Anna is project manager of First Friday Films at The Box Factory for the Arts. By showing documentaries, art, culture, and independent films, this ongoing series gives the audience a broad spectrum, which hopefully makes a difference by educating and enlightening. In addition, the film maker attends the screening when possible, so the audience can often look forward to a very special Question and Answer session.

Show time is the first friday of every month at 7:30 p.m. and the cost is $5 per person. Refreshments are included in the price. Venue is The Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad St, St Joseph, MI.

Here are some of the films previously screened:

Lost Boys of Sudan
Filmmakers - Megan Mylan and John Shenk.
Winner of an Independent Spirit Award and named Best Documentary at the San Francisco International Film Festival, LOST BOYS OF SUDAN follows two teenage Sudanese refugees on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America, offering a gripping and sobering peek into the myth of the American Dream. In the late '80s, Islamic fundamentalists in Sudan waged war on the country's separatists, leaving behind over 20,000 male orphans, otherwise known as "lost boys." For those who survived this traumatic ordeal and found their way to refugee camps, som were chosen to participate in a resettlement program in America--a distant place so presumably full of hope and opportunity that the Sudanese sometimes call it Heaven. But what if a free ticket to "Heaven" turned out to be anything but? Sidestepping conventional voice-over narration in favor of real-time, close-quarters poignancy, LOST BOYS OF SUDAN focuses on Santino and Peter, members of the Dinka tribe, during their first life-altering year in the United States. Safe at last from physical danger--but a world away from home--the boys must grapple with extreme cultural differences as they come to understand both the abundance and alienation of contemporary American life.
One of the Lost Boys will be present to talk about his experiences. Don't miss this opportunity!

Ice Bridge: Mackinac Island's Hidden Season
Mackinac Island is well known as a summer destination in Michigan, but this film features another treasure few have ever seen: its wild, magical and beautiful winters. The 72-minute film follows islanders' unique and quirky lifestyle throughout an entire year while tracing the formation of the spectacular phenomenon known as the "ice bridge" (a three-mile span of ice that allows islanders to cross to the mainland). The topic became a labor of love for Mark Rensel and Jenifer Silvernale, who spent five full years filming on the island, then an additional five years editing footage and creating a meticulously crafted soundtrack. Blending their original music score with narration and rare island sounds, the film achieves an exceptional "being there" quality. The film has been called "Mackinac Island's March of the Penguins", with cinematography that is "amazing, magical and mesmerizing".