Forest City Brewery to Host Screening of Documentary about Akron Women’s Softball Team

Launched earlier this year, Emerge Microcinema aims to show independent films at popup screenings in stores, bike garages, breweries and loft spaces.

At 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13, it will present Burn the Ships at Forest City Brewery. In the movie, directors Julia Thorndike and Danielle Miller, who'll be on hand for the screening, highlight the challenges of playing in a women’s professional softball league by showing commitment of the players and personnel affiliated with the Akron Racers.

“The thing that drew us to tell this story was meeting [Racers general manager] Joey Arrietta,” says Thorndike in a press release announcing the screening. “She lives her life for this game. It matters so much to her, it started to matter to us.”

“Burn the Ships is getting national attention, but Emerge Microcinema can provide an up-and-coming filmmaker with another outlet beyond the festival circuit,” says Emerge co-founder Jeff Babinski. “These events also offer inspired audiences the opportunity to meet the filmmakers and ask them questions about the subject or process directly.”

Thorndike and Miller won the Reel Women Direct Award for Excellence in directing by a woman after their film screened at this year's Cleveland International Film Festival.

“We’re both interested in using this medium to try to contribute something positive to the world, whether that means keeping people informed, inspired, or asking some tough questions that may hopefully prompt a little bit of introspection,” says Miller.

Tickets are $10 per person in advance and $12 at the door. Reservations are recommended.