The Scooter Scoop: THE LIFE OF CHUCK Movie Preview

Tom Petty was right — the waiting is the hardest part.

That’s the lesson from The Life of Chuck, now playing at Robinson Film Center. The film is based on a short story by Stephen King.

The story is set up as a three-act play that starts with its third act. Tom Hiddleston plays Chuck Krantz, a seemingly normal guy. Act Three, “Thanks Chuck,” opens with the world seemingly falling apart — no internet, earthquakes, sinkholes, real end-of-days disaster kinds of stuff. But here is Chuck, who is being celebrated, apparently for no other reason than working 39 years as an accountant. He is the Oz of the Apocalypse.

In Act Two, “Buskers Forever,” Chuck shows that he is not as normal as he might appear. He wows an audience with an inspired street dance. When the busker drummer asks him why he stopped to listen and why he started to dance, he mysteriously has no answer. But life for Chuck “is narrower than what he once hoped for.” And that’s why he is an accountant and not a dancer.

Act One, “I Contain Multitudes,” goes back into Chuck’s childhood and explores love and loss and dreams. Raised by his grandparents, Chuck learns to dance from his grandmother (Mia Sara) and learns accounting from his grandfather (Mark Hamill). But his grandfather also guards a secret that, once Chuck discovers, changes the way he looks at his life. And, just maybe, it explains why got out there and danced.

Yeah, I left some questions unanswered. Life is full of unanswered questions. You need to see the movie to find those answers. You need to see it because, like Chuck, you “contain multitudes.”

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: MATERIALISTS Movie Preview

Materialsts, now playing at Robinson Film Center, can be summed up in three words: Dating is hard.

OK, I will give you a few more words than that. In the film Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a top-notch professional matchmaker in New York City. She is very good at her job for one reason — she treats relationships like commodities. She understands her clients expectations, and she knows how to find the value in another person for her clients.

In other words, Lucy will help you “check all the boxes” when it comes to finding a dating partner.

Lucy’s jaded approach is understandable after discovering that she lost a shot at love earlier in life when “the math didn’t work.” Then, at the wedding of two of her clients, she meets a man who checks all of her boxes. But she resists the relationship at first because she believes she doesn’t check all of his.

She is further rocked when a match she arranged goes horribly wrong. And when her unicorn isn’t necessarily the genuine article, she realizes that Mr. Right doesn’t always look like Mr. Right Now.

Materialists is a modern romance that reminds us that, in the end, because two people have hope, true love triumphs over checking all the boxes.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME Movie Preview

Timing can be everything. The Phoenician Scheme — now playing at Robinson Film Center — easily comes across as an immediate political and social commentary. But when you consider Wes Anderson couldn’t have made the movie in the past six months, you realize it’s more Wes being Wes, with a heavy dose of conscience added in.

In the film, Benicio Del Toro plays the deathly and unscrupulous businessman Zsa-zsa Korda. He calls on his only daughter, Liesl — a nun, to be his sole heir, and they embark on a mission to save his latest business venture. Along they way, the fall prey to scheming business partners, assassins and terrorists.

But while the plot centers on oligarchs and global business and politics, the subtext dives into dysfunctional family life, religion and guilt, and the afterlife. And it does it all in a fast-paced, sometimes outlandish 110 minutes.

Anderson leans into many of the storytelling mechanisms he has become know for, including the characters coming together for a common purpose in the end and learning how to accept, if not actually forgive, each other. And he does it will a large cast of characters, including a couple of his favorites: Bill Murray and Brian Cranston.

If current events have you looking for an escape, and maybe a good laugh or two along the way, don’t miss The Phoenician Scheme.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: TORNADO Movie Preview

American cinema has long been influenced by Japanese filmmakers, and particularly films about the samurai. It’s no secret that George Lucas was influence by the films of Akira Kurosawa when he created the legend of the Jedi Knights in Star Wars. And without Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai, we wouldn’t have the classic Western The Magnificent Seven.

Fans of samurai films and Westerns alike will enjoy Tornado, now playing at Robinson Film Center. It is The Seven Samurai mixed with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Unforgiven and some other Clint Eastwood classics, all set in the British Isles in 1790.

Tornado is a Japanese girl traveling the countryside with her father as they perform a samurai puppet show about good versus evil. But Tornado is trapped in her own good vs. evil story, as bandits are after her for taking their stolen treasure.

When the bandits kill Tornado’s father and everyone else she knows, for that matter, she sets her sights on revenge. And when it is complete, she sets off on her own samurai journey.

