My heart is incredibly heavy tonight. My thoughts have been with Colorado all day, and I just can't shake this horrible feeling in my gut. I can only imagine what the survivors, witnesses, families, friends, and all those affected by the horrific theatre shooting must be feeling.
I have always been a film lover. The theatre has held a special place in my heart for a long, long time. As a film student, it's where I found inspiration and hope. It was a classroom of sorts. It was an escape. From life, stress, heartache. It was more than simply sitting and watching a screen, it was an experience. It's where I learned, admired, cried, and laughed. To me, the theatre is more than just a theatre... it feels a little bit like home. It's where magic happens.
A couple of years ago, I had the unbelievable honor of attending the premiere for Inception. As I was walking down an aisle in Grauman's Chinese, Christopher Nolan bumped into me. For someone who studied film, Mr. Nolan is a hero... and the fact that he was standing right in front of me was completely surreal. I told him what his work meant to me and that it was an honor to be there. I told him I studied film in college and that the theater was my happy place. He took my hand, gave it a squeeze, and said in the most heartfelt way, "Well then, dear... welcome home." It's a moment I will never, ever forget.
I'm heartbroken and angered that evil tried to ruin a home today. A place that brings joy and wonder. A place where imaginations come to life. A place where people gather, spend time with each other, and share a strong, common bond - a love for the movies. For art. For expression. For stories. A place that is now filled with tragedy, grief, loss, and fear. Innocence was taken today. Lives were lost. Sweet, innocent, unassuming people walked into a movie theatre, filled with excitement and anticipation, and now they are gone from this world. A gathering place, now tainted by evil, terror, and violence.
For all of these things, I grieve today.
"I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me." - Christopher Nolan
(photo)
a broken home.
July 20, 2012
I was extremely saddened, angered and disappointed in the human race today reading that news. I feel the same way about the theater as you - how terrible to bring horror into such a wonderful, happy place. My heart goes out to all those people in Colorado.
ReplyDeleteGrieving with you, Kelly Ann. <3
That was a sweet post on a horrible tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that it happened, and I feel really bad for everyone that was hurt by this. I mean, it's so shocking. So sad.
i still cannot believe that this has happened. and as a lover of film and the theater, i totally relate to this. so beautifully well-written, my friend.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter went to a midnight showing in our town and I can't stop thinking of the Mom's who lost their children to something you would never suspect. This is a beautiful tribute in their honor.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Denton
your words. my God. you say it better than i can.
ReplyDeletei still can't believe this happened, i don't want to believe this happened, but i'm praying for everyone involved. even the killer himself. thank you for this.
I wish you could say this to the guys face who did it. so sad but beautifully written. xo! kelly-christine.com
ReplyDeleteWell said, Kelly Ann. It's absolutely heart breaking to think that there are people out there who would cause such terror and hurt innocent people.
ReplyDeleteThis made me tear up. I don't understand what happened in Colorado. How does someone do something like that? It just makes me sense.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is broken with you. The movie theater has always been a safe, joyful place for my family and I...this is devastating.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a crazy weekend since I am on vacation in Denver and was DOWN THE STREET from the shooting when the madness happened. The city is hurting and people are still in shock.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely share in your grief. Going to the movies was always a treat for me growing up and it's a place my fiance and I regular to spend time together. Now I can't help but have a sinking feeling in my gut when I think about seeing a movie. We should never have to feel unsafe in a place where we can shake off our worries - even if for a couple of hours - and let our imaginations run wide open. My heart goes out to these people and their families.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. The movies are pure magic to me, and it's heartbreaking that someone would do this.
ReplyDeletethat quote from christopher nolan gave me chills.
ReplyDeletemy heart is heavy too. I know justice will be done to that man. ugh. it's just horrible what he did.
When you say the theater is like "home" to you, I could not agree more. Although I have never studied film formally, going to the movies has always been absolutely magical to me. I have always been that person that would escape to see a showing in the middle of the day. Typically alone as a sort of mental health day date. This is all unimaginable, and although I would be lying to you if I didn't feel some hesitation just thinking about my next trip to the movies, I think we would all be doing an incredible disservice by letting this single, horrible, act of violence, destroy something so beautiful. I think this tragedy has taken enough already. My heart is with these poor families that are enduring such incredible pain right now and I hope that we can unite in an act of courage as we move forward.
ReplyDeleteYour fellow cinema lover,
B.
That Girl in Pearls
every single word of this post expresses exactly my heart as well. films and going to see them have always provided a tremendous sense of comfort, joy and growth for me and it saddens me deeply that evil had to taint a place of refuge for so many of us and that lives were lost and broken in the process.
ReplyDeletexo,
andrea
Your Christopher Nolan moment is precious. How incredible.
ReplyDeletewow. this post is amazingly beautiful covering the thought of something tragic. i too grieve for the families that lost their children, spouses, and maybe even parents. it sadenes my heart that someone would want to do such a terrible thing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your words, Kelly Ann - completely. This whole horrific event is hard to even think about and my heart has been heavy too. Unimaginable.
ReplyDeleteI love Mr. Nolan's words as well (and that's super sweet what he said to you when you met him.)
xo
cortnie
Oh, this post brought tears to my eyes. My heart is still hurting for all those victims and their loved ones.
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet words though that Mr. Noaln said to you.