Sara Tramiel/ViewWinchester Cultural Center cultural supervisor Diane Bush, left, sits with Denise Duarte, right, and Marlene Adrian during a break from screening independent films for the center?s monthly film series, May 27. The center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive, will show a film the last Sunday of each month.
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The burgeoning underground arts scene has been struggling to emerge into the mainstream for a number of years now, and with the help of new programs like the Winchester Cultural Center's independent film series, which began in May, that dream may become a reality sooner rather than later.
The program will feature screenings of short and long documentary films from local filmmakers who might otherwise not have a stage to feature their work.
"Other cities from around the country have programs like this one," said the center's cultural supervisor Diane Bush. "Winchester is trying to see a gap in the community for various arts. We were looking for a medium that is lacking a venue for expression here in the valley, and discovered that nothing like this exists for filmmakers. The center has its own theater, and we saw that this was a gap that we could fill."
According to Bush, programs like this one already exist in towns on the East Coast and in other parts of the country.
"Where I'm from in Buffalo (N.Y.), there's an organization called the Squeaky Wheel," Bush said. "It is strictly nonprofit and caters to independent film and video. Its sole purpose is to support independent filmmakers on their journey, and (it) is supported through grants. My hope is that through something like what we're doing, that kind of support for our local artists could be a possibility."
Screenings will be held the last Sunday of every month at 2 p.m. and may feature a series of short films, which can last anywhere from five to 50 minutes, or a long film, which must be more than 60 minutes. Tickets are $3.
Topics are varied and include historical documentaries, biographies and just about everything in between.
Screenwriter and UNLV professor of African American studies Stan Armstrong has been a documentary filmmaker for 13 years.
Armstrong's films concentrate on little known historical events, like his latest film to be featured at the center on June 24, "Native Americans of the Civil War."
The film spotlights various tribes from that period and delves into the abominable practices of slave owning and trading.
"My goal is to educate the public about little-known historical facts," Armstrong said. "Most people don't know that some Native Americans and even blacks were slave holders during that time. It was a practice that not many people questioned. Slavery is nothing new. Almost every world culture has practiced it in some form. Hollywood has told the public for years that the South was a bad place during the Civil War, filled with bad white slave owners who beat their slaves every day. That's not always the case. Less than 10 percent of the population in the South held slaves during that time. And not all slave owners were white. These are the types of topics I explore in my films."
Armstrong knows the value of good storytelling, but affirms that until now, he has had little opportunity to feature his work here in the valley.
"There just haven't been many opportunities," Armstrong said. "I fancy myself a guerilla filmmaker, meaning that I don't have the luxury of elaborate funds or crews to make my pictures. It's harder for the little guys. I'm not Michael Moore making "Fahrenheit 9/11." It's nice to be recognized in my own community for the work that I do."
Bush believes that the center's program is just one of many that will pop up around the valley in the next few years.
"We're taking the first step," Bush said. "We hope that this will encourage filmmakers to keep doing what they're doing and spawn a network that will continue to grow for years to come."
Films accepted include those generated by film, digital or video cameras, and must be submitted in DVD format. Films will be pre-screened by center staff. All content is accepted, including non-English films, which will be accepted with subtitles.
Films can be submitted in person at the Winchester Cultural Center at 3130 S. McLeod Drive or by mail. Call 455-7340 for more information.
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