REAL REEL UNIVERSITY

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series was established in 2005 in order to bring new, important documentaries to our part of Suffolk County. We screen films fresh from the festival circuit before they are streaming or in local theaters. In addition to giving our audience an opportunity to see films that might never make it to a theatre near us, we add to the experience by giving these films the large screen setting they were created for (rather than VOD) and by adding a Q&A with the director or someone else from the film.

We believe that documentary films can be an effective tool for information and social change. Some films are not “easy watching” and, in those cases especially, it is important to get all of the stakeholders together to ensure the widest possible audience. That is why we started REAL REEL UNIVERSITY. We try to co-present with the appropriate University department and the department participates in a variety of ways: financial sponsorship; providing speakers or moderators; making sure the word gets out to students who might be interested. In exchange, depending on the level of involvement, we indicate the department as a co-sponsor on our PR or give students a discounted rate for the screening. Some of the departments we have worked are indicated in the certificates below.