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At last, we hope to finally understand<\/span><\/a> what the Art Film Foundation<\/strong> (AFF) has in mind for solidifying and expanding the Art Theater<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\u2019s service to the Champaign-Urbana<\/strong> community as its first executive director, Porsh\u00e9 R. Garner, Ph.D.<\/strong>, settles into her role. A few weeks after announcing her hiring, AFF will host an introductory session with Dr. Garner at the Art later tonight, Wednesday, September 26, 7:30 p.m.<\/strong>, for the public to get to know her better and watch her personal film favorite, the Tribeca-MGM<\/strong> television production HOLIDAY HEART<\/strong> (2000) starring Ving Rhames, Alfre Woodard<\/strong>, and Mykelti Williamson<\/strong>, directed by Robert Townsend<\/strong> (THE FIVE HEARTBEATS<\/strong>), and adapted by award-winning dramatist<\/span><\/a> and University of Illinois<\/span><\/strong> alumna<\/span><\/a> Cheryl L. West<\/strong> (Pullman Porter Blues<\/span>, Akeelah and the Bee<\/span><\/strong>) from her own play. Its story, about an aging drag queen named Holiday Heart (Rhames) who becomes a friend and surrogate parent to neighboring teen Niki Dean (Jesika Reynolds<\/strong>) as her mother Wanda (Woodard) falls back into a drug-addled lifestyle, features a central protagonist in Niki whom Dr. Garner can emphasize with, according to e-mail announcements from AFF.<\/p>\n Previously, Dr. Garner worked for a decade with Saving Our Lives, Hear Our Truths<\/span><\/strong><\/a> (SOLHOT), an empowering collective that teaches African-American girls in C-U to use the arts to explore their realities and possibilities, and recently earned her doctorate in Education Policy Studies<\/strong> and graduate minor in Gender and Women\u2019s Studies<\/strong><\/span><\/a> from UIUC. The screening will be followed by a discussion session when she will presumably talk about the film, her work at AFF, and future initiatives. Attendees have the opportunity to \u201cmatch their admission\u201d whether they buy tickets on-line or at the front counter of the Art, in essence doubling the ticket price and donating the upcharge or more to the non-profit. May everyone have a good first night with Dr. Garner; we\u2019ll always pull for our favorite little movie house to provide the best in quality programming at 126 W. Church St.<\/strong> in Champaign that engages and challenges us.<\/p>\n ~ Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n