In collaboration with Habitat Acquisition Trust, Open Cinema presents Play Again, a documentary that explores the changing landscape of childhood as it relates to technology and nature. The film follows six young people liberated from their usual 5 to 15 hours of screen time (from computers to cell phones) as they get a hearty dose of nature.
The changes these youth experience are immediate, inspiring and a little terrifying. According to the film, most children spend up to five months per year in front of a screen. They only have three and a half minutes of meaningful conversation with parents per week. Ninety per cent of their time is spent indoors. Sadly, most will not have this experience with nature and in truth no one knows what the consequences will be. As the film states early on, “This is a very large experiment that we’re enacting as a society.”
Play Again is filled with these findings and Open Cinema is offering a space to do more than just watch. The screening will include a follow-up discussion between audience and a specially selected panel.
Lisa Lockerbie, a teacher from Sooke Nature Kindergarten, Todd Carnahan of Habitat Acquisition Trust and David Segal of Power To Be adventure programs will be on the panel. Dr. Richard Kool, associate professor for environment and sustainability at Royal Roads University, will be the moderator.
The technology being discussed won’t be shied away from, however. The café-style theatre will feature a Tweetchat wall projection during the post-screening discussion, which will also be streamed live. Luckily, they won’t be competing with any presidential elections in the Twitterverse as was the case during the first screening of the season! Join the conversation at #OCchats.
Open Cinema screening Play Again, Wed., Nov. 7 at the Victoria Events Centre (1415 Broad). Doors open at 5:30pm and the film begins at 7pm with a suggested donation of $10-20. Refreshments available. Open to all ages.
— Colin Cayer