‘Selma’ movie to be shown locally

Local moviegoers have been pushing for the historical drama ‘Selma’ to be shown in theaters, and that push has been successful.

Muriel Roberts said she wasn’t surprised to find out the film wasn’t going to be shown in the area.

“I could see why,” said Roberts, member of the Pocatello chapter of the NAACP. “Only 1 percent of our community is black. But it’s not just black people that care about it.”

Roberts said she started informing folks of how to contact the corporate offices of Carmike Cinemas, and said it was thanks to Dr. Bobbie Branch with the NAACP that the Reel Theatre booked the movie.

“I have had a few people, however, come in and ask me not to show it,” said Saundra Lewis, owner of the Reel Theater. “They feel it’s just rehashing the whole thing. I personally feel that it’s history, it’s important and that it should be shown.”

Why wasn’t it going to be shown here in the first place? The film company chose the locations where it would be screened and Chubbuck wasn’t on the list. So the Carmike Pineridge 10 is still looking into getting the movie shown here, but for now, the Reel Theatre has it confirmed for Feb. 6-12.

“You know, whenever we can bring something in that the community wants it’s great,” Lewis said. “It’s not always about the big blockbusters.”

Roberts said this movie will help educate about the past and where to go in the future.

“We’ve gotten a lot of improvements, but there’s a lot to be done yet,” said Roberts. “We really owe a lot to those people.”

The Reel Theatre says they’re planning on showing the movie for a week in February, which is also Black History Month. Lewis said if the turnout is high enough they may add more show times.

The Paramount 5 Theatre in Rexburg and the Centre Theater in downtown Idaho Falls also have show times available.