The Monroe Community Coalition is partnering with Monroe's Galaxy Theater to show the movie Paper Tigers during a free one-night only event.
Paper Tigers is a gritty documentary that gives viewers an intimate look at the lives of six at-risk students from Lincoln High School, an alternative school in Walla Walla. The movie details new strategies implemented at the school that are helping improve student success, even among the most troubled. The documentary will air at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, and include panels made up of local behavioral health experts before and after the film.
Due to a limited amount of seating, the coalition is encouraging guests to register for the event in advance. If registration is full, the coalition is asking that people sign up on the wait list, as additional tickets may be released.
If there is enough interest, the coalition will discuss coordinating a second showing. An additional showing would be contingent on logistics, such as licensing fees and the coalition's ability to secure a location to show the film.
"We'll decide on a second showing if our wait list has enough people on it to warrant licensing the film again,GÇ¥ said coalition coordinator Joe Neigel. "It may take a while before we can show it a second time due to our other obligations.GÇ¥
Paper Tigers examines how Lincoln High School has transformed the way it deals with youth enduring hardship stemming from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). The movie documents Lincoln's efforts as it specializes in educating traumatized youth using innovative practices that seek to heal rather than punish. It embraces the concept of the "Trauma Informed Community,GÇ¥ an emerging movement advocates say can help youth struggling from ACES.
According to the film's website, Paper Tigers is a film that "captures the pain, the danger, the beauty and the hopes of struggling teens ' and their teachers armed with new science and fresh approaches that are changing lives for the better.GÇ¥
The Monroe Community Coalition's initial discussion about funding a one-night showing of Paper Tigers took place last October and was initiated by coalition members Amber Mehta and JeNell Buchanan. The two were given the opportunity to see the film at a screening hosted by the Snohomish Health District in Everett, and agreed showing the movie in Monroe would be a benefit to the community.
The coalition voted in favor of the idea, and coalition funds were dedicated to purchase licensing to show the film on a one-time basis.
Next, Neigel and Pastor Michael Hanford visited Monroe's Galaxy Theater to find out how much it would cost to show the film there. When general manager Shannon Boyovich heard what the movie was about, she jumped at the opportunity to get involved. She advocated for the film to Galaxy Theaters vice president and film buyer Lee Josselyn, and asked if the theater could show the film at no cost to the coalition.
Helping youth work through the repercussions of adverse childhood experiences is a cause that is near and dear to her heart, Boyovich said. Her mom was extremely young, and her childhood was anything but stable.
"I went to over 20 different elementary schools,GÇ¥ she said.
Josselyn made the decision to follow Boyovich's recommendation and accommodate the screening, which had to be carefully organized so as not to impose on current films under contractual obligation.
"I'm really excited about it,GÇ¥ Boyovich said.
Paper Tigers was directed by James Redford, a writer, producer and director for both film and television. Executive producer Karen Pritzker is an accomplished filmmaker, editor and writer. Pritzker co-founded the My Hero Project, a website that highlights ordinary people making positive contributions to the world. The website eschews the portrayal of celebrities as heroes and offers inspiring stories about regular people who have overcome obstacles to achieve greatness.
The showing is free, but guests must pre-register. To register for the free showing, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paper-tigers-one-night-only-tickets-20924996227?ref=ebtnebregn. For more information about Paper Tigers, visit www.papertigersmovie.com.
The Monroe Community Coalition is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and wellness of the Monroe community by working to prevent early use of drugs and alcohol.
For more information on the coalition, visit http://monroecommunitycoalition.com/.
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