LACMA Forced to Answer Fallout Over Cancelation of Their Weekend Film Program

By Steve Delahoyde on August 6, 2009 9:04 AM

In other “getting mad at museums for making cuts” news, following our post the other day about film critic Kenneth Turan being upset over the Los Angles County Museum of Art‘s director Michael Govan‘s decision to shut down the museum’s four-decade old weekend film program, the LACMA has had to answer to a whole slew of complaints, petitions, and celebrity statements of support that have resulted since the announcement. Although they haven’t changed any of their original plans yet, Govan has had to answer to members of the Save Film at LACMA group that has popped up, trying to keep the program going by getting petitions signed and requesting sit-downs with the museum’s administration to figure out a better way to move forward than just shutting it all down for a while. Govan’s response is that it’s all well and good that people have gotten worked up about it, but to make the program last, they’ll need to keep up with that enthusiasm:

“It’s been astounding. It’s touched a nerve and I think it’s all for the positive,” he said. “If we can convert that energy to sustained support we can have an exciting future.”

…Govan doesn’t expect every person who signs the petition to send a check, but some patrons have to show up before film is back in the museum full-time, he said.

“Film is special. We need to make it clear it is a big deal and we won’t live without film,” he said. “It’s just a matter of how long it takes to build something significant.”

We understand his points, but we’re doubtful that his response will do anything to calm the anger of the anti-closure group, or Kenneth Turan, who don’t see this situation so much as a lack of interest by the general public, but a long-running lack of support by the LACMA’s administration.

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