In order to be eligible for an Academy Award™, a film has to meet a set of criteria. Documentaries seldom meet those criteria, but The Screening Room in Newburyport, along with 14 other small cinemas, is part of an effort to give four documentaries the chance to qualify for the Academy Awards™. The OSCAR™ Qualifying Documentary Exhibition Tour will be at The Screening Room from Friday, Nov. 9 to Thursday, Nov. 15. The four films being shown include “Meeting the Resistance,” “We Are Together,” “Billy the Kid” and “War/Dance.”

“It’s an exciting effort to be a part of. It’s something bigger than our little theater. The impact I have on the Academy Awards™ is miniscule, but it’s real,” said Andrew Mungo, owner of The Screening Room.

Mungo was approached by Ken Eisen, owner of the Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville, Maine, as well as a small film distributing company. Mungo had run Eisen’s films before and trusted his judgment. “He has small films, but they do have a national reach. He knows quality film,” Mungo said.

To be considered for an Oscar, a film must run in at least 14 theaters in 10 states. It has to run twice a day during a specific timeframe. Also, the film can’t be part of a festival or special event. And, it must run in at least one commercial movie theater. The Screening Room, which is participating in the tour for the first time, is the only theater in Massachusetts to participate this year. No New Hampshire theaters are participating.

“It is normal for films to make an effort to be qualified. What is unusual is the organization of such small people to make a difference. But, we are going within the system,” Mungo said. He hasn’t seen any of the movies, but he especially looks forward to “Meeting Resistance,” which is about the insurgency in Iraq.

Mungo believes documentary films are making a comeback. “The reason documentaries are having a resurgence is because people are striving to see what’s real. We’re surrounded by media and advertising and fantastic entertainment. But, people have this impulse to see what’s real. A documentary is the highbrow version, reality TV is the lowbrow version,” Mungo said.
For more information and a screening schedule, visit The Screening Room’s Web site at www.newburyportmovies.com.