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January Cinema Gateway:

The Ivory Tower

a film by Andrew  Rossi
( followed by a discussion with the director and some of the film's interview subjects)

PLEASE NOTE THAT TONIGHT'S SCREENING OF THE IVORY TOWER HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO SATURDAY, JANUARY 31.

Saturday, January 31., 2015 at 7: 30 pm
Location:  Santa Monica Screening Room
Admission: $20.00
Parking: Street

About the Film:

Is it true that College is no longer the path to the "American Dream"but  the path to the "American Nightmare" due to college loans averaging between $50-$100K (or higher) per student. The average college students are indentured servants to college loans they will likely be paying for at least 10 years. And the bonus? No jobs! Our economy shed more than 8 million jobs since the 2008 economic crisis that won't return. Add to that fact there are more than 22 million college graduates (and counting) looking for jobs, your college degree is now for all intensive purposes - worthless. This documentary questions everything we've been told since our kids were in Kindergarten that a college degree is the path to success. This should be mandatory viewing for very college bound high school student.
This film gives an important overview of the issues that impact higher education currently. Institutions are expanding without proper adult supervision and communities and students are left paying for irresponsible decisions. Questions must be asked and explored and this documentary does an excellent job reviewing many of the issues. Every community with a college or university should view this film and use it as a tool to review what is going on within their educational community. Critical thinking, that much touted skill, should be used when thinking about higher education and this film can be one tool to use in the process.

About the Director:

Andrew Rossi is an American filmmaker. In 2011 he directed Page One: Inside the New York Times which was nominated for two News & Documentary Emmys and a 2011 Critics' Choice Award for Best Documentary. The film was co-distributed by Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media and grossed over $1 million at the domestic box office. His work has appeared on the History Channel, Sundance Channel, MTV Networks and HBO, including Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven which premiered on HBO in 2008.

In 2013 Mr.. Rossi was one of the first directors to be commissioned by CNN Films to develop feature length documentaries for theatrical and television distribution by CNN, including his next film about the transformation of higher education