My column this week comes a little late due to my responsibilities with the Island House Cinema and Best Ever Film.  I had the privilege to work on a free screening of To Sir With Love in the Grants town community for the inaugural Cinema in The Park event for almost 200 children. Fusion IMC, Tyrina Neely coordinated the details of the event, The owners of Central Food Fair donated the vacant lot and The Island House Cinema donated the open air screen.

Community leader Valentino Brown (Scrooge) introduced the evening and Pamela Poitier (daughter of Sir Sidney Poitier) introduced the film. The idea of the free screening comes under the umbrella of a charity called The Children’s Haven whose principal is a Bahamian resident Mr. Beat Schlagenhauf. I consider Beat a personal friend and business associate and a fearless person who has taught me many lessons in business and the responsibility we all have in giving back to our community. I sat down with Beat recently and asked him five questions.

Why the name The Children’s Haven?

The name came from a brainstorming session with Minister of Culture, Danny Johnson. We wanted to create a space that would be a second home and safe space for the children of the Bain and Grants Town area.

How did you come to this area?

Amanda Coulson, director of The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas introduced me to the over the hill area. It was here that I saw a way that I could help and I wanted to contribute whatever I could to make the community for the better.

Who are the main persons involved?

Elaine Pinder, Danny Johnson and myself.

Why film and why did you choose this film?

Film is an excellent tool to educate the youth. We chose To Sir with Love because, because I realized that many of these children do not know who many of their Bahamian heroes and black heroes are. Heroes such as Sir Lynden Pindling, Nelson Mandela, and Sir Sidney Poitier. Once these kids know about the lives of these heroes they should be proud to be black, Bahamian and dream big. In this film Sir Sidney dreamed big and in the film he helped children. The children of this community should know that they can too reach success if they have a dream and have hope.

Will this movie screening happen again?

This will be a monthly event but it is a part if a greater program. The Children’s Haven is to have a safe space where kids can have a hot meal, a space to do homework, intensive sports training and a focus on the arts .

This week at The Island House Cinema

This week the programming at the Island House focuses on the difference between fear and “scary”

In our lives we all deal with the element of fear but with awareness we realize that fear is an irrational feeling that is usually rooted in insecurity, ignorance, a perceived lack or resources, or childhood trauma. However, I love smartly told horror films so for our programming this week I programmed two excellent films that reflect both sides of fear.

Foxcatcher

Foxcatcher tells the true story of Olympic Wrestling Champion brothers Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) and their relationship with the eccentric John du Pont (Steve Carell) that led to murder. (Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics)

It Follows

For 19-year-old Jay (Maika Monroe), fall should be about school, boys and weekends out at the lake. But after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, she finds herself plagued by strange visions and the inescapable sense that someone, or something, is following her. Faced with this burden, Jay and her teenage friends must find a way to escape the horrors that seem to be only a few steps behind. (Courtesy of Radius/TWC)

Foxcatcher plays daily this week at 6:30 pm

It Follows plays daily this week at 9:00 pm.

Reservations must be made at The Island House at 242.698.6300

Email: cinema@the-island-house.com

About the author: Kareem Mortimer is an award winning filmmaker and artist who has completed several films including Children of God, Wind Jammers, Passage, Float and The Eleutheran Adventure. He is the President of the production company Best Ever Film and is the curator of the film program at The Island House Cinema, a boutique 48 seat theater in Western New Providence dedicated to showcasing the best in independent, foreign, art, Caribbean and Bahamian film. He is also in development of the feature film Cargo.

Left to right: Gladys Johnson-Sands, Kay Kay Lok, Immalasha Thompson, Hon. Dr. Daniel Johnson, Amanda Coulson, Valentino Brown, Beat Schlagenhauf, Pamela Poitier and Kareem Mortimer. (Photo by Shawn Hanna)