20 years of Cinema Lounge

by Paul Clark, MNDialog • 10/1/08 • Believe it or not, IFP Minnesota’s Cinema Lounge, the Twin Cities’ original short film screening series, is turning 20. While technically still not old enough to drink (ha!), that hasn’t kept us from ushering the masses into the venerable Bryant-Lake Bowl theater on the 3rd Wednesday of each month to partake in film and refreshments, the latter usually being alcoholic and the former always indie, always local.

Arts Orbit is a multisource blog about the local arts scene, featuring both original contributions by Daily Planet writers and entries reprinted from partner blogs and online publications.

Well, we figure once every twenty years is a good pace to do something special and class it up for an evening. On Thursday, October 23rd at 7pm the 20th Anniversary “Best Of” Cinema Lounge screening and party will take over the Minnesota History Center theater. We’ll screen the top 3 films from Cinema Lounge history as voted on by you, the audience, as well as favorite picks from former CLounge hosts, complete with filmmaker Q+A’s, cash bar, and after-party at the LoTo Life Cafe.

If you’ve never been, there will be a regular October Cinema Lounge on Wednesday the 15th—get your feet wet, see what you’ve been missing, and then miss it no more! It is what it sounds like: a really laid back venue to catch some darn good, locally-made short films. Many times a filmmaker’s first screening experience with a public audience, Cinema Lounge screens 4-6 short films from a multitude of genres (narrative, doc, animation, experimental, music video, etc.) and after each short, brings the filmmaker up on stage for a brief Q+A with the audience, moderated by regular host Dan Orozco.

So picture a half-dozen short films—good short films—every month, for 20 years. That’s a lot of good cinema and a testament to the filmmaking talent in Minnesota. Expect the evening of the 23rd to be a veritable reunion of film faces, a fun evening of film and discussion, and one hell of a good time.

What: 20th Anniversary “Best Of” Cinema Lounge Screening and Party
When: Thursday, October 23rd at 7pm
Where: Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Blvd W., St. Paul 55102
Tickets: FREE
What Else: After-Party with free appetizers, drink specials, at LoTo Life Cafe, 380 Jackson Street, St. Paul 55101

If you’re new to the Lounge, but still want to get in on the voting action, you’re more than welcome! The polls remain open for the next two days until Midnight on Friday, October 3rd. Just point your web browser to IFP MN’s YouTube channel to get a preview of most of the nominated films, then vote for your own personal top three favorites. We’ll announce the winners at the party, interview the lucky filmmakers, and everyone will buy everyone else drinks. See you at the party!

The 20th Anniversary of Cinema Lounge was made possible by financial support from the St. Paul STAR program. Thanks also to our sponsors, Lommen/Abdo and Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Project.