Union Board shows free films at Whittenberger Auditorium

The hottest films come to IU thanks to Hashim Hathaway, junior and director of Union Board films.\nHathaway is in charge of bringing students free movies at 8 and 11 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Indiana Memorial Union. The series shows popular films, such as "Fahrenheit 9/11," "The Terminal" and "Dawn of the Dead."\n"The film series, at 90-plus years, is the oldest collegiate film series in the nation -- the first and the oldest," Hathaway said. \nThe films are shown at the Whittenberger Auditorium on the first floor of the IMU. The Whittenberger seats 432 people, and all seating is first come, first serve. All the films run in the series have passed their general release in theaters but have not been released for personal rental or purchase.\n"(It's) kind of like what you see at the dollar shows," Hathaway said. \nHathaway is predicting strong crowds for "Anchorman" and especially "The Notebook."\n"I've gotten more requests for ("The Notebook") than any other in the series this year," Hathaway said. \nThe amount of work it takes to show the films requires Hathaway to work with a full staff. He works with a committee of eight to nine members on all aspects of the series, from selecting films to advertising. \nMost of the leg work is done by his two assistant directors, senior Shabnam Moshref and junior Atticus Westerfield, who is also the projectionist for the film series. \n"Assistant directors are pretty versatile," Westerfield said. "We do whatever the director needs help with." \nMoshref agreed. \n"As assistant director, you kind of get things done," Moshref said. "It's a lot of busy work."\nAll three said they are looking forward to different films this semester. Hathaway said he is looking forward to "Garden State;" Moshref said she is excited about "The Bourne Supremacy;" and Westerfield said he could not wait to see "Dawn of the Dead." \n"I'm a big horror movie fan," Westerfield said.\nThe biggest problem the board runs into is advertising the films at the IMU. \n"A lot of people don't know there is a theater in (the IMU) and that it shows free movies," Moshref said. "It's really difficult to get that word out, and I think a lot of it has got to do with advertising and getting them posted." \nMoshref said there are a lot of preconceived notions about movies at Whittenberger Auditorium.\n"There's a problem with getting people to come. A lot of people think, 'It's free, it's at the Union, it's not going to be a cool thing to go to,'" Moshref said.\nAlthough the film series' primary focus is on the weekend film viewings, the group also presents special guests. Both Christopher Guest, an actor in "This is Spinal Tap" and director of and actor in "Best in Show" and "Waiting for Guffman," and Gunnar Hansen, an actor in the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," are scheduled to visit Bloomington this semester. \nPreviously released movies are not the only things on Hathaway's list of things to do. \n"I'm working on a sneak preview for a big-budget film that comes out in November," Hathaway said. \nTo broaden their viewing spectrum, Hathaway encourages anyone interested in participating in the film series to join the committee. \nThe committee meets at 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Union Board office, located on the second floor of the Student Activities Tower in the IMU. \n"No one will ever get their film shown if they just e-mail me," Hathaway said. "But anybody with an idea is welcome to come to a meeting."\nFor more information about the Union Board Film Series, visit www.imu.indiana.edu/union_board/film_schedule.html.\n-- Contact staff writer Rhett Umphress at rumphres@indiana.edu.