Free movies sell out this year

Danielle Vellon ’13, one student who arrived early, said that she did not go to any University Film Organization screenings last year but has attended regularly this year for “movies I’m actually interested in seeing.”

Vellon is part of this year’s much larger contingent of students who attend the USG-sponsored movie events. A total of 2,700 students have come to the UFO showings this year, compared to 1,500 students at this point last year.

While attendance varies from week to week, “in general, more people are hearing about the UFO ... and more people are interested in the movies that we’re showing,” UFO chair Niklas Peters ’11 said.

Most of the movies shown so far this year were released within the past four months, and two — “The Social Network” and “Wall Street” — were shown within two weeks of their release dates.

“We have a special arrangement with the Garden Theatre where we can show a certain number of first-run movies throughout the year,” Peters explained.

Last year, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students served as a liaison between the USG and the Garden Theatre to negotiate the move of UFO screenings from the Frist Film/Performance Theatre to their current location.

“Students have seemed to enjoy that the UFO is able to show more first-run movies, utilize two screens at once, and provide popcorn and soda ... at no cost to them,” Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students Thomas Dunne noted in an e-mail.

The USG allocates $17,500 per semester — half as much as it spends on all other student groups combined — for the UFO to offer screenings most Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 11:30.

Thomas Rizzo, owner of the Garden Theatre, explained in an e-mail that his employees are responsible for all operations during UFO shows.

“However, UFO provides us with student volunteers who help check student IDs, assist with crowd control and help us respond to any student questions,” Rizzo said.

With more student interest in UFO films, Peters said the organization is working to offer a wider variety of films, rather than just “blockbuster, big-name movies.”

“Just today, we were talking about showing some independent films or niche films that are going to bring a different crowd out to the theater,” Peters said.

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On Friday, the USG sponsored one such film, the documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman,’ ” as part of Education Week, which was organized by Students for Education Reform.

Two comedies, “Dinner for Schmucks” and “The Other Guys,” will be shown this weekend.