December, 2016: a few weeks into Moonlight’s theatrical run. The typical post-trailer pre-movie banter diminishes as the lights in the theater dim. The screen remains dark a little longer than most audiences are comfortable with. The usual spotlights of 20th Century Fox or Universal Studios’ grandois globe don’t present the film. Instead, the sound of waves rise into the space along with a Baris Gardiner pop ballad. A few darting white lines finally break the darkness, eventually forming into a letter and two numbers. For students like Cole Jackson, Moonlight was their first introduction to A24. 

“I didn’t know anything about A24 at the time. It was a time when I didn’t know about film, but I thought Moonlight was amazing,” Cole said. “I looked it up and I discovered from reading about it that it was distributed by A24, but I didn’t really know what that meant.”

Now, three years later, Cole is one of A24’s college interns; the entertainment company launched their internship program last year. A24 develops, produces, markets and distributes films and TV shows such as “Moonlight,” “Lady Bird,” “Eighth Grade,” “Euphoria,” “Ramy” and “Hereditary.” While these vary greatly in genre and plot, they all hold a unique storytelling quality. They all could fit under the “arthouse” umbrella, but A24 also manages to find a home for them with wider audiences.

“A24, to me, is a very special voice in the world of cinema, consistently releasing films which are both accessible and artistic,” Cole said. “They’ve created countless films which I honestly consider modern classics and I am very excited to help bring A24 to campus.”

While these movies are often notable and highly-regarded within the entertainment industry, many students may have missed them while in theaters. 

“Now I have the opportunity to share these films and hopefully people can enjoy them as much as I do,” Cole said. 

A24 will bring events, advance screenings of films, and screenings of their older classics like Moonlight all free of charge. Vandy students will have the opportunity to see movies before anyone else, even ones they never knew about beforehand. Cole believes that Vanderbilt has a particular ear for film in its status as a university and its location in Nashville.

“Vandy is in a unique position where the film world here should be stronger,” Cole said, “We have a small but mighty film program. We have programs like Vandy in Hollywood. We have the Belcourt.”

All of these factors make Vanderbilt an optimal place for A24 to share their movies and TV shows. The company, like many, are seeing that campuses like Vandy are at the forefront of culture. Students across the country are pushing art and entertainment forward, so why not expose them to some of the best films and filmmakers the world has to offer?

A24 is already bringing a whole slate of events on campus and at the Belcourt, starting with a free screening of The Last Black Man in San Francisco through Vanderbilt’s International Lens program in Sarratt Cinema. You can RSVP for the screening here (rumor has it they’re giving out merchandise out at the door).  You can check out the A24 at Vanderbilt facebook group here.

A24 Event Schedule:

The Last Black Man in San Francisco — September 12, 7:30, Sarratt Cinema (RSVP above)

Good Time — December 5, 7:30, Sarratt Cinema