But Tornado is by no means derivative of the films that seem to have inspired it. It is its own story, expertly told. Tornado is a unique tale that is action-packed without being too intense, violent without being gory, and suspenseful without being scary.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: LILO & STITCH Movie Preview

The kids are out of school, and maybe the family already is feeling a bit, let’s say, too close this summer. Maybe you’re dreaming of an extended vacation in a Hawaiian paradise. But if that seems out of reach, pack up the kids and take them to see Lilo & Stitch at Robinson Film Center.

This is the latest in a line of live-action remakes of animated films. And this one blends all of  the slapstick humor of its cartoon counterpart with just enough touching poignancy to appeal to the entire family.

If you have kids of a certain age, I’m sure I don’t need to lay out the premise for you. But for the rest of us, let me summarize.

Lilo is a precocious 6-year-old girl being raised by her older sister, Nani. The girls have lost their parents in an accident, and Nani is working hard to keep them together. Lilo doesn’t understand and is just seeking some connection.

Stitch is… well, he’s mostly indescribable. He is an alien life form, made in a lab. He, too, is caught causing more trouble than he is worth and gets exiled to Earth. Lilo finds Stitch, and the rest of the film is their journey to find Ohana — family.

This film has something for everyone to love: slapstick comedy, touching emotional moments and lots of Elvis Presley music. It’s a 90-minute tropical escape from your day-to-day with an important reminder that Ohana “isn’t always perfect, but that doesn’t mean you are bad.”

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: SINNERS Movie Preview

Ryan Coogler weaves the legend of Robert Johnson, vampire tales, Creole mysticism, gangsters seeking redemption and racial and religious oppression into a multilayered tapestry of fantasy, history and culture in Sinners, now playing at Robinson Film Center.

Smoke and Stack are twin brothers, played by Michael B. Jordan. They have returned home to Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1932. And while there is some mystery about their time away in Chicago, it’s clear from the beginning of the film they are not men to trifle with.

They have come back to go into business for themselves with a juke joint. Among the team they assemble for the venture is their cousin Sammie Moore, played by Miles Caton. Sammie is a blues guitarist whose talent belies his humble life as the son of a sharecropping pastor.

On opening night, the joint is jumping. But the tension builds when three creepy strangers try to crash the party. After that, well, let’s just say things get a little weird.

If you are fan of fast-paced action and great music, you will enjoy this movie. If you go for strong cinematography and visual effects, you will enjoy this movie. If you enjoy supporting films shot in Louisiana, you will enjoy this one, too, as parts of it were shot across southeast Louisiana.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: THE SHROUDS Movie Preview

If you are looking for a way to cope with death and grief and cancer and conspiracy theories and the ethical and moral implications of rapidly expanding technology and artificial intelligence, you could do years of research, write some academic papers and see a counselor.

Or you could go to the Robinson Film Center and see The Shrouds. Writer and director David Cronenberg has done most of the heavy lifting for you.

In the film, Vincent Cassel plays Karsh, a grieving widower who has developed an innovative cemetery business.

When his cemetery is vandalized and his data hijacked, Karsh spins into a web of conspiracies that involve the Chinese, the Russians, affairs, and hackers. Watching him struggle to keep his sanity as he untangles himself from it all will keep you on the edge of your seat, even if you do have to squirm a little bit.

The Shrouds shares some of the highbrow weirdness that defines other Cronenberg films. But it’s paired with the bitter truth of the director’s own struggle with his wife’s death to cancer in 2017 after 43 years of marriage. That fact lends a bit of credibility to the craziness.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: NO OTHER LAND Movie Preview

It’s easy to look at war from 30,000 feet, or from the other side of the globe. It can seem so cut and dried, black and white.

But when you are put in the middle of the conflict, it takes on the kind of nuance that only interpersonal relationships can bring to a situation. Oscar winning documentary No Other Land, now playing at Robinson Film Center, takes just that kind of granular look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Basel Adra comes from a family of Palestinian activists living in the West Bank villages of Masafer Yatta. From an early age, he filmed attempts by the Israeli army to drive the Palestinians out of the land. In the film he shares his memories of his father being arrested for leading protests, and now Basel is taking on a leadership role.

Yuval Abraham is an Israeli journalist sent to cover the conflict in Masafer Yatta. He meets Basel, and they form an alliance, and even a friendship, as they work together to shed light on the situation in the West Bank.

