Film Group Gets Rolling

A group of about 10 people met Tuesday night to further discuss building a film community in Westport.

Tentatively called  the group is organized by Representative Town Meeting member Jonathan Steinberg, Westport Youth Film Festival Coordinator Sandy Lefkowitz and the Westport Youth Commission.

The group met to discuss its plans of bringing Westporters together to share in the enjoyment of cinema. A proposed mission statement was reviewed by those in attendance.

Plans for the not-for-profit organization include presenting communal gatherings that offer the Fairfield County region opportunities to share in the movie experience. Objectives include offering a range of classic and contemporary film programs, presentations by film experts, frequent audience discussions, as well as providing educational outreach programming.

"Westport has a special cultural heritage," Steinberg said. "We have the ability to create something special."

Although he called Tuesday night's discussion "philosophic," Steinberg ultimately hopes that the group will bring a permanent film venue back to Westport that is "consistent with the town's longstanding arts and cultural heritage and will enhance the nightlife and overall vitality of Westport."

Until then, the group hopes to work in tandem with other nonprofit town agencies, such as the Westport Public Library, the Westport Arts Center, The Westport Country Playhouse, The Westport Historical Society and the Levitt Pavilion.

Holding discussions with the heads of those agencies is next on the group's agenda.

Those interested in becoming involved with this group are invited to contact Steinberg via e-mail at jpsteinberg@optonline.net