Friday was the start of the 2009 Salem Film Festival (10 days of movies!!!) and also the opening of the new Salem Cinema. Loretta Miles has kept this community supplied with films of a broad range of subject and interest for 30 some years, plus giving movie lovers a comfy and cozy place to meet and watch a movie. Her dream has come true this year as the new Salem Cinema opened Friday with three theaters (including a cozy small one you can rent for private parties!!) It’s really nice. Get down there!
SO Friday night I fell down on my picture taking, but well, it was dark (no…I didn’t REALLY fall down. you know what I mean…)! Saturday I did a little better. Irene and Susan and I went to see “Smile Pinki” at the Grand Theater downtown (another terrific venue thanks to Carol and Eric). This wonderful film was made by Megan Mylan and she won an Academy Award for it this year–best short documetary. Megan’s early life and summers were spent in Salem and her parents Irene and Jack are well-known Salemites (though they live in Dallas, Tx!!). The Myans were all there for the screening and after the wonderful film (the story of an amazing clinic in India that gives FREE surgery for kids with cleft palate and other facial deformities) Megan did a Q&A. She brought her new friend Oscar with her, and Loretta got to hold the little guy while Megan talked.
At the reception afterword we all had our photos taken with this guy. He is a heavy dude–quite beautiful. It was fun, especially for those of us who watched Megan gracefully accept her Oscar on TV.
And now–8 more days of films ahead. OF COURSE the sun is shining outside today. It would be true.
On The Way 
How great that you got to fondle Oscar! That’s so neat that she took it to her screening. I envy you being close enough to take in lots of films this week. ccw