Homer Alaska - Opinion

A profound sense of culture hangs over our little town.

When the documentary film festival started in 2004, it introduced a new cultural opportunity to our community.

Jamie and Lynnette Sutton bought the Homer Theatre in 2004 and immediately started the annual film festival. It quickly became a Homer tradition.

When asked about the purpose and inspiration for hosting this annual event, Jamie replied, "I've always liked documentary films for their truth and in-depth look at life and modern culture. My wife and I both enjoy them thoroughly."

He said that they decided to schedule the fest for the fall because it's a great time of year to watch films.

Many people in the community, especially students, feel as though they have benefitted from viewing these films, each of which opens a new window to the outside world. Whether it is a film about an insightful horse trainer or one that examines a scientific experiment gone wrong, each selection offers a new perspective on the world around us.

Perhaps Jamie put it best when he said, "It takes a whole village to educate our youth." Everyone must help nurture the development and growth of future members of our society. "A movie theatre is a valuable resource to utilize" when it comes to this development of the individual, he said.

Living in a place like Homer is wonderful, and for many, the film festival is an added bonus. We can be happy with the fact that, as long as Jamie and Lynnette are a part of our community, the documentary film fest will be, too.

Homer Olson is a senior at Homer Flex School. When he is not at school, Homer stays busy with karate, preparing for Battle of the Books and practicing with his band.