No Other Land is a unique opportunity to take a look behind the headlines that frame and shape our Western understanding to see that beyond the struggle for control, there are very real struggles to survive. And maybe even an opportunity to co-exist.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: THE FRIEND Movie Preview

We all process grief differently. Some of us get a Great Dane. Or, if you are Iris in the film The Friend — now playing at Robinson Film Center — you have a Great Dane thrust upon you.

 Iris, played beautifully by Naomi Watts, is a writer struggling with both her emotions and her creativity. Part of the reason is coping with the loss of her best friend (and ex-husband) Walter (Bill Murray). As his final act toward Iris, Walter leaves instructions that she is to take care of the dog. Or at least that’s what Iris is led to believe. It might have been a desperate ploy by Walter’s widow to unload the animal.

 Either way, Iris winds up with the gentle giant in her tiny apartment. From there the films becomes an exploration of the classic human-pet theme of “Who rescued whom?”

Apollo — the Great Dane — is struggling with the loss of his master. Iris realizes she is coping with more than losing Walter. His death triggers memories of the loss of her father and a struggle with her writing.

 Along the way, an ensemble of friends and colleagues do their best to help Iris and Apollo cope, and to convince Iris to do right by Apollo. But Iris and Apollo must come to terms with Walter’s death together — just the two of them. And together, they learn to live and love again.

The Friend is a poignant look at our complicated relationships with each other and with our pets. It’s about finding both our human spirit and our spirit animal.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: WARFARE Movie Preview

We have all seen them before — those war movies where the battle scenes feel so fake and contrived. Like White Christmas. That’s a war movie, right?

Well trust me, you won’t get any of that in Warfare, now playing at Robinson Film Center.

Warfare is the story of a platoon of Navy Seals in Iraq in 2006. It features a gritty realism that elevates the viewers blood pressure and the intensity of the connection to the characters.

It has the strong realism because it was written by a man who was there. Iraqi War veteran Ray Mendoza wrote and directed Warfare with Alex Garland, and he dedicated the film to his brother in arms Elliott Miller, who was severely injured and suffered brain trauma in a mission that went horribly wrong for their platoon, which serves as the plot of the movie.

The movie is a proper tribute to Mendoza’s fellow soldiers that presents the brutal reality of war and dignity of those fighting.

The filmmakers move deftly between two sides of trauma that have to play on a solder’s mind. There are quiet minutes that seem like hours as the men wait for something to happen. And hours that seem like seconds when something actually does.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: THE PENGUIN LESSONS Movie Preview

What do you do when you grow weary of political chaos, personal loss and just a general malaise? Well, you should go see The Penguin Lessons at Robinson Film Center. 

It was much harder for Tom Michell. He actually had to learn the lessons first hand.

The film is inspired by Michell’s memoir with the same title. It opens with his arrival in Argentina in 1976 to teach English at an elite boarding school. Michell, played by Steve Coogan, arrives in a cynical, sarcastic, and jaded state, searching for freedom, but mostly from himself. When a coup leads to the school being closed for a week, Michell slips off to Uruguay, in search of a little life and love. He finds it not in the arms of a woman, but in a penguin he rescues in a bid to impress the girl. He takes the bird back to school with him, where the penguin gets the name Juan Salvador and becomes sort of a mascot.

Juan Salvador strikes a deep nerve in Michell. The bird becomes Michell’s silent therapist, helping the scared and troubled man find the two things he is missing most — himself and his freedom. Before long, he is learning the lessons he is teaching his students — to rise like lions and see beyond their circumstances.

Make time to go see The Penguin Lessons and learn a bit from Juan Salvador yourself. He is a patient and loving teacher. All he asks is for a fish every now and then.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: DEATH OF A UNICORN Movie Preview

What do you get when you mix together Medieval legend, the most grim of fairy tales, a little Jurassic Park, and some Alien — you know, for the dramatic effect — with a healthy dose of snarky sarcasm? You get Death of a Unicorn, now playing at Robinson Film Center.

It’s a creative dark comedy/monster film that features Paul Rudd as Elliot and Jenna Ortega as his daughter, Ridley. The film opens with them on a trip to meet Elliot’s eccentric boss, pharmaceutical CEO Odell. Elliot and Ridley are struggling to get along since the death of Ridley’s mother. Elliot believes this opportunity with his boss could be just the turning point they need.

He really needed to swerve to miss the unicorn standing in the road. But he plowed right into it, and that’s when the whole adventure takes a twisted turn.

