Businesses that Support Peace and Justice | Kudos to John Favreau of the Eveningstar Theater in Brunswick
by Rosalie Paul
"I have been very upset about the invasion of Iraq from the start, but especially after reading Richard Clarke's book, Against All Enemies. I strongly urge everyone to read it. There is NO better way to support our troops than to support peace. My wish is that these two messages come to be seen as synonymous.". Peace Action Maine takes special note of business people in the community who go out of their way to support issues of concern to the peace and justice community. PeaceTalk is pleased to honor John Favreau, the owner of the Eveningstar Cinema in Brunswick.
John understands films' power to shape opinion and trigger discussion. He has shown "controversial" films on both ends of the political spectrum. "The Passion of the Christ," for instance, was very popular with Christian fundamentalists, and, generally, right wing Republicans. According to John, "people who didn't appreciate the tone or message of that film simply said so in a polite exchange. When it came to the showing of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911, those opposed to the tone or message were angry and made it clear they would "never come to this theater again.'"
Among the films that Favreau has shown in the last year or two are "The Fog of War," a film about former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara's, prosecution of the war against Vietnam; "Control Room," a documentary about Al Jazeera's reportage on the war in Iraq; "Maria Full of Grace," the tragic story of young Colombian girls whose poverty leads them to risk their lives by boarding planes while carrying heroin packets in their stomachs; and "Going Upriver: the Long War of John Kerry."
"I hope I've always had high content films," Favreau says, "but I think I made more of a conscious effort after September 11, after the invasion of Iraq. I've got a responsibility to do more than just entertain. I need to both entertain and broaden the discussion, but it's tricky.
"'What the Bleep' is a great example of a really entertaining film that also has a positive, enlightening message questioning our Newtonian world view. ŒThe Yes Men' was a terrible film from a business point of view, but I'm not sorry I showed it. It was very powerful and entertaining for a small audience who appreciated the antics of two corporate critics impersonating WTO and IMF leaders. What I try to do is to get in a lesser-known film and double it up, if I can, with something that has more marketability. Documentaries are typically hit or miss, not big box office. Fahrenheit's success has spurred the making of more and more documentaries, and there are lots of them I'd like to show in the next months. The people who want commercial Hollywood movies go to Cook's Corner."
Before buying Eveningstar Cinema, John worked in management at an office equipment company. He saw that there were lots of problems but not much interest in solutions. It was, he says, "unfulfilling work." He had gone to the movies at Eveningstar and liked the space and the location at the Tontine Mall right in the center of town.
When the marquis displayed a For Sale sign he thought about it for quite awhile. It seemed like a fun thing to do but he realized he didn't know what he'd be in for. After the Cinema's doors had been closed for six months and the Hoyt's 10-screen Cineplex opened up at Cook's Corner, he took the plunge. The first three years were shaky, he says, but now the business is solid and successful.
His success is a result of knowing his community and knowing what will play to a Brunswick audience. "Films that play well at The Movies in Portland, dark films for instance, depressing films, aren't likely do well at the Eveningstar. Brunswick is a special place with a special mix of people. The college is a big draw. There are a lot of upscale folks here, people who are well read and critical and want to see great movies. It's a progressive community, a very special place. This kind of theater has been going belly up all over the country but the people of Brunswick are consistently supportive of what I try to do at Eveningstar."
Favreau has come up with creative ways of making the theater a centerpiece of the community: a free ticket on your birthday; special shows for parents with babies; birthday parties at the theater; Oscar night events in full evening dress.
Competition with Hoyt's, now Regal, at Cook's Corner is very real. The Cineplex is likely to order films only after they are advertised on TV, often only a week in advance. Regal has a big budget and much more buying power than Eveningstar. John's wedge in is to study films and put in his order early before a film has a high profile that makes it attractive to the commercial theaters.
The progressive community in southern Maine is very conscious of the risks John has taken in order to provide films that question our assumptions and provoke discussion. His desire to use his business toward those goals is noteworthy and we applaud his success. How many theaters have the words "SUPPORT PEACE" smack dab in the middle of the marquis? Thank you, John!
Back to Peace Talk Index, Spring 2005