Film Streams’ Silver Screen Dreams

Opened in 2007 by founder Rachel Jacobson, Film Streams is a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization dedicated to “enhancing the cultural environment of the Omaha-Council Bluffs area through the presentation and discussion of film as an art form.”

Film Streams boasts two art house locations, the downtown’s Ruth Sokolof Theater and the Dundee Theater, the only nonprofit art houses of their kind in the region. As such, they provide a vastly different experience than going to a movie theater, according to Sarah Yale, a board member since 2014. “Film Streams not only screens films that mirror our vibrant community,” she stated, “but also creates opportunities to discuss the art form in a meaningful way that invites everyone to come together.”

Director of marketing, Marie Schuett, agreed. “We discuss the films and are able to welcome industry-leading filmmakers, screenwriters, and directors to our space,” said Schuett. “We also have community collaborations, in which we screen films in collaboration with other nonprofits to create community discussion.

“That’s what sets us apart,” she continued. “I think people can get the impression that an art house cinema can be elitist, but something I find wonderful about Film Streams is it’s not; it brings in a very diverse crowd, all ages, all walks of life. Film is meant to be that way—it’s meant to be inclusive.”

An important aspect of the organization is Film Streams’ dedication to supporting women in film. The “See Change” initiative, for example, aims to “reach gender parity among directors of the films [they] program.” 

“The number of female directors and filmmakers is slowly rising, but not at the pace at which we wish it were,” Schuett commented. “By finding and screening films made by women, this initiative hopes to get the word out that women can be successful filmmakers.”

One way Film Streams strives to support this goal is by hosting events such as the See Change Award Celebration, which took place this past August. The event featured Kasi Lemmons, a prolific Black woman theatrical film director, who boasts an impressive collection of awards and filmography, including hit movies like Talk To Me (2007),  Harriet (2019), and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022). The organization created the Film Streams Wavemaker Award in her honor and celebrated with a cocktail reception and audience Q&A with the director, during which she reflected on what keeps her making films. “I’m motivated by what I love, never money,” she shared. “I’m motivated by what I love and what I feel that I must do and what I feel I can give voice to.”

Lemmons also took a determined approach to filmmaking during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the virus brought many concerns for the film industry, she remained nonplussed. “We filmed Whitney in the middle of COVID,” she explained. “Like I felt that it was important to show that you could be a woman director who had children. I felt that it was important to show that you could get back out there and direct under these circumstances.” 

Because of the engagement of filmmakers like Lemmons alongside perks like discounts for students, teachers, seniors, military, and first responders, Film Streams has kept Omahans visiting its two art houses. 

For Schuett, the splendor of Film Streams is the community it creates. “We create spaces for conversations, but I also see them happen organically–it draws people together,” she reflected.

Yale agreed and added that the organization is “an important part of the cultural landscape in our Omaha community, and we are proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited about our future.”

For more information, visit filmstreams.org.

This article originally appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.