When it’s discovered that the unicorn has healing power, it becomes Odell’s obsession. But there is a dark side to the legendary creature. When it manifests, the hunter becomes the hunted, and the game is on.

It’s Ridley, the troubled yet virtuous young maiden, who resolves the legend of the unicorn and saves the day, and the relationship, with her father.

Death of a Unicorn is a clever film that is a send up of many of the classic monster films that seem to inspire it. It’ll have you catching your breath, only to release it with a hearty guffaw a moment later.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: THE ASSESSMENT Movie Preview

Admit it, you have had the thought, “There ought to be a test people have to pass in order to have kids.”

Oh, you might not have ever said it, but you thought it once or twice.

Well, The Assessment, which is currently playing at Robinson Film Center, starts with exactly that premise. But the test takes some unexpected twists and turns into a dark evaluation of the human psyche, like a really extreme Kobayashi Maru.

Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel play Mia and Aaryan, a couple who desire to have a child in a population-controlled future. They have applied for a child and now must face the Assessment — a seven-day evaluation of determine whether they will be allowed a child.

Alicia Vikander stars as Virginia, the assessor. She moves magnificently between the wild abandon of a belligerent, spoiled brat and and the guile of a cold psychological terrorist.

Through the course of her assessment, Virgina tests Mia’s and Aaryan’s mental, emotional and psychological aptitude to be parents. She plays on all kinds of parental fears, from tantrums to losing a child to “some assembly required” to the fear of making the same mistakes our parents did.

The conclusion of the assessment sends everyone, including the audience, into a spiraling series of unexpected events. No, I won’t give it away here. You’ve got to see it for yourself.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: ANORA Movie Preview

If you missed the Academy Award winning film Anora the first time around, Robinson Film Center is offering you a second chance.

 Anora is, in essence, a story about how chasing dreams sometimes turns into a nightmare. It’s a roller-coaster ride of fast-paced twists and turns. Throughout the film, the viewer isn’t quite sure where they are going next. And that’s what makes it so impressive.

 The story’s well-executed plot twists don’t follow any formula you have seen before. It’s that kind of innovation that earned the film Best Original Screenplay.

 But their brightest light on the screen is Best Actress winner Mikey Madison as the title character. Anora, or Ani, as she prefers, is making the most of a hard life. And just when she thinks she’s grabbed the brass ring that will lift her out of her situation, she slips into a chaotic fall deeper into her abyss.

 Madison dominates the screen with so much grit and passion that the audience can’t help but weep for her tragic situation and celebrate her catharsis at the end.

 Director Sean Baker set a record at this year’s Academy Awards by winning four Oscars for a single film. In addition to Madison’s Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay, Anora won Best Director, Best Film Editing and the grandest prize of all, Best Picture.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: MICKEY 17 Movie Preview

After some delays on the release date, Mickey17 is out at Robinson Film Center, and it is worth the wait. Mickey17 follows the life of Mickey Barnes, an “expendable” on a journey to colonize the distant planet Niflheim. Mickey takes the job out of desperation to escape the life he’s living on Earth. But he didn’t read all the fine print before signing up.

In the film, technology has advanced to the place where Mickey’s body can be regenerated, or reprinted, when he dies. His memories, personality and other critical data are stored and simply downloaded into each iteration of Mickey. So he is, well, expendable. When one Mickey dies, a new one is printed and picks up where the old one left off.

Mickey17 has something for everyone. It is an action-packed sci-fi political satire with just enough rom-com for some flavor. But at its core, the film is an existential dive into the permanence of death.

You see, Mickey Barnes feels like he has no other choice. He’s running away from something on Earth, and he never considers the ramifications of what he runs to. He’s constantly asked,“What’s it like to die?” But ultimately, he winds up facing his own mortality. He faces the fact that the answer to the question is dying is scary, and he hates it. From there, Mickey begins to pursue a more important question: “What’s it like to really live?”

Mickey 17 is based on the book Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. It stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey, Naomi Ackie as Nasha, Steven Yeun as Timo, Anamaria Vartolomei as Kaiand, and Mark Ruffalo as Kenneth Marshall. It is directed by Bong Joon-ho, who also directed Oscar winning Parasite.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

The Scooter Scoop: THE QUIET ONES Movie Preview

Our new movie preview series, The Scooter Scoop, will give you an inside scoop of what to expect from the motion pictures gracing our big screens! Read on to find out what freelance writer Scooter Anderson has to say about the latest movie selection at RFC.

