Film programmer to discuss movies at ECC

Film programmer Charles Coleman will give a lecture and presentation from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, in the Spartan Auditorium at the Elgin Community College Building G, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.

Coleman's lifelong fascination with movies led him to a career as a film programmer for Facets Multimedia in Chicago, a leading national media arts organization dedicated to preserving, presenting, distributing, and educating about film.

As with most film programmers, Coleman has his own particular film favorites. They include independent filmmakers, the ones that work because they have a particular take on something that does not necessarily follow the conventions of commercial interests.

He also enjoys films that are trending in the marketplace of aesthetics. He says that film demystifies cultural barriers like a universal translator.

Coleman teaches Facets' Film School classes, which explore various film genres, techniques, filmmakers, actors, and more to encourage an appreciation for film as an art form and means of communication. He fears the art of conversation regarding film is on the decline.

"One thing being lost is the art of conversation, of people seeing a movie and then actually having a good talk afterward," he said.

Coleman's presentation is sponsored by the Elgin Community College Humanities Center. The presentation is free. For more information, call David Zacker, professor of humanities, at (847) 214-7344.