Ryder brings films to community

Foreign and independent films have come together for 25 years to create the Ryder Film Series.

The film series plays year-round, and during the summer, Ryder will often have free night movies at Bryan Park.

“It offers a chance for people to see something they wouldn’t normally see,” said James Stout, an employee of Ryder Magazine.

Peter LoPilato, the founder, publisher and editor of Ryder Magazine and programming director of the film series, said it started a short four months after the first magazine publication.

“The series was a way to have some personal contact with readers,” LoPilato said.

Although LoPilato and his staff considered a couple other options, including live music, LoPilato said he decided movies were the way to go.  LoPilato, a film buff himself, said he chooses the movies based on his own interests.

“I choose movies that I want to see or that people would care to see,” LoPilato said.
Stout said LoPilato finds the movies by attending film festivals and bringing back ideas.

Stout, who works the ticket booths at the Fine Arts building, said that about 30 people come to the movies each week. 

Following the movies, Stout said people will often gather outside the theater to discuss the film.

“We usually get people talking outside about the social effect of the movies,” Stout said.

“If people come and they really like the film and they talk about it, that’s successful to me,” LoPilato said.

The movies, although mostly funded through ticket sales, are sometimes sponsored by local businesses or IU.

Recently, Ryder showed the film “Tulpan,” which was underwritten by the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center.

Residents at Collins Living-Learning Center receive free tickets to the Ryder films. Sophomores Ronak Shah and Signe White attended Ryder’s “Burma VJ” on Saturday night. 

They said the international flavor of the film and the documentation of oppression in Burma, which officially is named the Union of Myanmar, was
intriguing.

“This is one of those international issues I’m interested in,” Shah said. “It’s an issue that’s really close to me.”

Ryder Film Series

WHEN 7:30 to 9 p.m.  Thursday through Saturday
WHERE Fine Arts building, Bear’s Place Ale House and Eatery or the Buskirk-Chumley Theater
MORE INFO Tickets are $4 at the Fine Arts building and Bear’s Place, $5 at the Buskirk-Chumley. Semester passes are $20.

Still need your
ryder film fix?

Unmistaken Child
WHEN 7:30 p.m.  Friday Sept. 25 and Saturday Sept. 26
WHERE Downstairs in the Fine Arts building
MORE INFO Tickets are $4 at the Fine Arts building and Bear’s Place, $5 at the Buskirk-Chumley. Semester passes are $20. See film schedules at www.theryder.com.