Film buffs and fanatics alike should look no further than the Grand Valley State University Film and Conversation Club, which will be screening the movie “American History X” tonight at 7:30 p.m. in AuSable Hall on GVSU’s Allendale Campus.

“Anyone can join,” said DeLain Bomer, president of GVSU’s Film and Conversation Club. “We encourage students from all majors to come and give us their viewpoint on the films we watch.” The idea for the club came in fall of 2009 from film major Nikki Martin, who wanted a place where people could gather to discuss “under-the-radar” films that many students don’t often get a chance to see in theaters. Along with Bomer, Martin developed the club and it became a registered student organization by the Fall 2010 semester.

Bomer said the club’s mission is to provide stimulating conversation by means of experiencing films of different calibers including, but not limited to, award-winning, controversial, cult, independent or otherwise overlooked films.

Daniel Didier, an officer for the Film and Conversation Club, said he loves the club because he enjoys watching films and analyzing them.

“While some would argue that analyzing hinders your ability of enjoying the film, I don’t agree because in addition to the film’s successful aspects, which everyone picks up on, there are also a bunch of little secrets hidden throughout the film that makes the experience more extraordinary than just watching a movie,” Didier said.

Bomer agreed that analyzing a film is an essential part of watching a movie.

“The filmmaker chooses to put a certain element in a film for a reason, even if that reason isn’t apparent at first,” Bomer said. “Analyzing a film is a way to learn what the filmmaker was trying to tell the audience. In order to understand a film, one must tear apart the content, read between the lines and look past the celluloid illusion that film gives.”

Along with a double major in film and video and advertising and public relations at GVSU, Bomer said being the president of the organization involves doing a lot of the grunt work, attending council meetings for the Office of Student Life, reserving rooms, maintaining the Stuey web page and promoting events.

He said all of the work is worth it to him because it allows him to lead others to see what film has to offer them. Following tonight’s screening of “American History X” in Au Sable Hall Room 2130, sociology professor Jennifer Stewart will lead a discussion in an effort to maximize student’s learning experience.

“I’m incredibly appreciative of the professors who come to lead discussions; not only do they help bring more people to the meetings, but they also help emphasize film’s impact on everyday life,” Martin said.

The club meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. and meeting locations change between Lake Michigan Hall 176 or AuSable Hall 2130.

To find out where the meeting is each week, join the Facebook group, Showings Presented by the Film and Conversations Club (FCC), or look them up on GVSU’s Stuey website. The club is free to join and all you have to do is show up.

“Film is a powerful media and with the proper guidance one can gain a lot from learning how to dig deeper into any form of communication,” Bomer said.

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