Reel Stories Documentary Film and Discussion Series
Reel Stories about Real People, Problems and Possibilities
Upcoming Programs
About Reel Stories
Past Programs
Check back soon for more information on upcoming film showings and discussions.
About Reel Stories
Once thought to be dry and boring, documentaries have now become an influential form of film and video – frequently providing insight in a complex world. They have the potential to inspire our deepest passions, hopes, fears and ideals. When done well, they touch and inform viewers.
Documentaries have long served as an educational tool able to inform people about different places or issues. Now, they are serving as a public forum for discussion of a wide range of social, cultural, economic and environmental issues. They challenge us to think critically about some of the most important subjects of our time while providing an impetus for political engagement and social change.
The need for the critical viewing and discussion of these films is growing with the amount of information with which we are bombarded on a daily basis. In the 21st century, media literacy has become a critical component in the education of our citizens. Documentaries, often designed specifically to uncover propaganda, bias and censorship, provide a natural venue for exploring key questions about how information is presented and how one can determine fact from fiction.
Additionally, watching documentaries can be just pure entertainment - as entertaining, if not more so, than narrative film.
The purpose of Reel Stories is to:
- Encourage civic engagement by challenging participants to think critically about important social, cultural, economic and environmental issues of our time
- Enhance media literacy by fostering public understanding and appreciation of sensitive policy issues affecting our society
- Explore how enhanced civic engagement contributes to more effective public policy making.
Follow the links below for details about previous Reel Stories programs:
Historical Archeology Supplemental Certification/Enrichment Class
Saturday Chef's Series
Saturday Chef's Series
3rd Annual Blair-Rockefeller Legacy Series Conference
