LCCC's Film Series returns

Another sign of things slowly returning to normal is Lorain County's independent film and movie house answer to the Cedar Lee Theatre. Exactly a year after the plug was pulled on the spring program, Lorain County Community College's Film Series is back with cool flicks appearing at 7:30 p.m. March 26, April 2, April 9 and May 14 at the Hoke Theatre. "We stopped last March with about five films to go when the pandemic hit," said retired LCCC professor Robert Dudash, who started the series roughly 50 years ago. "I was pretty much reconciled to the reality we probably wouldn't be able to start up with the film series until this fall but with the change and more people getting inoculated, the school decided that they would gradually open up. "We have four films scheduled for this spring. Hopefully that will remind people that we're back in operation again, and we'll be able to begin with our regular series in the fall." The abridged features schedule includes "The Straight Story" (Friday), "What's Up Doc?" (April 2), "A Family Thing" (April 9) and "The Hundred Foot Journey" (May 14). "I've decided — because everybody has been through this real ordeal with the pandemic — to get lighter films that would make people forget what they've been through and enjoy themselves," said Dudash, who lives in Oberlin. "So 'What's Up Doc?' is a screwball comedy. "'The Straight Story' is an inspirational film about a man who decides to reunite with his brother but he has to do it on a tractor going from Iowa to Wisconsin. The budget I have is a little constrained because of the disruption, so the older films — 'A Family Thing' and 'The Hundred Foot Journey' — are more affordable." Masks covering noses and mouths will be required, in addition to socially distanced seating and all other COVID-19 protocols. Happy the film series is returning, LCCC Stocker Arts Center Director Janet Herman Barlow said attendees should expect a reduced capacity. "It will be between 138 and 175 depending on the grouping that people come in," Herman Barlow said. "If each person comes alone, we can only seat 138 with the 6-foot social distancing mandate in place. If people come in groups of two, three or four, we can seat a few more." The film series has been going on at LCCC for so long that it actually predates the Stocker Center, with Dudash back in the day screening films on campus in various classrooms and lecture halls. "The film series was conceived by me as an alternative film series to show movies not normally screened in the local commercial cinemas," Dudash said. "It's been very successful. "If you're familiar with Cedar Lee Theatre or Cleveland Cinematheque, they show the sort of films I show. It gives people an opportunity to see those films and not have to travel into Cleveland." Despite the fact the spring schedule is shorter than normal, Dudash can't wait to restart the program. "I'm very excited," Dudash said. "We've developed a rather loyal clientele that comes to see the films so I've missed seeing them and they missed seeing me. And, of course, we miss seeing the films as well." Contact John Benson at Ndiffrence@att.net. WHAT: LCCC's Film Series WHEN: 7:30 p.m. March 26, April 2, April 9 and May 14 WHERE: Lorain County Community College's Hoke Theatre, 1005 Abbe Road N., Elyria TICKETS: $7 INFO: (440) 366-4040 or stockerartscenter.com.