The introduction of a movie club is exactly what Edgemont students need. Edgemont is a very diverse community and students have various interests. Tino Preldakaj’s passion lies in film. “It was kind of random. I’ve always been a big reader about film but more recently I’ve started watching and analyzing films as a hobby,” expressed Tino (‘24). This passion inspired Tino to start The Movie Club, where, at each meeting, a film is chosen for the members to watch, enjoy, and analyze afterward.
Tino relates the ubiquitous appeal of film as a reason for starting the club: “Movies, much like music, are kind of a universal thing; everyone can enjoy them.” Edgemont’s vast range of interests makes the movie club a prime addition to the school because there are so many different varieties of films to choose from. “I can’t make music, so why not start a movie club?” Tino shared.
Why would Edgemont students enjoy a movie club? After a long day of notes, classwork, math lessons, and stress, Edgemont students all need a break. Luckily, the movie club provides exactly that. At the club, you can kick back, shut off your brain, and enjoy a good movie alongside your friends. “School is a very stressful time, and I think having a movie time gives people a great moment to relax,” said Tino.
I asked Edgemont students what they love about the film club: “I love the culture of the movie club and the relaxing vibe of just watching some movies,” Sam Meyer (‘25) shared. Outside of being an escape from school, Tino also encourages students to think about the movie in greater depth. “If you want it to be simple it can be simple. You can just watch movies or you could go more in-depth, it’s up to you.” This freedom of choice allows for as many students as possible to participate in the movie club, whether casual or critical viewers. Although the club hasn’t officially watched its first film, many are excited to see what movies they will watch. “I’m excited to dive deep into the rich and immersive culture of cinema during the movie club,” said Matthew Zeitz (‘25).
Tino and the club members do face one challenge: choosing the movies. There are a ridiculous number of films out there, and narrowing it down to a handful to be watched during the year is extremely difficult. One important factor is finding out what types of movies will attract and entertain students the most. When asked about this Tino remarked that “the great thing about the club is that I want to watch every type of movie. Students will experience every genre, so they get a sense of various movies that have defined different eras of film.” It’s also important to have a balance of films that people have already seen as opposed to ones that are being introduced to them. Tino believes that at first people will come more often if they are watching a movie with which they are familiar, but the goal is to show films to which people might not otherwise have been exposed.
The club decided that the best way to choose movies would be to circulate a poll containing between four different movies from each major genre. This way, the options are curated to appeal to a large audience while also having more unique and obscure films included. If it were up to Tino, we would spend the year solely watching Chinatown, his favorite movie.
Tino doesn’t run the movie club all by himself, though: he credits Mr. G for agreeing to advise the club and his friend David Hahn for making the presentation that allowed the club to be created. After Tino and David graduate, the movie club will have to live on. “The interest in film for Edgemont students will only grow as time goes on, so I foresee the movie club not only continuing but growing as more and more people will want to discover classic films,” proclaimed Tino. I hope to be the heir to Tino’s “movie club throne” for the 24-25 school year. The movie club may not change the world but it will give you a moment to stop thinking about school and immerse yourself in the beautiful world of cinema.
Lastly, Tino shared, “I want people to have a sense of how all of these films relate to one another, but first and foremost I want people to have a good time while learning something about movies in the process.”