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“Beat the Heat” Summer Movie Series Returns


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On a hot summer day, a movie theater can provide a cool respite for the whole family. This Saturday, the “Beat the Heat $2 Days” summer movie series will return to the Athena Cinema.

In 2013, the Athena started the series as a way to offer local, low cost entertainment to area kids and their families while raising money for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Athens.

Last year, hundreds of local families attended the summer movie series, raising over $1,000 for Big Brothers, Big Sisters. This year the Athena has once again partnered with GKIDS for several of the films.

Known for producing highly acclaimed films that bridge the worlds of art house film and family entertainment, GKIDS is a distributor and longtime producer of the New York International Children’s Film Festival. This year one of the highlights of the series will be “Best the Fest 2015 – Kid Flix Mix”, which features short films from the 2015 NYICFF.

“We had incredible support from the community for our 100th anniversary celebration this month and are excited to begin another series that benefits a great organization and invites movie lovers of all ages to the theater,” says Alexandra Kamody, Operations Director of the Athena Cinema. “The Athena has hosted summer children matinee series in the past but we wanted to redefine the series to include films from different cultures. Our regular programming looks outside the mainstream and I wanted our kids programming to reflect that as well.”

The Athena Cinema will be showing afternoon screenings of children’s animations from around the world every Saturday at 3 p.m. All films are dubbed in English. The first event on June 13 is a screening of Song of the Sea, a smash-hit at this year’s Athens International Film + Video Festival.

Other titles include: Stuart Little on June 27; A Cat in Paris on July 11; NYICFF, Best of the Fest: Kid Flix Mix (2015)on July 25; Welcome to the Space Show on Aug. 1 and Muppets in Space on Aug. 15.

The screenings are one-time only events and there will be a limited number of tickets available. Free popcorn will be provided courtesy of Shagbark Seed and Mill and the Athena Cinema. There will also be free face painting, raffles and prize giveaways.

To benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters, the price of admission to these screenings will be a suggested minimum donation of $2 per ticket. Kids on Campus groups will have the opportunity to screen the movies as part of their weekly summer activities.

Tickets will be available one week before each scheduled screening during regular Athena lobby hours. Summer lobby hours are Monday-Friday from 4:30-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 2:30-8 p.m.

For more information, visit www.athenacinema.com. The series is made possible with support from Ohio University, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, Athens County Children Services and Kids on Campus.

IF YOU GO:

ATHENA CINEMA, 20 SOUTH COURT STREET, ATHENS

June 13: Song of the Sea, Ireland/Luxembourg/Belgium/France/Denmark, 93 min.

June 27: Stuart Little, USA, 84 min.

July 11: A Cat In Paris, France, 70 min.

July 25: New York International Children’s Film Fest, Best of the Fest: Kid Flix Mix 2015, 57 Minutes

Aug. 1: Welcome to the Space Show, Japan, 136 min.

Aug. 15: Muppets In Space, USA, 84 min.

All shows begin at 3 p.m.