Cinnabar meets every month to watch and discuss films together. Whenever we gather, the first thing we do is share food and drinks. Our host then offers an introduction and invitation to engage the film they’ve chosen and we watch it together. Finally (after stretching), we circle up to talk and reflect together. We always learn more about our world by seeing it from where another sits.
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The very first Cinnabar evening was a backyard screening of A Ghost Story. The stars were out, but it was also 40-some-degrees! A brave few gathered, and even more surprisingly returned for our subsequent indoor event where we brought a projector to an old prayer chapel. David hosted travels from Ireland to Chicago to medieval Sweden and Andre hosted his first favorite in May (20th Century Women). Year two brought more hosts to the table (forever grateful for Rachel, Hunter, Tonya, Nick, and Kyle) and new, unique venues. Each night was special and magically its own.
2020 was not kind to community events, and we only wanted to spread curiosity, not the other “C.” So we didn’t reopen until March 2022, when we debuted like gangbusters (really Goodfellas) at Ligature Coffee’s roasting space. We spent a wonderful 19-screening run at Ligature, ending with a surprisingly-viral showing of Past Lives which ended up standing room only. Now meeting at Downtown CREDO, we’re looking to continue to grow well, prioritizing connection and imagination while making a contribution to Orlando’s creative culture.
One of my favorite things in the world is sharing experiences of wonder with other people. And I’ve always, always loved films. When I was in college, I went to many different film screenings, but I usually left disappointed. I met lots of people who thought blockbusters defined the art form, and others who only wanted to talk about lens choices and fancy words like mise-en-scene. And I’ve always felt that the films people have never heard of are the ones made for them, the films that explore everyday characters and stories we all know intimately but don’t often see on screen.
For me, Cinnabar is all about connection—connecting people to films that reflect their lives, connecting strangers to each other through a shared love of story, and connecting all of us to wonder. There’s so much good that comes from being curious, together.
Sometimes in a city like Orlando, it can feel like the more “interesting” things are happening elsewhere—in Berlin or Mexico City, perhaps. It’s easy to convince yourself that those are the places that have culture and community, and what we're left with is just a hollow imitation of that.
But I'm not convinced that a tacky tourist trap is our fate.
I believe in Cinnabar because I want the city that I call home to be a city I’m actually excited about—one brimming with life and interesting people and places. While I know that finding real-life community is increasingly difficult nowadays, my hope is that, through our gatherings, we can offer a glimmer of what's possible—right now. And that through films and simple conversation, we can all feel a little more seen.
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