On Tuesday, the Little Theatre and about 90 other art house movie theaters around the country are screening the film 1984, based on the dystopian novel written by George Orwell.
The date of the national screening day -April 4- was not chosen at random. It's the date Orwell's protagonist Winston Smith starts to rebel against his oppressive government by keeping a forbidden diary.
Little Theatre spokesperson Scott Pukos says the screening event is a collective statement by theater owners who believe a proposal by the Trump administration to eliminate funding for the National Endowment for the Arts is an attack on free speech and creative expression through entertainment. Pukos said the Little is not overly concerned about taking what can be seen as a political stand.
"No matter what the perception is, these conversations are important to have, and we're going to have them at The Little Theatre. We feel this one is important, especially at a time when basic human rights are being threatened, and the truth does not seem to have the weight it once did, which is obviously a big theme of 1984, both the novel and the film."
A panel discussion will follow the 6 p.m. screening on Tuesday night. The Little Theatre is donating part of the proceeds from ticket sales to the American Civil Liberties Union.
WXXI Public Broadcasting operates but does not own the Little Theatre.
