UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE STORIES Film Series Set for Bijou Theatre

The Bijou Theatre is teaming up with Patrick McCord, PhD and Write Yourself Free to present a unique film series taking place the second Sunday of the month at 5:00pm throughout the Fall. The series opens Sunday, September 14th at 5:00pm with "The Great Beauty." Tickets are $15.

In the conventional world of Blockbuster Movies, love stories often pander to cheap laughs and sentimental plots. At their worst, they are cynically calculated to satisfy what Hollywood thinks of as a "woman's fantasy": ergo, Chick's Flix. Yet, other movies show the love story in surprising and poetic terms that challenge the beliefs and easy sentiment embedded in the conventional story while appealing to both men and women. Each of the films being presented explores an unusual love story in a beautiful cinematic style while defamiliarizing conventional ideas about love and romance. Patrick McCord of Write Yourself Free, will introduce each film and lead a brief discussion afterward about each film's story and storytelling techniques.

Sunday, Sept. 14th: THE GREAT BEAUTY
Sunday, Oct. 12th: Broken Flowers
Sunday, Nov. 9th, I Am Love
Sunday, Dec. 14th Red

Patrick McCord is a fugitive from Hollywood where he learned that his talents were more analytical than presentational. He then went back to school to get his PhD and wrote his dissertation on Cognitive Narratology in Film and Literature. Patrick's most recent editing project was for the bestselling book, Empty Mansions by Pulitizer prize-winner, Bill Dedman. As a university professor, Patrick was invited to present a paper on mirror neurons and affect relations, "How the Spectator Feels the Character," at the prestigious Society for Cinema and Media Studies International Conference in London. Patrick has taught screenwriting at two universities and at The Beyond Baroque Foundation in Los Angeles. Before getting his PhD, Patrick sold screenplays as well as teleplays. He is an award-winning poet and published short story author. Before launching his own writing career, he worked in project development at both NY's Circle in THE SQUARE and LA's Mark Taper Forum. Patrick was honored to win the prestigious Mitchell Marcus Award in 1991. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of The Editing Company and creator of the Write Yourself Free(SM) method and been teaching in Westport since 2007.

The Bijou Theatre, one of the oldest buildings in the country used as a movie house, reopened its doors in 2011. In addition to continuing its historic character of showing movies, the Theatre offers a full repertoire of live music, comedy, theater and dance, which can be enjoyed in either theater seating or cabaret style. The Bijou Theatre is a multi-functional venue with integrity and an open-minded philosophy. A symposium for film, theatre, art, comedy and music. The Bijou Performing Arts Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing visual and performing arts programs and events for the community. The Bijou Performing Arts Center offers educational programs in Dance though New England Ballet, Music & Theatre, as well as special events and live theatre performances. Private donations, grants, tuition fees & ticket sales fund the Bijou Arts Center, which is located at 275 Fairfield Avenue in Downtown Bridgeport. For further information, call (203) 332-3228 or visit thebijoutheatre.com.

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