CINEMATIKI MAUI evolved organically from the sustainedinterest and vision that Tom Sewell and J.J. Iuorno-Paladinohave shared about cinema and films for more than a decade. That’s how long we have been viewing and discussing films together, beginning with our regular attendance at the Wednesday’s films at the MACC. From the very beginning, we felt there was a wealth of world-class-cinemathat ought to be screened here in Maui. We also knew that we wantedthe opportunity to review some of our own favorite directors greatest filmswithout having to travel to some distant city in the outside world.And so, after many years of germination, the idea ofthe CINEMATIKI finally sprouted and became a project in November 2008.
It was then when we realized that we already had most of the elementsnecessary to implement our game plan. Those elementsincluded the Gassner/Sewell studio, which had enough sittingroom for a few dozen film-lovers, and it was equipped withprofessional projection equipment and a big screen. We alsohad for the first time a relatively easy access to the films. Most importantly, we had the passion and the knowledge forthe enterprise.
From its inception, CINEMATIKI’s mission has been to celebrate the artof cinema. Each one of us attends these weekly gatherings with distinctexpectations. CINEMATIKI MAUI provides a forum—20 to 50 viewersevery week, in which each one of the viewers catches different meanings,images, and impressions from the same film. Afterwards, during ourcommentaries and discussion time, each viewer has the possibility of sharingthose impressions with the rest of the audience. This experience of sharedperception is transformative. It helps us widen even more ourunderstanding of art, ourselves and others.
So far, we have viewed almost one hundred films. One hundred loaded piñatas full of fantasies, art and cinematography. Our vision continues. The next 100 films are about to begin stacking up.
Looking forward,
J.J.Iuorno-Paladino & Tom Sewell