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GREAT BARRINGTON — When a busload of bathrobe-sporting Berkshirites descends on The Cove Bowling & Entertainment, 7 p.m. March 6, they’ll be supporting a new generation of local film lovers in the process.
The passengers will be en route to see a screening of “The Big Lebowski,” embarking on a pilgrimage to the vintage locale where directors Joel and Ethan Coen (reportedly) took inspiration for the cult classic’s bowling aesthetic while studying at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. In the spirit of the film, frames will be rolled, revelry will be had and a community will come together to commune with The Dude.
But even among the clatter of pins on pine and the refrains of ultra-quotable dialogue throughout the night, the conversations struck between attendees are the real reason for the visit to The Cove. The “Lebowski” screening is the latest Berkshire International Film Festival event by the BIFF Social Club, an effort to build a community of young professionals around a shared love of cinema while also garnering support for the festival.
The social club was started last year by Emily Gabriel and Kelly Binder, local entrepreneurs and co-chairs of the BIFF Social Club Committee, after they were approached by Kelley Vickery, BIFF founder and artistic director, to bring a younger audience to the film festival, set to take place May 28-31 and celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
The Club’s primary goal is to raise awareness of the festival and make it more accessible for younger attendees, said Gabriel, who is a Pittsfield native and the founder and CEO of the creative services agency Nova Studios. Having grown up in the Berkshires, she knows that folks outside of South County might not be familiar with the festival, and even if they are, might be put off by the price of admission.
One of the attempted solutions is a specially priced pass to make the festival more approachable for the average resident, she said. For $100, an attendee born after 1985 can get a discounted one-day pass for the festival’s programming on May 30, as well as admission to a cocktail party at the Indigo Room the preceding night and a special ticket price for the BIFF Gala in September. The pass, available on the BIFF website, also grants the buyer a one-year membership to the Social Club.
Other aspects of the Club’s offerings come from listening to the community. For the “Lebowski” event, they’re offering bus transportation from Pittsfield and Lenox to The Cove in response to gathered feedback.
“We hear that it’s hard to get from place to place, so we want to be supportive around transportation,” Binder said. “We hear that at a certain ticket price, things can feel limiting, so between our council and the BIFF executive board, everyone is really tuned into that and saying, ‘Okay, how can we create really fun experiences with all of this in mind so it really does feel inclusive?'”
True to its name, it’s also an opportunity for people to make new connections: Through a wide variety of events like movie trivia nights, panel discussions and even dance parties, the Club serves as a catalyst for friendships among newcomers and locals alike.
“It’s a nice place to come and meet people, which is a big conversation around millennials and Gen Z in the Berkshires — maybe even Gen X, too — who kind of don’t have their core group yet, or maybe moved here for something,” Binder said. “It’s kind of a low-risk way of meeting some really cool people who are doing some really interesting stuff in the area.”
There’s an effort to make sure there’s something for everyone, Gabriel said, and to spread the events around geographically: some have been held at eateries like Brava, The Olde Heritage Tavern and Robbie’s Community Market, while others have been held at the boutique hotel Doctor Sax House, where Binder is owner and creative director.
Gabriel said the Club events helped to fill the “shoulder season” leading up to the festival, and are open to anyone. They could be anything from the Lonely Hearts Valentine’s Dance, where the crowd cut a rug while 1999’s “Cruel Intentions” played in the background, or the upcoming screening of 2019’s “Le Poète Lucide” at Berkshire Botanical Garden, April 11, with an accompanying wine tasting from Dare Bottleshop.
Regardless of what the event might be, the cinematic throughline is what keeps the Social Club growing. Binder said the program was currently on track to double its membership from last year, and cinema provides the perfect platform to bring more people in.
“I think film is like a common language,” Gabriel said. “Everybody likes some kind of movie … it’s an easy gateway into some of these experiences together.”
IF YOU GO
What: The BIFF Abides: “The Big Lebowski” Anniversary Release Party
Where: The Cove Bowling & Entertainment, 109 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington
When: 7 p.m. March 6
Tickets: $25, for one bowling game, pizza and admission; $35, for those services plus bus transportation from Pittsfield and Lenox. Bus tickets must be purchased by Feb. 26
Reservations: 413-528-8030, biffma.org
