Every Wednesday at 2pm, Gavilan College professor Grant Richards welcomes community members to watch movies they typically can’t see in local theaters.
Hosted at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse, his “Afternoon with Grant” series has screened about 640 films since its inception, drawing movie lovers looking for content beyond Hollywood’s mainstream offerings. The weekly series combines foreign and contemporary American films with the kind of pre-screening context and post-film discussion that transforms casual viewing into cinematic education.
“They want to see things that they can’t typically see,” Richards said. “Foreign films go over very well because we typically have very few or maybe no foreign films shown locally.”
Richards, who serves as Film and Television Program Lead at Gavilan College, follows a curated, seasonal approach to best match his film students’ class schedules, but any member of the public is free to attend the screenings. Fall semesters feature international cinema, while spring focuses on contemporary American films.
This fall’s international lineup showcases cinema from around the globe, with upcoming screenings including Britain’s “Chocolat” on Sept. 17, Germany’s “The Lives of Others” on Sept. 24, and Japan’s “Departures” on Oct. 1. Later in the semester, audiences can experience films from Iran (“A Separation”), Argentina (“Wild Tales”), and even Bhutan (“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom”). The season concludes with recent releases like Britain’s “We Live in Time” and Brazil’s “I’m Still Here.”
The format mirrors classic film presentation: Richards provides context before each screening, including informational handouts containing film trivia and production facts, then leads discussions afterward. Some post-screening conversations have run longer than the movies themselves.
“I remember years and years ago I showed ‘Singing in the Rain.’ We talked longer than the film ran,” Richards recalled. “No one’s obligated to stay, but very few people leave early.”
The program attracts dedicated followers, including a woman who drove from Oregon every week just to attend screenings. Groups often make social events of the experience, dining at local restaurants before heading to the playhouse.
“There are people who make an event of it,” Richards noted. “I know of many groups who come and have lunch at one of the local restaurants in Morgan Hill, and then come over and then watch the movie.”
Richards’ passion for cinema began at childhood, influenced by his father Jack Richards, who also taught film and creative writing. The elder Richards would bring 16-millimeter films home for family viewing, creating what Grant describes as “magical” experiences that shaped his lifelong love affair with movies.
“I have always loved movies and if I have a choice to watch anything other than a Warriors game, I’m watching a movie,” he said. “I just love them.”
That enthusiasm extends well beyond his Wednesday screenings. A prodigious filmmaker himself, Richards has directed multiple feature films, including documentaries and thrillers that have premiered locally at Cinelux theaters. His collaborative approach with students has produced films like “Do Not Disturb,” which premiered at Morgan Hill Cinelux in fall 2023.
The professor also coordinates two annual film competitions. The Christopher Foundation sponsors a 72-hour competition each January, while the Rich Firato Foundation backs a 10-day summer competition. Both award $2,500 to winners and have grown to attract participants from across the state.
Richards volunteers his time to make these events a reality, fueled by a passion to share the movies he loves, grow the filmmaking community, and help young artists develop their talents and make their own contributions to the industry.
“I’m doing this for the love of movies,” he put it simply.
Members of the public are invited to attend the weekly “Afternoon with Grant” screenings without advance registration. The biggest challenge is not logistics, but visibility: many potential attendees discover the program by accident.
“A lot of people say when they come in, ‘Oh, my gosh, I never even knew this was going on. I would have been coming for years if I had only known,’” Richards explained.
As streaming increasingly dominates home viewing, Richards champions the communal cinema experience, a social occasion that brings people together rather than something enjoyed in isolation.
“I don’t like the trend that more people are watching movies by streaming them at home and watching them often alone on something like their, you know, cell phone,” he said. “I want the big screen and I want the big sound and I want to talk about it with others afterwards. That’s what we get on Wednesdays.
“We’re going to watch good movies, some of them you’ve never seen, or maybe never even have heard of before, and they’re going to make you think and then we get to talk about them. That’s what I love.”
