bloom time of the film club movement, gave it a wave of reestablishments, also in the Soviet occupation zone and/or later GDR. The film clubs became either independent associations or worked under a carrier, which itself education and culture had used up. From them important impulses for the German film landscape proceeded, for example the establishment of Film festivals as from Mannheim/Heidelberg. In the Federal Republic the number of the film clubs decreased however so fast again that in 1971 the Federal association dissolved. For the 70's stepped in many places local cinemas to the place of the film clubs. With the end GDR many East German film clubs lost the financial and organizational basis, succeeded also here unite the step to the local cinema. There are two national bodies for film socieities in Germany who are members of the International Federation of Film Societies. These are the Bundesverband Jugend und Film e.V. and the Bundesverband kommunale Filmarbeit.
[edit] India
Film societies in India include the Calcutta Film Society.
[edit] Poland
The national body for film societies in Poland is Polish Federation of Film Societies (Polska Federacja Dyskusyjnych Klubów Filmowych - PF DKF). Its honorary chairman is Andrzej Wajda.
[edit] Spain
There are two Federations of film societies in Spain. These represent film societies in Catalonia and Galicia. They are the Catalan Federation of Film Societies (Federació Catalana de Cine Clubs) and the Federation of Film Societies of Galicia (Federacion de Cineclubes de Galicia).
[edit] United Kingdom
The national body for film societies in the United Kingdom is British Federation of Film Societies (BFFS).
Click here for the London region East End Film Society
[edit] United States of America
Film societies in the United States of America include Amos Vogel's Cinema 16, the Tallahassee Film Society and the Austin Film Society (AFS). The Tallahassee Film Society is a member of the International Federation of Film Societies. Also, in Sarasota, Florida, Sarasota Film Society owns and operates more screens than any other nonprofit film exhibitor in the United States. Members receive discounts and other benefits at the Society's Burns Court and Lakewood Ranch Cinemas.
