Tired of the same old movie? The one they keep showing you with the skin-and-bones, pouty-lipped supermodel falling all over herself to get to the muscular, glistening hero of the week? Tired of Hollywood talking down to you?
Check out the Southwest Film Center - a movie house devoted to showcasing noteworthy independent movies.
Emily Davis, one of the program coordinators, has established having a broad selection of movies for students to choose from as a main priority.
"I think that we partly took on ASUNM's goals, which is to reach as many students as we can," Davis said. "We try to have a wide variety in our scheduling and offer people choices for alternative cinema."
The Southwest Film Center also tries to reach students by offering to showcase their work. Ideally, before each show, Davis said she would like to present a student film that is approximately five minutes long.
"This hasn't been too successful this semester," she said. "But I think it's just because we haven't really gotten the word out."
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Students can submit their tapes in the Southwest Film Center's office in the basement of the student services building on campus, or drop them off at the box office on the second floor of Popejoy Hall, between screenings.
With funding from the Associated Students of UNM, Davis was able to attend a prestigious film festival and bring back new quality films. This semester the Southwest Film Center will be presenting a lot of material acquired from the Seattle International Film Festival.
"We got an opportunity to see a lot of stuff," Davis said. "We brought a lot of stuff right off the festival circuit."
Davis and Assistant Director Matthew Lerma determine what films will be shown by considering two factors. First, a film has to look interesting and be spoken about in the independent film community. Second, it has to be available on a format that suits the theater.
"I'm really partial to documentaries and Matthew, who does some of the programming, is really into Russian film," Davis said. "I think that together we're able to counterbalance the schedule."
Because so many of the films chosen for screening at the Southwest Film Center present taboo subject matter, sometimes the Center has been a source of controversy. Davis remembers the film "Hell Mary" causing protests just a couple of years ago. But she also feels people are more receptive to some of the current film selections, saying she was surprised there wasn't more outrage at some of the films screened.
Be it uncomfortable or disquieting, the Southwest Film Center presents a schedule of great independent film for the fall semester.
"It's all about alternative cinema, whatever that is," Davis said.
Tickets for all shows are $3 for students and $4 for the public.
To contact the Southwest Film Center, call 277-5608 or go to its Web site at http://swfc.unm.edu.
