Sunday was a warm day, even for Georgia, but especially for December. I spent the morning listening to beautiful music, the afternoon judging the annual Christmas parade, and the evening at a film screening of “Robot and Frank” hosted by the Macon Film Guild at the Douglass Theatre.

“Robot and Frank.”

“Robot and Frank” is a charming film set in a not-too-distant future where robot helpers work as servants for humanity. There is some debate about the morality of the practice, but the film only touches on it in passing.  The script focuses on Frank, an elderly man struggling with a failing memory. When his son delivers a robot companion, Frank is immediately skeptical, but over time, he comes to enjoy the companionship offered. The acting is top notch and the storyline doesn’t tread down the familiar line where the audience is left to struggle with questions about the nature of life. Instead, “Robot and Frank” is a remarkably human story about the struggles of growing old in a ever-changing world while trying to maintain the bonds of family.

Sitting in my seat enjoying some buttery popcorn, I watched as the theater filled to about half its capacity, and I wondered, “Why aren’t more people here?” Films are a booming industry, and though the market might be small, the population of central Georgia has the capacity to support “art house” films. The film guild screens films on Sundays at 2:00, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. with a discussion following the second screening. They offer plenty of options, and I don’t think the audience is diluted by it. If there was only one screening, I might not be able to make it to the show.

My theory is that there isn’t enough awareness of the Macon Film Guild’s film screening. People don’t know, but they need to know about great films being shown in Macon. These are films which originally ran on only a limited number of screens. Movies that don’t often make it to smaller markets like Macon. I believe the audience it here, and I’m calling on anyone reading this from central Georgia to spread the word. The Macon Film Guild is bringing these movies to Macon, but they need an audience filling the seats to watch them.

Share with your friends these upcoming film screenings by the Macon Film Guild:

• “Chicken with Plums” on January 13
• “Samsara” on January 22
• “The Sessions” on Feburary 10

All shows are at the Douglass Theatre at 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 each with a discussion of the film f0llowing the 4:30 p.m. showing.

Macon Film Guild:  www.maconfilmguild.org Douglass Theatre: 355 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Macon; 478-742-2000; www.douglasstheatre.org