The brand new UP Film Society hosted its first screening on 14 March in the Humanities building. The society was
founded by Lathan Dooms, an English Honours student, who stated that his goal for the society is to “set up a space where students, alumni, faculty, whoever, can just come through and enjoy a movie together, and then they can
talk about it afterwards”. He continued “I really believe in the community-based bonding experience that a lot of movies can be, especially the more out-there movies. When you witness something maybe strange or
interesting together and talk about it, it’s a great bonding experience.” Dooms also added that the society will be “putting priority towards older films, non-English-language films, and weirder films-content and form-wise… The kind of things that a lot of movie theatres in South Africa wouldn’t show because they’d be afraid to
offend their audience.”
The film shown at the first screening was Punch-Drunk Love, a dark romantic comedy directed by acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. Adam Sandler stars as Barry Egan, a lonely man who meets his perfect match
and finally has a chance at love but must first atone for a past mistake in order to be with her. The film not
only accepts but revels in contradictions. Equal parts sweet and slightly unsettling, it hinges on a masterful and
unexpected performance by Adam Sandler and was a hit with the society as a whole. Max Milella, a member of
the society, said about the film: “It’s really cool seeing Adam Sandler in a serious role. It was a really interesting movie.” Discussion on the film ranged from the importance of colour to the effectiveness of the sound design, with
most agreeing that it was a fascinating, if occasionally stressful, viewing experience. Films for future screenings range from Japanese horror to classic Hollywood, as the society intends to showcase the breadth and history of cinema as an art form. The society is currently based in room 16-2 in the Humanities building, but intends to move to a bigger venue as more people attend future events. Screenings currently take place on Tuesday evenings at 18:00, and any students interested in film are encouraged to join, discuss and share in the cinematic experience.