The Quiet Ones, now playing at Robinson Film Center, is based on the the true story of the largest heist in the history of Denmark. Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re saying to your self, “That’s just a foreign version of Ocean’s Eleven.” Let me stop you right there. The Quiet Ones is no slick con-game film. It is a non-stop, action-packed roller coaster ride and, despite the name, it is loud!

Kasper is a boxer in Denmark, struggling to support his wife and daughter. When the promise of a massive payday presents itself, he joins an international crew to pull off the robbery. The energy is high throughout the film as Kasper and the team plan and execute their scheme. Amid the noise and the frenetic action, Kasper battles his own ego, until the job becomes a personal quest to land a spot in history.

The Danish film is directed by Frederik Louis Hviid, written by Anders Frithiof August, and stars Gustav Dyekjær Giese as Kasper. The pace of the movie will grip you and hold you on the edge of your seat. In fact, if you aren’t intentional, you might not even catch a breath until the closing scene of the movie, when Kasper finally catches his.

- Scott “Scooter” Anderson, Scooter Anderson Communications

RFC TO HOST SCREENING OF THE ROOM WITH STAR GREG SESTERO

Robinson Film Center will host a meet and greet and special screening of the film The Room with a live Q&A featuring star Greg Sestero on August 23rd. The screening, which will be shown under RFC’s Friday Night Freakout banner, will start at 9 pm following the meet and greet at 8 pm.

 “The Room is the very definition of a cult classic” said Wendell Riley, RFC’s Executive Director. “It’s a small film that became a cultural phenomenon and people pack screening houses all over the world to collectively relive the experience of watching it. In its own way it rivals The Rocky Horror Picture Show for its following and the fan participation at screenings.”

 Sestero, who plays Mark in the film, is no stranger to RFC. He will have a table set up in the lobby where he will sell merchandise, sign posters and memorabilia, and interact with the fans. “Greg is very generous in that way,” said Riley. “He takes his time when chatting with fans, making sure that he gives them his full attention.”

 The Room, which was released 20 years ago, was a passion project for Tommy Wiseau, who plays Johnny in the film. Wiseau, an auteur who is as enigmatic onscreen as he is off it, was famously played by James Franco (with Dave Franco playing Sestero) in the acclaimed film about the making of The Room called The Disaster Artist.   

For tickets and sponsorship information about the event, please call (318) 459-4113 or visit https://robinsonfilmcenter.org/#/the-room/

 For media inquiries, please contact Wendell Riley at wendellr@robinsonfilmcenter.org.

Robinson Film Center, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization based in Shreveport, educates, enriches and entertains through the power of film. RFC exhibits independent, international and classic cinema daily in two movie theaters, with a full-service bistro and special events space upstairs. RFC provides film history and media literacy classes for all ages, focusing strongly on K-12 students and senior citizens. RFC also supports outreach programs that promote and strengthen the state’s film industry. 

ABBY SINGER’S BISTRO ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF

Abby Singer’s Bistro, located on the second floor of Robinson Film Center, has announced the arrival of its new Executive Chef, Niema DiGrazia. Chef DiGrazia, who has built a culinary following in the region at her restaurant, Niema’s Cookery Corner, also runs a food truck and has competed in Food Prize’s Golden Fork competition.  

 “Chef [DiGrazia] will bring tremendous creativity and technique to her new role in the Bistro,” said Wendell Riley, Executive Director of Robinson Film Center. “It will make Abby’s more than just a destination for lunch or dinner and a movie. We have aspirations of making it a culinary destination in Shreveport-Bossier.”

 The bistro serves as an economic driver for RFC, and part of the proceeds from bistro sales goes towards RFC’s programming and education initiatives. The success of the bistro is important to the overall economic health of RFC, which is a nonprofit organization. DiGrazia’s team includes the former Chef de Cuisine at Zuzul, Matthew DiGrazia. The self-described “dynamic duo” will not only oversee the bistro operations, but also manage the onsite event catering for RFC’s event space. The leadership team, along with the new bistro team and events team, are already planning more film-related culinary events for the fall.     

 “I am absolutely thrilled to join Robinson Film Center and Abby Singer’s Bistro,” said DiGrazia. “This incredible opportunity fills me with joy as I become part of such a vibrant and creative community. I can't wait to bring fresh ideas to the menu, events, and dining experiences. My passion for culinary arts and event planning drives me to create memorable moments that connect and resonate with our guests.”

 For media inquiries, please contact wendellr@robinsonfilmcenter.org.

