THE LETTERS to Screen at The Granada Theatre This Month

As the season of giving approaches, The Jurkowitz Center of Community Engagement is pleased to announce the next installment of the "Movies That Matter" film series, The Letters, will screen on Monday, November 21, 2016 on The Granada Theatre's state-of-the-art digital cinema system.

This powerful biographical drama traces the story of Mother Teresa's rise to sainthood andher insurmountable commitment to humanity and faith. In addition, the community is invited to enjoy a discussion with series curator Hal Conklin and Friar Larry Gosselin, OFM, Parish Pastor from Old Mission Santa Barbara prior to the film's screening.

The Letters gives an insight into the spiritual foundation, strengths and struggles of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. T film follows her struggles to know that her path is the inspired direction God has for her life. In 1946, Mother Teresa received the inspiration to found the Missionaries of Charity and share her faith with the poorest of the poor through her humble service to them.. Over the next half century, her ministry became one of the greatest symbols of sacrificial love on the planet. Despite this, Mother Teresa struggled throughout her life with her faith and often expressed this struggle in letters to her closest advisor and priest. These letters formed the basis of this film's story. The compelling honesty and humility of her letters were instrumental to the Church's consideration of her elevation to sainthood.

The Granada Theatre is proud to partner with The Old Mission Santa Barbara for the screening of The Letters. The Santa Barbara Mission was established on the Feast of Saint Barbara, December 4, 1786 and was the tenth of twenty-one California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans. More than 200 years later, the Mission continues to be the chief cultural and historic landmark in the city of Santa Barbara. The Mission's commanding position and grand proportions, graceful lines and soft, blending colors all reinforce her title as "Queen of the Missions," and is the only one of the original California Missions that has been in continuous use as a church since its founding.

Drawn from the syndicated film series "Cinema In Focus," the films that make up the "Movies That Matter" series blend together great film with audience conversations and Q&A. Prior to The Letters screening, audience members can look forward to a compelling discussion between former Santa Barbara mayor, film critic and series curator Hal Conklin and Friar Larry Gosselin, OFM, Parish Pastor.

Tickets range in price from $10 - $20, and are available through The Granada Theatre's Box Office - please click here to purchase or call the Box Office at (805) 899-2222. Dates and film titles are subject to change. For more information, visit www.granadasb.org.

The SBCPA, a privately-funded 501(c)(3) corporation established in 1983, is dedicated to providing best-in-class production, sales and administrative support to arts organizations from throughout the Santa Barbara region, including its Historic Theatre District partners (Lobero Theatre and the New Vic Theatre) as well as its eight resident companies (CAMA, Music Academy of the West, Opera Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Choral Society, Santa Barbara Symphony, State Street Ballet, Theater League and UCSB Arts & Lectures).

The SBCPA's most visible service is operation of The Granada Theatre. Purchased by the SBCPA in 2003, restored and reopened in 2008, The Granada Theatre has state-of-the-art electrical, sound, lighting and fly systems, large and up-to-date dressing rooms, as well as contemporary audience amenities. By providing a world-class venue with skilled house management staff, production staff, marketing and ticketing services staff, the SBCPA is making it possible for many of Santa Barbara's finest performing arts organizations to present their programs with the highest level of contemporary production support and audience comfort. For more information please visit www.granadasb.org.

The Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement, through dialogue with community organizations representing the broadest range of constituents possible, identifies unmet needs related to the performing arts, evaluates which can be addressed through current or future SBCPA programs and, by appropriate fulfillment of needs, assists in establishing the SBCPA as a valuable resource central to life in the Santa Barbara region.

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