Cookeville Performing Arts Center and WCTE PBS will host the first screening of the new Ken Burns film, “American Revolution” Monday night.
President and CEO Avery Hutchins said the station hosts the screenings to promote community engagement and engaging discussion among local people. Hutchins said they invited Tennessee Tech professors to attend the event, ending with a question and answer segment.
“Ken really takes a deeper look into the community and how the roles of these communities played, so, you know, women for example, or the indigenous people, or black people, and what their roles were.”
Hutchins said the 12-hour documentary puts the American Revolution in a different light, describing the war as a difficult struggle rather than a glorious win. Hutchins said Burns has worked on this documentary for about 10 years.
Hutchins said the film comes in time for the 250th anniversary of the country.
“The timing in the film, I think it’s just going to be really incredible as we, you know, celebrate America and everything that it has, and has offered and is offering today.” Hutchins said.
Hutchins said these screenings allow a local perspective to the event. Hutchins said this allows her more insight on what Upper Cumberland residents see on screen.
We are still wanting explanations, we’re still wanting to know like how do we, like how do we do this,” Hutchins said. “We’re still asking those questions which I think is very very important in learning and growing and part of the reason we are who we are today.”
Hutchins said the organization will air two hours of the film at Monday night’s screening.