Who wants to help these guys open an arthouse in Zenica?

I got copied on this mass email today, which I'd normally ignore, but am kind of glad I didn't, because it's awesome, heartwarming, and right in line with our mission.

I would think these guys could use some email advice, or even just some "great job" support from folks familiar with Kickstarter and the ilk, microcinema operation, and community organizations- or even just someone who runs a cinema club and has insights.

From: Ines Haskic
Date: January 4, 2012 6:27:29 PM EST
Cc: Dylan Marchetti

Hello,

First, thank you for your time and happy New Year. We are a group of enthusiasts from Zenica, and our wish is to open the art cinema. We want a place where we can watch good movies, listening to good music, monitoring exhibitions and other cultural events that are essential for young pepoles. We think that project like this is most importance for the region which suffered war, hatred and violence, that only education can prevent the current political manipulation.

In the prewar period, Zenica was one of the most urban centar of former Yugoslavia. Today's reality is much different. In small countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, all cultural contents are concentrated in the capital town Sarajevo. Young people from other, smaller cities losing their creativity. The ability that they express themselves is almost unthinkable. They leave Zenica and go to others cities where they will be more respected. Computerization made that young people living in present, irrelevant in how small-town they live. Availability of information contribute for more dissatisfaction because we know for better things. Perhaps, this is one of the most important advantage of the digital age. Some people with the right criticized this digital age because with their glass paper young people become alienated and lose their sense of community.

A man is a social being, he need a circle of like-minded with whom they will share their observations, concerns, love and beauty. This is actually what we want to achieve with this project. Today's rule is that every small communities don't deserve the attention and investment. Prejudices are all around us, but we have enough enthusiasm to win them. We live in a small town, but we have a modern, young, educated and informed people. These young people need a culture.

A few months ago we saw that opened art cinema "Kriterion" in Sarajevo. http://kriterion.ba/

This is the first art cinema in our country. We were thrilled with that idea, but also we were sad because we can't see all that movies. We believe that our city need art cinema because we have enough young people who enjoy in art. We have a theater, but contents are very poor, a few good performances during the year. Other cultural contents almost nonexistent. Music and other events in the bars are not inspiring for young people.

Zenica has one multiplex cinema and there is no possibility to see something else than blockbusters. Young people can't enough in art because we havn't real art in our city. Everything around us is so usual, empty, without emotion and without beauty.

We don't feel fulfilled.

We have an illusion that we will get something like "Kriterion" one day. We want to invest all our free time with lots of enthusiasm and passion. We are a group of people which have a different profesions. Organization, any works, investments, knowledge and skills wouldn't be problem for us. Folk "culture" seized the Balkans and we wish to change it. Our priority is to educate the young generation and we hope that they will build and defend this cinema long time in the future.

We have a lot of young people which have not had a chance to experience the beauty of art too. Our priority are this peoples too. We want to fight against prejudice and contempt. Every person deserves the outstretched hand. Quality program and perseverance can change everything. We are confident that we can change this situation.

The three old theaters in Zenica for years were empty and abandoned. This figure is the best proof that Zenica was very urban comunity in the pre-war period. These spaces are our great hope. We need help and support of the public. This is our first step. If you can help us with some advices ot would be great.

Thank you for your time!
Best Regards
Ines Haskic