Film group to show free classic movie

The Northwest Ohio Film Foundation (NWOFF) will be offering another opportunity for local residents to whet their cinematic appetites free of charge. On Friday, March 18, the group will screen one of the most iconic films of all time: Citizen Kane.

Hailed by nearly every film critic as the greatest film of time, Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film directed by and starring Orson Welles. The film is often praised for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure.

Citizen Kane, which was Welles’ first feature film, was nominated for Academy Awards in nine categories; it won an Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Herman Mankiewicz and Welles. It was released by RKO Pictures.

The story examines the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, played by Welles, a character based upon American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and Welles’ own life. Kane’s career in the publishing world is born of idealistic social service, but gradually evolves into a ruthless pursuit of power. Narrated principally through flashbacks, the story is revealed through the research of a newsreel reporter seeking to solve the mystery of the newspaper magnate’s dying word: “Rosebud.” The making and controversy surrounding the film is as infamous as the film itself, as, upon its release, Hearst prohibited mention of the film in any of his newspapers.

The screening will be held at Soulbridge Vineyard, located at 120 N. Cherry St., across the street from the Van Wert Chapter of the YWCA. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the film beginning at 7:30. Refreshments will be served, along with information regarding The Van Wert Independent Film Festival, which the NWOFF, a non-profit organization, sponsors.

For more information about this and other great movies that will be shown in the future, call 419.979.9692 or find The Northwest Ohio Film Foundation on Facebook.