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What is Cinema Journey?

 

Part of our A Place for Films network, Cinema Journey is a film club that helps us engage in our personal journeys of spiritual growth through the story-telling power of movies. Spiritual growth requires a process of change and a shift in perspective that entails letting go of our egos and allowing our spirit-centered selves to emerge. Cinema Journey utilizes the cinematic story-telling elements of light, color, action, dialog, character development, symbolism, cinematography and music to facilitate that change and shift in perspective. In this way, movies help us to step outside of our comfort zones and access our more authentic, inner truths, which, in turn, help us to move towards deeper relationship with each other, our communities, our planet, and the Divine (however we understand the Divine). 

 
About Our Themes

 

Each season, we watch and discuss four movies that are connected by a common underlying theme. While our themes span a wide range of subjects, they always share an underlying element of the Jewish wisdom tradition. Past season's themes have included Creation, Honoring Parents, Listening, Middot, New Paradigms, Renewal of Spirit and Pillars of Value.

 

Our theme for the 2023-2024 season is The Evolution of Community. Each of the four thought-provoking films that we will watch and discuss this season will offer a different perspective on how communities evolve. Film discussions are hosted by Valerie Edwards.

 
How to Participate
 

Cinema Journey is open to anyone interested in watching and discussing meaningful movies. You don't have to be a HAMAKOM member, Jewish, or living in Southern California! If you have family or friends who might enjoy Cinema Journey, please invite them to join us!

 

During each film conversation, Valerie will invite you to delve deeply into the nuances of the film's characters, plot-lines, cinematography, symbolism, music and dialog. You'll be invited to immerse yourself in the movie's "world" and to see that world through the eyes of the film's characters. Valerie's lively, iterative, question-driven style creates a welcoming and inspiring space for audience members to explore and share their experiences of the film - and to discover in that film its underlying life lessons and hidden spiritual truths.

 

Ready to get started? It's easy!

 

1) Sign up here to join the Cinema Journey mailing list! Every three months or so you'll receive information about out upcoming movie, including how to watch it and details for joining the film conversation. It costs nothing except to stream the movies at your convenience.

2) Click RSVP to let us know that you're planning to attend the upcoming discussion.

3) Watch the film on your own. Streaming and rental availability for the upcoming movie is listed HERE.

4) Attend the film discussions in person or via Zoom. Enjoy!

June Selection: "News of the World 

 

If a community has been destroyed, how can it be reborn?

(2020 | Paul Greengrass; Director | USA | 1hrs 58 mins | Western-Drama | PG-13)

 

Film Discussion will be June 20th, 7:00 PM in person at HAMAKOM's South Campus at

6025 Valley Circle Blvd.

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

And

Remote on ZOOM!

(RSVP Here)

 

In 1870 post-civil was Texas, former Confederate Captain Jefferson Kidd makes his living traveling from town to town, reading newspaper stories to local residents. Riding out from Wichita Falls, Kidd comes across a wrecked government wagon, with its black driver brutally lynched and its passenger, a young white girl speaking only Kiowa, terrified and hiding in the woods.

 

Kidd learns that she was being taken, against her will, to live with relatives near San Antonio, but when he asks passing lawmen for help, they shrug off any responsibility for the girl. Instead, they order Kidd to take her to the Indian Agency representative at Red River, and Kidd - an itinerant traveler unaccustomed to caring for children - suddenly finds himself the child's de-facto guardian.

 
 

 
 

 
 


Streaming/Rental Information
Future Cinema journey conversations
The 2024-2025 season will be released soon.
Past Cinema journey conversations

March 21, 2024, 7pm

Women Talking

What happens to a community if its members betray each other?
 

January 18, 2024, 7pm

Champions

Can a community heal and transform its members?
 

September  28, 2023, 7pm

Morning Glory

What happens to a community when it's members withhold their trust, creativity and love?
 

CHECK OUT our other "A Place For Films" group, THE WEST VALLEY JEWISH FILM SOCIETY and their  Scheduled films
 
Fri, July 26 2024 20 Tammuz 5784