In 1998 a group of local film-lovers formed the Whatcom Film Association to revive a small independent movie theater in downtown Bellingham and establish and maintain a viable showcase for alternative cinema in Whatcom County. On November 20, 1998 the WFA opened the doors of the Pickford Cinema, an intimate 90-seat venue that recalls the small art houses of the '60s and '70s, providing local film-goers an opportunity to see films that did not previously come to Bellingham. Primarily a venue for independent, foreign and documentary releases, "The Pickford" is a welcome addition to the revitalization of downtown Bellingham and the primary reason that the WFA received the Mayor's Arts Award for 1999.
During summer months, the WFA produces the Traveling Pickford Show, encouraging families to bring lawn chairs and picnic baskets for an unusual movie-going experience in area parks. The WFA utilizes this great summer event to foster community relationships by offering local musicians and performers a venue before the movies and also by inviting other area nonprofits to sell concessions as a fund-raising activity each night of the event.
During the school year the WFA works on a variety of projects. The WFA produces two film festivals-- the Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival (BHRFF) and the NW Projections Film Festival. Started in 1999, the BHRFF brings timely human rights issues to our community in April with a week of screening films from around the world and notable speakers each night of the event. The NW Projections Film Festival, which began in 2000, is held each fall and features the work of local and regional filmmakers and digital media artists.
The Pickford Cinema and its staff also keep busy during the school year. Local schools are becoming increasingly aware of the learning potential found in the cinema's programming and are bringing classes to see films to supplement their curriculum. Other nonprofits and area filmmakers are now benefiting from the opportunity to screen their own projects at the cinema. The Pickford continues to offer a diverse range of films and is open seven days a week.
The Whatcom Film Association is able to accomplish its goals and programs with the generous support of its members (over 1,500), its volunteers (over 100), as well as through donations and grants. Looking to the future, the organization intends to expand its educational and outreach programs and to relocate to a larger venue with room for two screens, offering the potential to increase the variety and artistic merit of independent cinema in downtown Bellingham.