The movies are something special. They bring people together. They delight. They spark debates. There are also so many of them that it’s impossible to see them all. With decades of content, it’s only natural that those in retirement communities have vastly different tastes when it comes to cinema, especially in comparison to many of the titles coming out today.
So, what’s the solution? Start your own cinema club! You can easily start social clubs in your retirement community and bring together fellow moviegoers. To help you start, use this guide:
Find a Solid Starter Group
Starting and managing your own club is one of the joys of moving into a quality senior living facility. All the best assisted senior living in Berkeley, CA, options, for example, are ultimately what the residents make of them. Part of that can and should include a cinema club if you so choose. Chances are, your group will just keep growing after you get started and prove your concept. Before you reach that point, however, you need to start small. Talk with your friends and see who loves cinema as much as you do. Then, pick out a movie to start. It’s great to start with a theme or to make fun, simple challenges. Have one member of the club choose the movie you see, and then rotate that through so that everyone feels included and has a say.
Pick a Spot
There are so many places where you can watch the movie. You can watch your movie via a projector in one of the common spaces. You can also watch movies in your rooms and video chat with each other during the process. Alternatively, you could use the TVs available in the common rooms. It will depend on how many people join the club as to what you do.
Choose a Date and Time
Clubs must meet regularly; otherwise, they’re just infrequent, vaguely themed friendship groups. Since you’re all retired, you should all have more free time and can therefore meet during the day or other quiet times so that you all can enjoy the movie you chose on a regular basis. There are no rules! Find what works best for you and your friends.
How to Lead Post-Movie Discussions
Post-movie discussions are a great way to help your members think critically and engage deeply with the material. It’s also a great chance to really investigate the movie and showcase what you know. There are great literature reviews and critical articles online and available (for free) that you can use to help lead and inform your discussions. You can make it as in-depth or as lightly researched as possible; not everyone joining the movie club has to do this or may even want to. As a bonus, for those that do want to do this extra part, you can spread it out, so whoever chooses the movie leads the discussion. You can plan challenges, quizzes, and other fun activities to help you all get into the groove and love your new club.
