With the success of the maiden voyage of our Frida Cinema 10 Hour Social Distancing Stream-a-Thon Fundraiser on March 28, 2020, we hosted our sequel Stream-a-Thon on Tuesday, May 5th, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., for #givingtuesdaynow! This ten-hour marathon was a film-and-fun-filled time for all, especially for those fans of Werner Herzog and M. Night Shyamalan (the two running gags that seemed to pop up the most as the show progressed).
The setup of the event was that it streamed LIVE from The Frida Cinema YouTube, and featured host Trevor Dillon (Programming Director and Special Events Coordinator), co-host Martin Nguyen (Box Office Manager and Volunteer Coordinator), and Jordan Djahangiri (Creative and Marketing Director), all of whom practiced the 6ft distance rule, while giving us a first-rate show.
Throughout all ten hours of the marathon fundraiser were special film discussion segments featuring friends of The Frida and trailers for films that can be, or will be available to stream through The Frida Cinema online. Each segment gave a special hint of uniqueness, which adds to the magic of The Frida.
Time flew by with the interviews. Especially with the inclusion of “Herz-off”, a game of how well you can do an impression of German director Werner Herzog, as well as discussions of M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography at the end of each segment, for some reason, and various other either pre-planned or on-the-spot games or discussions. Anything goes on the Stream-a-Thon! The segments included a wide range of guest and subjects, including:
Let’s Talk Programing: Brian Mendelssohn, Row House Cinema Owner
Quaranzine Chat: Lauren Clinton and Kade Clark
Spielberg or Sandler?: Diego Crespo, Waffle Press Podcast
Best LGBTQ Movies to Stream at Home: Atalia Lopez, Frida Cinema Board Member
Palme d’Or Quiz: Adam Wagner, Projector Fuel Podcast
Top 5 Nostalgic Nebula Events: Cody Chavez, Nostalgic Nebula Founder
Aya vs The Big Boys Podcast: Kevin Cookman and Aya Lehman from Merry-Go-Round Magazine
Name That Tagline!: Logan Crow, Frida Cinema Founder & Executive Director
Now That’s Cinema!: Jordan Djahangiri, Frida Cinema Creative & Marketing Director
Friday Night Volunteer Reunion: Leonardo, Hillary, Bekah, Sam and Reggie
To name a few…
In between each interview were featured trailers for our currently streaming and upcoming films. It included a wide range of multiple genres, from horror to drama to documentary and beyond. In true arthouse fashion, the movies advertised were from all over the world–an array of amazing films just waiting to be discovered.
Currently Playing:
Rififi: 5/8
Band of Outsiders: 5/8
NYICFF Kid Flicks One/Two: 5/8 – 5/24
Spaceship Earth: 5/8 – 5/21
On a Magical Night: 5/8 – 5/21
Mossville: When Great Trees Fall: 5/8 – 5/21
The Wonderland: 5/8 – 5/21
Judy & Punch: 5/8 – 5/21
A Good Woman is Hard to Find: 5/8 – 5/21
Spaceship Earth: 5/8 – 5/21
Premiering This Month:
Alice: 5/15 – 5/28
Jose: 5/15 – 5/28
The Wolf House: 5/15 – 5/21
Someone Somewhere: 5/15 – 6/5
The Painter and the Thief: 5/22 – 6/4
The Grey Fox: 5/29 – 6/11
Throughout the show, Trevor asked guests for their favorite sequel films, because this was, after all, a sequel Stream-a-Thon. After watching the entire ten-hour marathon, the best cinematic sequel I can compare this event to, would undoubtedly be The Godfather Part II. Like The Godfather Part II, the sequel was better than the first. Not just because we made more than our initial $1,000.00 fundraising goal, which was totally awesome, but because of the love, dedication and care put into making this highly successful event.
For those of who deeply miss going to The Frida, especially its staff/volunteers, friends, and guests, its heartwarming to see familiar faces doing what we love most: talking and sharing about our passion for film. We can all agree on one thing–our love of film keeps us connected even in a time when we can’t be physically together. That same love of film will eventually bring us back together, this time not via a streaming link, but in our beloved temple of cinema.
See you all again for part three.
