Film Friday concluded its final event of the school year in the library reference room with a screening of Jaws, bringing students and teachers together for an afternoon of film, snacks, and discussion on May 22. Held on the last Friday of every month, Film Friday has become a space for students to relax after school while sharing their interest in movies with others.
Many students attended not only for the films themselves, but also for the atmosphere surrounding the event.
“I enjoy the snacks a lot, the fact that my friends come to watch with me, and the movies are really good,” Donna Jahangiri ’31 said before the screening. Although she had never seen Jaws before, she expected the film to be “scary from what I’ve heard.”
For other students, Film Friday offered an opportunity to experience movies in a different way. “I came to Film Friday because I’ve always liked watching movies and thought it would be fun,” Aiden Avedissian ’29 said. “I liked seeing other people get the movie differently than I did and picking up on things I missed the first time watching.”
The event’s welcoming environment was another aspect students appreciated.
“Film Friday creates a really relaxed and welcoming atmosphere where people can just hang out, watch a movie, and talk about it after without it feeling super serious,” Jules Fisher ’29 said.
Teachers also emphasized the sense of community Film Friday has created throughout the year. Director of Student Affairs Sarah Tooke said one of the most enjoyable parts of the event is watching students react to movies, especially films they may be seeing for the first time. “With Jaws, just now, seeing them get scared or seeing them laughing at something funny. That’s what is most fun,” Tooke said.
Similarly, Librarian and KITS teacher Heather Hersey described Film Friday as a way for students to unwind after school while spending time together.
“Hopefully giving folks who are here after school something fun to do, something to turn their brain off and watch a movie, hang out together, and eat some snacks,” Hersey said. “Sort of like community building.”
Although Film Friday marked its final screening of the school year, the event continued to be a space where students could relax, connect with others, and overall build community.
