Longwood University

11/01/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/01/2024 09:46

Filmmaker Eddie Mullins brings arthouse energy to High Street Theatre programming

You may have noticed a spark of vibrancy on the marquee of the High Street Theatre, just across the street from Longwood's campus.

Credit filmmaker Eddie Mullins, an accomplished director and screenplay writer who recently moved to Farmville from Los Angeles, with a charge to reinvigorate the space as a great college-town arthouse theatre. This fall he's begun curating a regular lineup of indie films, classic movies, obscure and cult favorites, foreign films, and documentaries to show on Fridays and Saturdays.

A lot of really vibrant college towns have an arthouse theatre that plays an assortment of films and documentaries that I really love.

Eddie Mullins, artist-in-residence for the Longwood communityTweet This

Mullins will also serve as artist-in-residence for the Longwood community, working with campus partners on additional programming, and offering his expertise to students interested in the arts. The theater is also available for showings by Longwood classes and students groups.

The High Street Theatre will feature three films per week, all free to attend. Fridays will feature a single film, and Saturdays will offer a double feature-all three films connected thematically.

Showing this Friday, November 1 at 7 p.m. is the 1962 French New Wave classic Vivre sa Vie. Saturday double-features The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three (1974) at 7 p.m., and director Don Siegel's 1973 action flick Charley Varrick at 9 p.m.

The full calendar is available at go.longwood.edu/highstreettheatre.

President Taylor Reveley recruited Mullins to re-energize the theater space and its programming, and partner with students, faculty and staff. As a filmmaker, writer and editor, Mullins' past projects include his movie Doomsdays, which earned accolades at the 2014 Boston Underground Film Festival, and in the Amazon film production department. He'll continue working on a range of Hollywood projects from Farmville.

We sat down with Mullins to talk about his plans for High Street Theatre.

What drew you to Farmville?

I grew up in Richmond, and have been to Farmville and Longwood many times, including to teach a summer course several a few years ago. I've always found it a charming place, full of new things and people to discover. When I started thinking seriously about leaving Los Angeles to pursue projects closer to home, Farmville naturally popped up as a place that I was interested in being.

More than that, a lot of really vibrant college towns have an arthouse theatre that plays an assortment of films and documentaries that I really love. Those theatres are a key part of what makes a college town special, so I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of that scene here in Farmville.

Are you currently working on any projects?

Absolutely. My first feature film, Doomsdays, something of a cult following and will be getting a Blu-Ray release for its tenth anniversary, so I'm working on putting that together. I'm also busy promoting my new short, Erection and Destruction, which has festival dates lined up into next year. And perhaps most excitingly, I'm developing a new feature project that I plan on shooting locally here in Virginia.

What films will play at High Street Theatre?

It's going to be eclectic, everything ranging from familiar Hollywood classics to obscure Japanese cult oddities. One night you might catch a French New Wave landmark like Jean-Luc Godard's Vivre Sa Vie and the next a 1970s action classic like The Taking of Pelham One Two Three with Walter Matthau.

There will also be weekend programs where all three titles are united by a particular theme, genre, or filmmaker. For instance, on November 22nd we'll be showing David Lynch's surrealist neo-noir Mulholland Drive, followed on the 23rd by a double-bill of classic 50s noir films: Robert Aldrich's Kiss Me Deadly and Michael Curtiz' Mildred Pierce. Not only are these all great pictures, but the juxtaposition illustrates how traditional noir tropes can be updated and revised to suit the needs of a more contemporary filmmaker.

Are the movies still free?

Yes, and they are not just for Longwood students and staff-all members of the community are welcome to come and enjoy the programming. We certainly accept donations to High Street Theatre from any guests.

Have people been excited when they have seen the movie titles going on the marquee at High Street Theatre?

I've not only reconnected with so many wonderful people since I've been back in Farmville, but I've met some really interesting, fantastic new friends as well. From faculty to students to community members, they've been excited about interesting, alternative films that I'm planning to play and have even made great suggestions about themes that I will take up soon. I'm looking forward to building an audience for these type of movies and documentaries, and hope that everyone will find something they will enjoy!

How can Longwood community members work with you to use the theater?

The theater can be reserved through the University Events and Ceremonies 25 Live system, just like other campus spaces (or contact [email protected]). But I also encourage anyone interested in partnering on showings or other creative uses of the space to reach out to me at [email protected]. I'm making the rounds now with students groups and others, and look forward to getting to know more folks in the community soon.