Locals help bring film to Durango
Documentary probes American public school system
By Emery Cowan Herald Staff Writer
“Waiting For Superman,” a new documentary about the challenges of America’s public school system, will be coming to Durango thanks to persistent efforts by local parents and teachers.
The movie will open Friday at the Storyteller Gaslight Theatre and run for two weeks.
“This is an opportunity for dialogue on an important issue that affects all of us,” said Jesse Hutt, who leads the parent advisory committee at Animas High School.
Hutt spearheaded the effort to get “Waiting For Superman” to Durango, calling Storyteller Theatres’ headquarters in New Mexico and requesting the film.
“Though Durango students don’t have to deal directly with the issues in the film, they are still very important issues nationally,” said Greg Cathcart, a member of Animas High’s board of directors who has seen the film.
The documentary, produced by “An Inconvenient Truth” director Davis Guggenheim, highlights the problems of the public education system as it follows five children and their parents trying to get into high-performing charter schools.
The film gained a national spotlight after Oprah Winfrey promoted it on her show in September. She gave five U.S. charter school networks $1 million each so they can admit more students like those in the film.
Animas High School will be setting up a booth at the theater to provide information about charter schools, Hutt said.
Renee Lee, marketing and advertising director with Storyteller Theatres, said residents’ efforts have helped get a surprising number of independent films to Durango theaters.
Lauren Delle, a writing instructor at Fort Lewis College, also called Storyteller Theatres to ask if the documentary could come to Durango. She said she had been wanting to see the movie and plans to bring her freshman seminar class to a screening next week.
ecowan@durangoherald.com
