An empty film club tries to attain an audience at a Scarborough library.
The National Film board of Canada (NFB) has partnered with public libraries, including some in Scarborough, to promote Canadian films.
Marianne Di Domenico, programming officer at NFB, said that in the fall of 2010 there was a collaborative initiative created with public libraries across the country called the NFB Film Club.
“The NFB Film Club consists of giving access to its new releases via community film screenings in libraries,” Di Domenico said.
The film club chose libraries because they are accessible to the public, and some libraries have even included the children’s program as part of the film club, to help encourage interaction and activities among kids.
“The NFB films are being seen by Canadians, and libraries are at the centre of Canadian communities,” Di Domenico said. “It is the perfect venue for the NFB Film Club.”
The pieces shown vary in topic and give exposure to Canadian talent in film, showing shorts and documentaries. There are close to 300 libraries across Canada participating in the NFB film club, such as Agincourt library in Scarborough.
Agincourt librarian Iman Zayad said they are trying their best to promote the one-of-a-kind film experience.
Zayad is responsible for organizing the screenings. Agincourt, along with other libraries across the country show the films throughout the year, and are divided into three programs: fall, winter and spring.
In September, the Scarborough library began the fall program with a screening of Blue Ribbon.
“No one showed up,” Zayad said.
Zayad believed the lack of an audience for the film was because the community had no idea about the screening. She thought something had to be done. She wrote on Agincourt library’s blog about the film club in order to bring some attention to it.
For Agincourt’s second film screening, Boxing Girls of Kabul, there was a slight improvement in attendance. Zamad required those who were interested in watching the film to register with the library and even had a small audience turn out.
“The NFB invited Toronto Public Library to screen any NFB film, and it is up to the branch if there is a local interest,” Zayad said.
The next film club screening at Agincourt will take place on Nov. 26, 2012, and is titled Surviving Progress.