Madame Walker Theatre Center Reverts Back To Independent Film House

The Madame Walker Theatre Center will again be home to independent films in its historic 940 seat theatre. The Walker Building, located on the Indiana Avenue corridor, was the center of entertainment, business and pride for the city's African-American community from the 1920s to the 1950s. The Theatre was one of the only places in Indianapolis where African Americans could enjoy movies. Today, the Madame Walker Theatre Center is home to a variety of signature programs and unique events, one of which is FLIX at the Walker.

FLIX, to debut April 14th in the theatre, is the newest of the Walker's signature programs. FLIX is an effort to provide new and relevant programming to the Walker's offerings as well as to provide a platform for emerging filmmakers to have their work shown. Guidelines for independent filmmakers to submit their work can be found on the Walker's redesigned website at www.walkertheatre.com. Nine movies will be shown in 2011 at a flat rate of $5 to the public.

It is hoped that this program will also provide an educational aspect for Indianapolis as show comers will be reminded that the Walker was once a movie house, and at a time, one of the only public movie places for African Americans. There is an incredible amount of history to be learned by visiting the Madame Walker Theatre Center. "Perhaps another .25 movie night is in our future, just as they did when I was a teenager. I used to bring my girlfriends here." says Tom Ridley, docent tour guide at the Walker. "The Madame Walker Theatre Center is thrilled to provide this service to artists and to the Indianapolis arts audience. FLIX is a great way to engage emerging filmmakers into our programming and to discover new talent." says Dr. Terry Whitt Bailey, President and CEO of the Madame Walker Theatre Center.

Submissions for the nine films for 2011 are being accepted now by the Madame Walker Theatre Center. The deadline for the first showing, in April, is January 31, 2011.

The Madame Walker Theatre Center, an internationally recognized National Historic Landmark, preserves and builds upon the entrepreneurial and philanthropic legacy of its namesake by celebrating the best of African American culture and performance arts, by nurturing youth through arts education and by providing a welcoming venue for arts programming and entrepreneurial activities for all cultures in our community and nation.
Find out more at www.walkertheatre.com.

 

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