Expanding Horizons with the CAC Youth Advisory Board

The Cinema Arts Centre's Youth Advisory Board is a group of volunteers age 14 - 25 who meet monthly to plan and promote special events for young people at the CAC. YAB member Steven Keane discusses finding a community of film lovers in the YAB:

Ever since I was a kid, I've had a fixation on films that gradually evolved over time. During my youth, I viewed films as something more than over-glorified time wasters I would have to drag my parents into. Films like Ratatouille and Kung Fu Panda 2 were able to teach a young lad like myself about certain topics that would still affect me as an adult, whether it’s the beauty of art and its unique origins or how YOU are the only person to define yourself, your past and future. Jump forward to my high school years when I discovered more films that kept the ball rolling for changing my view of the medium and life: Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, Eraserhead, End of Evangelion, Thief and the Cobbler (the Recobbled Cut, not the crappy MiraMax edit). These films kickstarted my fascination with films and the minds behind them. They made me question preconceived notions planted in my head as a child such as who’s truly considered to be a hero, the fear of nothing and the concept of being a human and the impact of your actions on the people around you.

Growing up, I was never fortunate to meet people I could comfortably talk with regarding films that stood the test of time and were considered classics. All of my high school peers would instead ramble on about the recent stuff hitting theaters; mostly mediocre junk with a shelf life of 3 months. That was until last year when my folks gave me a year-long membership to the Cinema Arts Centre, and it was at that moment, I found it; the perfect location to meet people with the same interests and ideals regarding film. The types of folks who care about this art form and don't view it as pig wash that would be faulted out of their heads moments after driving away from the cinema.

This doctrine thrived more when I joined the Youth Advisory Board later that year. A group of individuals with the same age and appreciation for art and its value. A group where we would discuss what films, regardless of their status in relevancy and quality, we could show and how to make the experience more memorable. Even though I’ve only been a member since January, the YAB was able to help me connect with people my age who share the same passion and desire to discuss the types of movies that deserve the pomp and grandeur and maintain the theatrical experience for generations to come. It brings me so much joy to say that we are aiming for more events to offer a helping hand to folks who want to continue into this medium and make a difference for those who seek a place to witness what they’re passionate about. Whether it’s shining a spotlight on underground artists with a burning passion to change the industry with the upcoming Long Island Youth Film Festival or celebrating decades of horror classics and their cult following with the CAC Scream Society, I cannot begin to preface how fortunate I was to find this cinema, this board and the folks behind it.

Being a part of this community, whether in the films they screen or other events meant to recruit more like-minded folks, is a feeling I thought was impossible in my previous years. I'd been stuck in an exaggerated Plato's cave with people who'd talk about the same, regurgitated superhero and action films that were more of a 2+ hour QR code meant to put dollars in some big studio's wallet; people who are too scared to tiptoe out of the proverbial box of comfortable mediocrity. Talking to people who live in the district about weird and bizarre cinema and sharing said films with more pairs of eyes makes me glad I was fortunate enough to be a part of this community. And I look forward to 50 more years of this beautiful cinema we can all enjoy. Thank you Vic Skolnick, Charlotte Sky, Dylan Skolnick, Ted Cavooris, and everyone responsible for breathing life into the Cinema Arts Centre.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the YAB, please contact Ted Cavooris at [email protected]

Movies Turning 50 - Presented by AARP Long Island

The 1970s were a golden era of filmmaking, so it’s fitting that AARP presents a film series celebrating their golden anniversary.

CLICK HERE and make sure to talk to an AARP volunteer when you arrive!

AARP Long Island has also partnered with Newsday to present a special sweepstakes! Four lucky winners will be randomly selected to receive a Movies Turning 50 in 2024 prize package consisting of two (2) movie tickets at the Cinema Arts Centre and a $100 gift card. CLICK HERE to learn more and enter.

Don't forget to see our full calendar for all of our great programs.

DEALERS: Truly Independent, Truly Huntington

The CAC is Proud to Be the Fiscal Sponsor of DEALERS - a film being made in Huntington. In our 50+ year history, the Cinema has supported local filmmaking in so many ways - by providing screening opportunities, introducing new directors to our members and patrons, teaching workshops in production and fundraising, and sometimes serving as a fiscal sponsor, providing the structures for local independent film artists to fund their projects.

The film will have its local premiere at CAC and contributors will be invited.

You can find out more about the film and donate here or go to dealersmovie.com. Contributions are tax deductible and a portion also supports the Cinema Arts Centre.

Fiscal Sponsorship is a way that the Cinema Arts Centre can help make local independent film possible, benefiting the production of the film and the Cinema Arts Centre's programs and operations at the same time.

Current fiscally sponsored projects:

DEALERS; HIDDEN LIGHT