Sarah Evans
Special to The Morning Star
Summer may be coming to an end but the weekly Monday night film experience at the Vernon Towne Cinema is not.
Monday Night at the Arts presented the need for a regular film event for the summer months to the Okanagan Screen Arts Society and the OSA Society happily met the challenge. The weekly films have been hugely successful and so, in conjunction with the Vernon Towne Cinema OSA invites Vernon to join them every Monday from now on.
OSA offers a total filmgoing package that features mostly independent films. It also includes live music courtesy of local guitar virtuoso, Les Copeland in the foyer before the first show and a cash wine bar open for both showings. Audience members can enjoy their beverage in the foyer and also while viewing the film. Another aspect of the event that is hugely popular is the interesting, insightful introduction to the film. And all of this takes place in the historic Vernon Towne Cinema.
Related: OSA forms first board
The atmosphere and ambience offers a step back in time and completes the package perfectly. The OSA is proud to add to the vibrancy of Downtown Vernon by providing another fantastic reason to come to town. Besides offering excellent films to the community, OSA supports local filmmakers by screening their productions. The society is looking forward to showing the new documentary, The Happiness Tour. This short features local senior musicians whose musical talents bring happiness to senior audiences in Vernon and of course, to themselves.
OSA is a not for profit society and a very important mandate of the society is to support the future of the arts in general. This is the second year that they have been able to receive applications for and award bursaries to students furthering their education in the arts. This has been made possible by the dedicated support of Vernon’s film audiences and a society of volunteers who have a strong commitment and belief in the importance of the arts.
Information about upcoming features can be found online at osa-vernon.org and at vernoncinema.com where you can sign up for a weekly email outlining the schedule as well. Brochures are also available at the Towne Cinema, Okanagan College and The Vernon Performing Arts Centre.
Tickets are $6 for members and $8 fornon-memberss and are available in advance at the Towne Cinema box office and at Expressions of Time bookstore. Monday Night at the Arts already has a loyal following of enthusiastic film-goers and the experience has become a weekly outing for many. OSA invites the community to join them every Monday for an event that is truly unique and enjoyable and can become highly addictive.