The first meeting of the new monthly online discussion group, “The Friday Film Club,” will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, hosted by the Camden Public Library. The group is for anyone who enjoys critically-acclaimed movies, inspiring documentaries, and foreign films. Discussions will be led by Julia Pierce, the library’s program coordinator. The first film selection is the 2004 documentary “Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed.” Email jpierce@librarycamden.org to request a Zoom link to participate.
“Chisolm ’72,” directed by Shola Lynch, is a Peabody Award-winning documentary recalling a watershed event in U.S. politics. The film takes an in-depth look at the 1972 presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress and the first to seek nomination for the highest office in the land. Shunned by the political establishment and the media, this longtime champion of marginalized Americans asked for support from people of color, women, gays, and young people newly empowered to vote at the age of 18. Chisholm’s bid for an equal place on the presidential dais generated strong, even racist opposition. Yet her challenge to the status quo and her message about exercising the right to vote struck many as progressive and positive.
Friday Film Club members will be able to submit suggestions for films to view and talk about. Free or low-cost options for viewing the selections will be cited. “Chisolm’72” can be viewed for free with a Camden Public Library Card on the Kanopy film-streaming app. It is also available to be watched on Amazon (free for Prime members) and can be rented on YouTube. People interested in participating in the film club should watch the documentary and bring their thoughts about it to the film discussion program on Zoom.
For more information on this and other library programs, visit librarycamden.org
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