CAC Through the Decades 50th Anniversary Fundraising Events are On Sale!

In celebration of the Cinema Arts Centre’s 50th Anniversary, the CAC Through the Decades series will present some favorite films from each decade that we have been open and delivering our mission on Long Island. CAC Staff and our 50th Anniversary Committee nominated and selected films from the 2010's, 2000s, 1990s, 1980s, and 1970s - plus we will also show LILITH (1964), the very first film the Cinema Arts Centre ever presented back when we were called the New Community Cinema.

Each of these screenings will include a special reception. Our series will culminate with a full-facility party on December 1! All proceeds will benefit the programs and operations of the Cinema Arts Centre so that we can continue to bring the widest range of film programs and unique special events to our community.

Tickets are on sale now!

Fri, Oct 6 at 7:00 PM

Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and winning the award for Best Original Screenplay, Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut LADY BIRD (2017) is a coming-of-age story starring Saoirse Ronan as Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson who has a strained relationship with her mother, Marion (Laurie Metcalf). The film follows Lady Bird's senior year of high school, as she struggles with her identity, her relationships, and her future.

Click Here for Tickets.

Fri, Oct 20 at 7:00 PM

Guillermo del Toro's PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) Set in post-Civil War Spain, eleven year old Ofelia travels with her pregnant mother to live with the sociopathic Captain Vidal who is also Ofelia’s new stepfather.

Ofelia begins her journey through an eerie but beautiful fantasy world the moment she arrives at the Captains headquarters, as she faces unsettling realities with much disappointment.

Click Here For Tickets

Fri, Nov 3 at 7:00 PM

Call him the Dude, His Dudeness, Duder, or El Dudorino, Jeff Bridges stars in The Coen Brothers’ unstoppable cult classic THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) which has inspired countless bowling parties and drinking games, and even its own festival. And we’re happy to bring it back to the Cinema Arts Centre for our 50th Anniversary celebration.

Part slacker comedy, part neo-noir, you’ll want to skip bowling night for this Coen Brothers’ masterpiece.

Click Here For Tickets

Fri, Nov 17 at 7:00 PM

In his Academy Award Nominated masterpiece Do The Right Thing (1989), Spike Lee infuses his own visually powerful style of filmmaking with remarkable humor and drama, brought to life by a memorable cast of characters.

It's the hottest day of the year, and with racial tensions rising to the surface, this scorching 24-hour period will change the lives of its residents forever.

Click Here For Tickets

Friday, December 1, Time TBD

Watch our calendar as tickets will be on sale soon for our CAC Through the Decades closing event - a full-facility party with three films to choose from:

The Godfather (1972)

Nashville (1975)

and the first film we ever presented, Lilith (1964)

Each attendee will also receive our 50th Anniversary Keepsake Journal!

Stay tuned!

October and November events are $15 for Members and $22 for the public. Come celebrate 50 years with us, and help to ensure the Cinema Arts Centre continues to thrive for decades to come!

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Rivkin Radler, LLP; Aboff's Paints; NXT Stages, Sinequanon; H2M; Minuteman Press, Huntington; ShopRite; Theodore's Books, and Janice and David Groden

Special thanks to our 50th Anniversary Committee:

Brian Atkins, Laurie Butera, Martin Butera, Lissa De Angelis, Steve Fisch, Jude Schanzer, Anu Sharma Magee, Marcia Novack, Dorian Stern, Rene Bouchard, Ted Cavooris, Dylan Skolnick, Charlotte Sky

Click Here to be included in our limited edition 50th Anniversary Keepsake Journal with an ad or message.

Contact [email protected] for more information.

Thank You!

Our Next Conversation:

TUE, SEP 19 · 7:00 PM EDT

The Repeal of Affirmative Action

RSVP at LINK: https://www.meetup.com/crossing-party-lines-ny-long-island/events/295598293/

Recently the Supreme Court invalidated affirmative action in college admissions. The Court ruled that admissions criteria considering race are unconstitutional, and stated that colleges receiving federal funding, which is the case for nearly all institutions, cannot include it in their admissions process. The debate about affirmative action tends to focus on whether it is a fair and effective approach to addressing historical and systemic inequalities, or if it constitutes a form of reverse discrimination. Join us as we discuss the recent ruling and questions such as:

- Do you agree or disagree with the Supreme Court ruling?
- Have you or someone you know personally benefited from Affirmative Action? Have you or anyone you know felt discriminated against due to it?
- Was affirmative action still needed to remedy prior (or current) injustices? If yes, what other approaches can now be used to make those remedies?
- The Supreme Court has struck down Affirmative Action as unconstitutional saying it violates the Equal Protection Clause. Do you think this would prohibit any other forms of reparations?
- Do you think affirmative action leads to reverse discrimination?
- Do you think college admissions should be solely based on merit understood as academic record and achievements, and not take race into consideration?
- One of the arguments for the Supreme Court’s decision stems from the idea of a “colorblind” constitution. In her dissent, Justice Sotomayor called that a “superficial rule” in what she referred to America as an “endemically segregated society”. How do you relate to the idea of “colorblindness” generally? And particularly as it relates to government policy?
- What impacts do you think this decision will have on our society?

Join the Crossing Party Lines discussion and have a voice in our nation’s conversation! People of all views are welcomed, appreciated, and heard.

Please plan to arrive at the beginning of the meetup for Meet & Greet before we sit down for conversation.

Suggested Reading:

Scotus Blog: Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action in college admissions

Pew Research: More Americans Disapprove Than Approve of Colleges Considering Race

Hope Is An Act Of Defiance. Defy With Us.

Crossing Party Lines (CPL) wants to hear your story of how you (or someone you know) chose / choose hope in your own life. Maybe you made a friend out of a bully, maybe your dad chose to be accountable when there was an easy way out for him to play the blame-game, maybe your mother spoke up for a neighbor who looked different than everyone else in the community, or maybe your friend reached out to you when things were too fraught between you. 

Let's celebrate the unsung choices and acts of hope in everyday life made by ordinary people.

Interested? Email us at [email protected] with the subject “Choose Hope” and we will send you recording instructions and/or help you craft your story. .

Look inside you and around you for goodness. Choose Hope. Share Hope. Be Hope.

Looking For Volunteers/Interns For Crossing Party Lines Visual Media Team

Do you want to change the way America does politics? Crossing Party Lines (CPL) is a national nonprofit that facilitates conversations among people across the political divide. We have recently established our new Visual Media Department in Long Island and are looking for interns/volunteers for a variety of tasks including but not limited to Video Editing, Content Creation, Social Media posting & promotion. You will be part of a talented and inspired team in a hybrid work model (working on-site at our Bay Shore office + remote work) where you will participate in creative visual storytelling while doing the most important work of our times - promoting civic harmony and reducing toxic polarization.  Interested? Email us at [email protected] with the subject “CPL VMT”