Butte’s Journalism Club goes to the Movies

What Happened?

For Butte College’s Journalism Club’s second semester hangout, the group made their way to Chico’s very own Pageant Theater to enjoy a screening of the 2024 independent film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” Having their tickets paid for by the club, the trio of students of differing majors watched and discussed the heavily relevant and pressing film. Having chosen the film solely because it was the best for the group’s schedules, they did not do much research on what they were going to see and left the theater in a much heavier mood than when they entered.

Why was the Film so intense?

“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” directed by Mohammad Rasoulof tells the story of a fictional judge named Iman as he and his family live in Theran Iran. After he is promoted to the position that is responsible for signing death warrants for prisoners under the theocratic and oppressive regime, we watch as Iman struggles with his grueling new work and what happens when his family discovers what his job is. The film is a fictional story set up inside the very real political unrest and protests against the country’s morality police which began in  2022 after an arrested 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died under mysterious circumstances in their custody for allegedly going against Iran’s mandatory headscarf law.

The story centers around the family’s internal conflict as both the city’s residents and Iman’s daughters soon find out what exactly thier father does for work. Fueling mistrust, ideological oppositions, and tense moments that will leave you questioning what anyone should or could do if put in the same situation. The film is an intense slow burn that speeds up quickly until the very end.

What were the club’s thoughts?

After experiencing such a gripping and real-to-life story the club was left reeling and, outside on the sidewalk beside the theater, the group stayed silent for quite a while, gathering thoughts and processing the intensity of the film they viewed. Member Justin Stock said that it is a warning of theocratic and authoritarian regimes and governments taking power. Club member Rey Quigley said that the film was good but long and challenging. And member Emily Solorio said after the film with such parental conflict she would be “going home and hugging my parents.”

How was the Theater?

The Pageant Theater is a Chico-based independent film movie theater that has been around since 1980. With intimate seating, beer, and popcorn at the concession stand. They also have gender-neutral restrooms, making it a very comfortable and inviting space for people to come and be challenged by the movies that don’t make it to the mainstream. Check out the site if you wanna go watch a screening sometime, but bring cash because cards are not accepted at the door.

On discussing a more local perspective on the Theater, I was able to talk to a few long-time movie goers this past Halloween at a showing of “The Substance.” I snagged a good interview with both Richard Hunter and Emma Anchor. Emma is a longtime Pageant Theater goer and Chico local who has been coming to screenings since she was a kid, and Richard has been keeping his numbers up for the past 5 years with how many visits he’s made.

Emma described the theater as jazzy, affordable, and willing to play movies that somewhere like Tinsel Town would never do. She said that coming to The Pageant helps support small businesses and that “It’s quieter here, it’s cheaper, and the snacks are better.”

Should I join the Journalism Club?

So, are you thinking of joining a club at Butte? Want to try making some friends, hanging out, and doing fun stuff for free? Well, the journalism club might just be the perfect place for you. With 2 of the 7 club hangouts already over, and a fundraiser coming up next, you will get to come and hang out with others who share a passion for journalism and media. With members majors ranging from Anthropology to English, don’t let the fact you aren’t majoring in journalism deter you from joining. None of the dates listed are set in stone and will be worked out with every member who joins to ensure that the schedule works for everyone.

Including going to do fun things, the journalism club is also a place where you can try your hand at getting work published in the school newspaper “The Roadrunner.”Whether you want to try your hand at news writing, want to promote or talk about something people have never heard about, or even try your hand at being published in the brand new Creative Writing column on the site, you can come to the club and have access to the Journalism Professor and club admin Kelly Fredericks, and other news staff members. So if you’re a creative who wants to make friends with other creatives and have your work out there, join the club today by clicking here and contacting Kelly!