ARTS HIGHLIGHT
PROJECTING THE Collectively, the pandemic brought us into the unknown, and over this past year, film, television, and media have looked different. Tufts’ Film and Media Studies Program kept its students prepared and informed on those changes and hopeful for the future. BY CHRIS PANELLA ’21
22
The COVID-19 pandemic closed many of the movie theaters and venues we’ve come to love, making the past year more focused on streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ than ever before. And while there’s hope for movie theaters as lockdowns lift and reopening occurs, it’s important to question the impact of COVID-19 on entertainment. That’s the mindset of Tufts’ Film and Media Studies Program, which has organized a handful of virtual events about the pandemic and filmmaking. “We wanted to bring people who could talk knowledgeably about this topic,” says department director Malcolm Turvey, “and perhaps other changes in filmmaking that might occur, or have already occurred, as a result of the pandemic.” The first talk focused on theatrical distribution, highlighting its history and status before COVID-19. The speakers discussed possible futures for movie theaters and streaming platforms, which provided insight for students and faculty interested in the topic. “As experts, they might have some thought[s] about what’s going to happen to theatrical exhibition and
