Sag Harbor Partnership Taking Part In Matching Grant Challenge Through December 5th

The Sag Harbor Partnership is so close to reaching its $8,000,000 fundraising goal to purchase and restore the Sag Harbor Cinema, which was tragically severely damaged during a fire nearly a year ago. To kick-off December, the Cinema is presenting a matching grant challenge, courtesy of anonymous donors, where during a weeklong period every donation will be matched up to $50,000.

“Thanks to a group of dedicated Sag Harbor Cinema enthusiasts, we now have a $50,000 matching donation offered for Giving Tuesday, and extending till December 5th,” explained April Gornik, Vice President of the Sag Harbor Partnership.

If you’ve been planning to donate to the restoration efforts, but haven’t gotten around to it yet, now’s the time.

“For a week, everyone’s gift will be matched up to $50,000, and we’re sprinting to the finish line at the end of December!” she shared

With just about a month left to reach the Partnership’s goal, every donation really makes an impact. “We are grateful for each and every donation,” Gornik explained. “In fact, over $1 million has been raised from donations of $1,000 or less, showing what an exemplary community we have and what broad-based interest there in in making this dream come true.”

In addition to hopefully successfully completing the fundraising efforts, The Sag Harbor Cinema Arts Center will introduce its new American Values Film Series, which will offer “an exciting and provocative film exploration of the diverse and enduring ideas that have shaped our country and its people, transcend our current political climate, and continue to inspire us today.” Following each free screening, directors, writers and artists will take part in an in-depth conversation about the film.

The series will launch on Sunday, December 10 with True Grit. The screening will take place at Pierson High School and feature Academy Award nominated composer Carter Burwell. Town Bloody Hall will follow on Sunday, December 17. The screening will also take place at Pierson High School and the special guests will be Academy Award winning filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus. Toy Story can be seen at Pierson High School on Saturday, December 23. The special guest will be Academy Award nominated screenwriter Alec Sokolow.

The January screenings debut with Casablanca on Sunday, January 14 at Guild Hall. Actress and Filmmaker Isabella Rossellini will take part in the post screening discussion. Chicago will be screened on Sunday, February 11. The location has not been determined yet, but Academy Award nominated director Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca will make an appearance. Artist and director Laurie Anderson is the featured guest on Sunday, February 18. The screening will take place at Pierson High School and the film has not been selected yet.

Academy Award winning actor and author Julie Andrews, who is a Cinema Advisory Board Member, is the featured guest when The Americanization of Emily screens Pierson High School on Sunday, March 4.

And, you don’t even have to leave the house to take advantage of LTV and Historic Films Archive’s Monday Nights with Sag Harbor Cinema Arts Center. On Mondays at 8 p.m., you can catch a “cinematic gem” selected by Joe Lauro of Historic Films Archive that will be broadcast on LTV, channel 20 in East Hampton. The movie nights include an introduction by Lauro or a retrospective with extraordinary insight. The lineup includes Classic Christmas, The Magic of Max Fleischer, and Films of Etiquette and Adolescent Angst.

For more information, visit www.sagharborcinema.org.