For reservations, please call (318) 459-4125 or visit: http://robinsonfilmcenter.org/abby-singers-bistro

Robinson Film Center, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization based in Shreveport, educates, enriches and entertains through the power of film. RFC exhibits independent, international and classic cinema daily in two movie theaters, with a full-service bistro and special events space upstairs. RFC provides film history and media literacy classes for all ages, focusing strongly on K-12 students and senior citizens. RFC also supports outreach programs that promote and strengthen the state’s film industry.

RFC TO HOST MEET & GREET AND SCREENING OF E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL WITH STARS DEE WALLACE AND HENRY THOMAS

Robinson Film Center will host a VIP meet & greet and special screening of the film E.T. The Extra Terrestrial featuring a live Q&A with stars Dee Wallace and Henry Thomas on Thursday, August 15th. The VIP meet & greet will take place on the second floor starting at 5:00pm and the film will begin at 6:30pm in the Willis Knighton theater.

“We’ve been working to put this together for some time, and we are so thrilled about collaborating with our friends at Geek’d Con to make it a reality,” said Wendell Riley, RFC’s Executive Director. “Geek’d Con has become an annual high point for convention fans in the region, and because they bring in so many beloved film guests it made sense for us to work together on this type of event.”

Wallace, who plays Mary, the mother of the kids at the center of the film, is a respected actor with almost 300 credits over the course of her career. Thomas, who played E.T.’s best friend Elliot in the movie, has recently been a frequent collaborator of acclaimed horror director Mike Flanagan. Both will be appearing at the convention, which starts on August 16th.

“For us it’s an opportunity to give fans a chance to interact with these two icons of the genre,” said Riley. “It also gives longtime E.T. lovers the opportunity to hear firsthand insights into the making of the seminal film. That’s what we’re about at RFC- we celebrate films and filmmakers, behind and in front of the camera.” 

For tickets and sponsorship information about the event, please call (318) 459-4113 or visit https://robinsonfilmcenter.org/#/et-dee/  

For media inquiries, please contact Wendell Riley at wendellr@robinsonfilmcenter.org.

Robinson Film Center, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization based in Shreveport, educates, enriches and entertains through the power of film. RFC exhibits independent, international and classic cinema daily in two movie theaters, with a full-service bistro and special events space upstairs. RFC provides film history and media literacy classes for all ages, focusing strongly on K-12 students and senior citizens. RFC also supports outreach programs that promote and strengthen the state’s film industry.

ROBINSON FILM CENTER TO HOST THE ROBBYS GALA ON JUNE 15TH

Robinson Film Center will host its annual Gala, The Robbys, on June 15th. The event, which is the nonprofit’s major annual fundraiser, will take place at 617 Texas Street, with doors opening at 6:30pm for check in. The festivities will continue through 11pm. The theme for this year’s gala, which will be hosted by local news anchor Biskie Duncan, is ‘Hitchcock’. 

“The power of film is magical. There is a genre that speaks to everyone. Films fill us with all sorts of feelings, including hope, which is deeply needed today. RFC is vital in educating our community about how movie magic can enrich our lives,” said Anna Priestley, the 2024 Robbys Chair. “Keeping the spotlight on RFC is what The Robbys is all about - raising funds to continue our outreach programs that strengthen our local community and support our film industry.”

This year’s event revolves around the fashion and glamour of characters in Alfred Hitchcock films, which are synonymous with striking leading ladies and debonair leading men. The dress code for the Robbys is described as “cocktail or costume”. The night will feature stunning themed décor from famous Hitchcock films, along with a karaoke room, a VIP area, a screening room, a prize pull, DJs, and a live performance by the band Identity Crisis. There will be open bars and food throughout the center.

“As this year’s chair, it has been a privilege to do my part to keep the magic of RFC on the big screen,” said Priestley. “My hope is that attendees are transported to the world of Alfred Hitchcock and are reminded of the inspiration and enchantment of cinema.”

For tickets and sponsorship information about the event, please call (318) 459-4113 or visit https://robinsonfilmcenter.org/#/robbys-2024/

 For media inquiries, please contact Wendell Riley at wendellr@robinsonfilmcenter.org.

Robinson Film Center, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization based in Shreveport, educates, enriches and entertains through the power of film. RFC exhibits independent, international and classic cinema daily in two movie theaters, with a full-service bistro and special events space upstairs. RFC provides film history and media literacy classes for all ages, focusing strongly on K-12 students and senior citizens. RFC also supports outreach programs that promote and strengthen the state’s film industry.