By Raurie Laliberte
TAMPA, Fla.– Gabi Amador, a Florida native and sophomore at The University of Tampa, launched a new film club in the fall of 2024 to build a community around a shared love of cinema.
“Our mission is to promote the appreciation of film as an art form, provide a platform to explore the diverse world of film, and connect with the like-minded individuals who share a passion for cinema,” Amador said.
This club was inspired by Amador’s love for movies and film. Amador shared that she felt confused when she had her first semester at UTampa and found that there was no club for people who loved movies. Amador kept on the lookout for something to pop up, but after multiple attempts to find a similar club through InvolveUT, she realized that the university was missing this huge need. She decided to start it herself after much consideration.
“I hope that it can provide a more interest-based and fun environment away from the stress. No homework, no member dues, just a space where people can all talk about a shared interest,” said Amador when asked about what she felt like the club brought to campus and its mission.
The film club does many things in their meetings. An example of a film that the club has screened is Parasite (2019). This semester, one of the upcoming movies is The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Members participate in games like guessing the movie by the frame and unpopular opinions. This semester, what you can expect from the film club is a trip to AMC to see the Minecraft (2025) movie that the members voted on.
“The club surrounds me with people who love films just as much as I do,” said Jessilynn Davis, a member of the film club. “In my day-to-day life, I don’t often meet people like that, so it makes me feel less alone knowing that there are others who like films as much as I do (if not more).”
This speaks to the community the film club is giving the UTampa campus.
The film club offers a safe space for students on campus to meet others with similar interests and who share their love for cinema. With a variety of different types of meeting styles, fun games, and screenings, this club offers something for every student. On top of that, the community outings to local theaters also facilitate a space where students can see the greater Tampa Bay community and get to know the city they call home for nine months out of the year.
If you are a student who loves movies and is looking for another way to get involved on campus, the film club is a great place to go. You can get involved by joining their GroupMe that is on any of their flyers posted around campus or by following their Instagram, which is @utampafilmclub.
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Photo courtesy of Gabi Amador.