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| - I visited this theater this past Fri. to see a screening of Code Black, a documentary directed by an ER doc who went to med school at Pitt and then moved to LA for his residency, and now works at Cornell. Although I very much enjoy documentaries, this was the first time I'd seen one screened at a venue like this, since I'm accustomed to watching them on DVD. The theater itself is located on the second level of the Pittsburgh Filmmakers building--just enter through the front door and take the stairway to your right (or follow the signs with arrows!). General admission is $8, and included a screening plus Q & A with the filmmaker afterwards. I purchased some candy from CVS ahead of time, so I didn't really pay attention to the concessions, although I did see several people with small bags of popcorn.
The theater itself is pretty basic--no stadium seating, Dolby surround sound, or IMAX here--but then again, that's not why you come to a venue such as this. You come to watch some interesting and thought-provoking films, and it's one of the few places in town that offers them. Code Black is a great film, and I'd highly recommend it, esp. if you work in the medical profession. It did a great job of showing the struggles ER depts. in county hospitals that serve the general public face, without being overtly political re: the Affordable Care Act, which I appreciated as someone who prefers documentaries with more balanced or nuanced messages (I'm not much of a fan of Michael Moore and his ilk). The Q & A provided a great opportunity to hear the director discuss the making of the film, which was illuminating to me, as someone who's admittedly unfamiliar with filmmaking.
This venue is a nice alternative to the multiplexes for those interested in a less mainstream and more thought-provoking cinematic experience. I hope to check out the other theaters owned by PGH filmmakers downtown and in Regent Square soon.
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