The Chinook Film Group is back after over a two-year absence due to the pandemic and its ill effects.

Tickets are now available for the film "Jules" for one showing only on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in Cochranne Movie House. They can be purchased at the local theatre's box office or online. Should any tickets remain, they'll be available at the box office on the evening of the viewing.

The film stars Ben Kingsley and centres on Milton, a senior living a quiet routine life in a small western Pennsylvania town. That is until he finds his day upended when a UFO and its extra-terrestrial passenger crash land in his backyard.

It also stars Jane Curtin and Harriet Sansom Harris.

The film has had a warm reception and is the latest of director Marc Turtletaub, best known for his films Little Miss Sunshine and Safety Not Guaranteed. It was written by Gavin Steckler.

For those new to town, the Chinook Film Group was spearheaded by Murray Mitchell in 2004.

"We bring in independent and alternative films that would not play at the movie theatre normally," Mitchell explains.

It's always a one-night stand in Cinema One of the Movie House and typically draws a large crowd. In some cases, they've had enough interest to overflow into two cinemas.

Up until 2020, Chinook had faithfully been showing eight films a year, skipping December and the summer months. There was havoc when the pandemic restrictions came into effect. The last film viewed was in February 2020, and the March showing of Parasites, which went on to win the Oscar for best film, had to be mothballed.

Mitchell had a chance to preview Jules and says it's a wonderful little film.

"I'd appreciate it if people would come and support us, and we'll get the thing going again."

It wasn't just the impact of the pandemic upon the theatre that hindered Chinook. It typically sold tickets at the coffee shop in the strip mall adjacent to Safeway along 5th Ave. The latest owner of the shop unfortunately had to close her doors during the pandemic, leaving Chinook without a ticket distributor.

After a search for an alternative location proved unsuccessful, Mitchell says they came up with the current arrangement with Hal Wolf, of the Cochrane Movie House, to sell the tickets.

One of the positives of the new arrangement is tickets can now be purchased with debit and credit cards. Previously, it was cash only.

Admission is $12 when purchased at the Box Office. Those purchased online pay a $1.00 handling fee.

To keep up with all the latest on the Chinook Film Group, visit here.

Those wishing to be added to their mailing list can email chinookfilmgroup@gmail.com

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