Patrons feast on FORKS OVER KNIVES with guest Rip Esselstyn

On Monday night, nearly 400 people gathered at Bryn Mawr Film Institute for the premiere of Forks Over Knives, a revolutionary documentary written and directed by Lee Fulkerson that explores the relationship between our health and the foods we eat. The film makes the profound claim that many of the diseases plaguing Americans can be controlled by rejecting a diet of animal-based and processed foods. Joining us specially for the screening, which was graciously sponsored by Whole Foods Market, was the New York Times bestselling author Rip Esselstyn, who gave a short talk and signed copies of his book, Engine 2 Diet.

Engine 2 Diet author Rip Esselstyn signs BMFI's guest book after the fundraiser reception.

Fifty patrons enjoyed a special plant-strong vegan dinner upstairs at a fundraiser reception before the film, mingling with Esselstyn as a pianist played nearby. Provided by Whole Foods Market, the delicious spread featured Engine 2 lasagna, kale salad, fruit salad and oatmeal cookies.

For those unable to get tickets to the dinner (which filled up weeks in advance), Whole Foods Market provided vegan-friendly snacks in the theatre arcade, including fruit smoothies and a summer soup made without any oils. Whole Foods also organized free health testing including blood pressure and body mass index readings.

Above: Guest Kathy Pollard gets her blood pressure taken--104/62! She beamed, declaring, "I'm powered by a plant-strong diet!" 

Esselstyn’s experience firefighting in Austin, Texas led him to write the Engine 2 Diet. BMFI was pleased to invite local firefighters to attend the event for free! Some of Bryn Mawr’s own firefighters and junior firefighters came to the event--and they brought their truck too! The firefighters were invited upstairs to grab a bite before the movie and then headed into the theatre to enjoy the documentary. Find out more about the volunteer Bryn Mawr Fire Company here.

Author Rip Esselstyn (back row, fourth from left) joined Whole Foods Market managers Ruth Harp (second from left) and Charlene Nolan (front row, center) to welcome Bryn Mawr Fire Company's firefighters to the screening.

The arcade was packed for this sell-out event! Some people came all the way from Florida to attend!

Admission to the screening was by suggested donation and all proceeds from this world premiere event and the fundraiser dinner benefited BMFI, a non-profit. For more ways to help BMFI, click here.

Did you see the film? What did you think of the event?

Best of the Tredyffrin Student Film Festival at BMFI

In addition to showing independent and international cinema, Bryn Mawr Film Institute invites you to see some of the best work from the filmmakers of tomorrow. On Monday, August 2 at 9:15pm, BMFI will showcase the best films of the 4th Annual Tredyffrin Student Film Festival, sponsored by the Tredyffrin Public Library. This is a great opportunity for the public to view the hard work of the contestants on the big screen. Come enjoy a fun evening while viewing the work of these local young artists… for free!


See these festival winners on BMFI’s big screen:

First Place: The End by Dan Leung
Second Place: Vietnam by Ian Connelly
Third Place: The Adventures of Barbara and Octavius by Franklin Brown and Jake Elkin
Honorable Mention: Valley Forge by James Connors

The winners were chosen by BMFI’s own Andrew J. Douglas, Ph.D., Valerie Temple, and Ben Hickernell and were announced on Tuesday, July 27.

Read a Main Line Suburban Life article about the festival here.

Watch the clever trailer for the festival here.

The winning films are featured as part of Open Screen Mondays, a monthly program in which filmmakers of all ages can show their work on the big screen and receive praise (or criticism) from their peers, free of charge! Find out more information online here.

HOT News: Vote for BMFI!

Bryn Mawr Film Institute has been nominated as the Best Indie Theater on MyPHL17’s Best of Philly Hot List for 2010!

Here at BMFI, we feel we’ve done more than renovate a historic theater building—we’ve worked to build a vibrant community of film lovers through our screenings, film education offerings, and membership program.

All of our patrons can enjoy:
* A diverse selection of the best art house and repertory film programming
* Plays from London’s National Theatre and operas from Europe simulcast in HD
* Saturday morning Kids Matinees that families can enjoy together, October through May
* Film classes and educational programs for students of all ages
* Free discussions help you get the most out of the films you love
* The best popcorn on the Main Line!

In addition, BMFI members receive special benefits including discounted tickets and free members-only screenings.

If you love what we offer, help us by telling MyPHL17. With just the click of a mouse, you can show how much BMFI means to filmgoers like you! It’s easy and free to vote, just click here.

Voting is only one small way to help BMFI. You can also talk us up to your friends and family, sign up to volunteer, become a member, become a business sponsor, and/or contribute to our Theater Three Challenge campaign.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the movies.

The Girl Who Played with Fire - Friday at BMFI!

The Girl Who Played with Fire starts at BMFI this Friday, June 16. We couldn't be happier to welcome the second film in the Millennium trilogy, based on the best-selling novels of Stieg Larsson. The first film adaptation, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was already a huge hit at BMFI this spring, playing for nine weeks; it has just been released on DVD. A Hollywood version of Tattoo is in the works from director David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac) as well, although I can't imagine anyone would be better suited to play the enigmatic computer hacker Lisbeth Salander as the Swedish sensation Noomi Rapace, who reprises her role in The Girl Who Played with Fire.

Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl Who Played with Fire.

To read a summary, watch a trailer, view showtimes, and buy tickets, visit BMFI's website.

If you are looking for a good read, check out Larsson's novels--you won't be alone! Recently released in the US, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, the third and final novel in the Millennium trilogy, is currently number three on The New York Times bestseller list; the first two thrillers dominate the paperback bestsellers, with Tattoo featured for 54 weeks now. Forty million copies of the trilogy have been sold worldwide. According to Entertainment Weekly, that's enough for every person in Sweden to own four copies!

For an interesting article about Stieg Larsson and the trilogy's journey from page to screen, check out this recent Entertainment Weekly cover story.

Visit Larsson's website for a complete biography and fun features like the Millennium Stockholm Map.

If you're already a fan of the novels, you may also appreciate writer/director Nora Ephron's affectionate parody in this month's New Yorker magazine, The Girl Who Fixed the Umlaut. (The Philadelphia Inquirer film critic Steven Rea begins his review of the The Girl Who Played with Fire by commenting on her story!)

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is coming to theaters in October 2010.

Shall We Sing? THE KING AND I Reigns at BMFI

Last night 150 patrons answered the question "Shall We Dance?" with a resounding "Yes!" at Bryn Mawr Film Institute's sing-along screening of THE KING AND I. The 1956 film version stars Deborah Kerr as Anna Leonowens, the feisty widow hired as school teacher to the wives and children of King Mongkut of Siam, played by the masterful Yul Brynner. A chorus of voices chimed in on such Rodgers and Hammerstein hits as "Hello Young Lovers" and "Getting to Know You" as the classic played on the big screen. As always with our sing-along screenings, patrons who came in costume received a free small popcorn!

Sing-along fan Anne O'Brien's costume is a composite: the King on the top half and Anna on the bottom! She's accompanied by Gail Bober, dressed as one of the King's wives.  

The family-friendly sing-along had some younger film fans dressed up too. Here Nina Zimmerman poses with her grandma, BMFI President Juliet Goodfriend.

Join everyone's favorite magical nanny for the final sing-along of the summer, Mary Poppins, on Wednesday, August 4 at 7:00 pm. Dress as your favorite chimney sweep and bring a kite or your very own flying umbrella to get free popcorn at BMFI's screening of this Disney musical treat!