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by Zully Ramirez
There’s no popcorn, no sticky floors, and no gallon-sized sodas. But at a local film class, you’ll get your money’s worth in quality films.
Michael Kassin is a man with a passion for meaningful, yet often overlooked and underappreciated films, and he’s made it his goal to show them in Washington Heights.
“The idea was to bring films that wouldn’t normally come up here in Washington Heights because people didn’t believe there was an audience for it in the area,” said Kassin who originally started a film club around 2001 that screens feature and educational films.
Kassin, who is a member of the Writers Guild, realized that when he moved to Washington Heights he had to go to Lincoln Center, Chelsea, or 42nd Street to watch those films that had been nominated for the Writers Guild Awards.
“I had to chase all over the city to find those films, and I just got tired of doing it,” Kassin said. “So I went to the owners of the Coliseum Cinema located on W. 181 Street and said to them ‘what would it take to get you to get some of these films up here? Because I think there is an audience for this…’”
Kassin said that the owners told him to at least get 50 people and they would screen whatever film he wanted; he got over 300 people to attend the first showing.
“It was a cold night and the line was down the block,” said Kassin. “They even had to open up a second theater to be able to accommodate everyone.”
While the turnout was a success, Kassin and his film club only stayed at the Coliseum Cinema for about three years. Then Kassin decided to find a new home and make it a film class instead.
“I wanted to nurture this audience,” said Kassin. “I wanted this to be more like an educational thing, so we looked for a home and the Hebrew Tabernacle [Congregation] social hall opened their doors for us.”
Kassin said that the only difference now is that there is an educational component in which one of the members has to write a little synopsis of each movie they screen, and after each screening they all have a discussion about the film.
“We had built an audience that really wanted to see different kinds of things, because it’s about trying to appreciate the filmmaker’s art, and trying to appreciate things that they wouldn’t ordinarily get to see,” said Kassin.
Roxanna Durnell, who has been a member of the class for the last four years, said she doesn’t like watching mainstream movies and that she really enjoys the club because she’s able to see unique films.
“I’m not into popcorn movies, Durnell said. “I see movies here that wouldn’t normally see at the theater in Washington Heights.”
Janet McDowell, a devout and loyal member since Kassin started his club at the Coliseum Cinema, said she likes the film class better now since there is more like a community feeling.
“I would recommend it to people because it does gives you a chance to see and discuss interesting films as a community,” McDowell said.
But Kassin has not only built a film class; he has also inspired people to join by simply showing good quality films.
“I love movies, and Mike is the reason for staying with this because he has exquisite taste,” said Phyllis Starmer, who grew up in Washington Heights
“If he shows a film you know is going to be the best and the acting will be absolutely great, so I absolutely trust his taste.”
Starmer also adds that a lot of her friends have also joined the class due to her enthusiasm for it.
“I have friends in the neighborhood that love movies but love the dark theater and they want that experience, but others, like me just want to see what’s up there in the screen,” said Starmer.
Theodore Rosen, a recent college graduate and the youngest member of the class also agrees with all the reviews. He says that he would like to see more people of his age come to the club since he believes there is an audience in Washington Heights who are hungry for these types of films.
“There’s always been a desire for good quality movies that don’t go against the grain, and there are a lot of cultured and educated people here at the Heights that are looking for that,” Rosen said.
Kassin welcomes everyone who enjoys award-winning films, limited-release pictures, documentaries and independent movies to join his class the first Thursday of each month at the Hebrew Tabernacle Social Hall at 551 Fort Washington Avenue. The July 1 class will screen the film: “An Education.”
There is a $50 dollar annual membership.
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