Los Medanos College students and faculty gathered in the crowded lobby at Maya Cinemas last Friday, Jan. 23 to check-in for the special Spring Movie Matinee screening of “Selma” hosted by Student Life. Everyone was checked-in but had to wait for someone to show up with the actual tickets. While waiting, students talked with one another about what they thought the movie would entail.

“We are happy with the turn out,” said Student Life Coordinator Demetria Lawrence.

Although the confirmation email sent out to the people who reserved seats online stated an 11:30 a.m. check-in time, most people showed up at 12 p.m.

After ten minutes, free food and drink vouchers for the first 50 people who signed up online were given out.

After everyone had been given their tickets, people began to fill the seats in the auditorium. Unlike the “Book of Life” screening, there were many seats left available even though the event was sold out, according to the college’s site.

The feelings of the viewers were shown through their reactions to certain scenes. Some people covered their eyes, some people jumped in their seats. Gasps, sobbing and occasional laughter was heard throughout the film. Some people made comments about certain scenes.

In the last 15 minutes of the film, there was a buzzing noise that seemed to distract audience members. At first, people seemed confused, then audience began to complain. There were no theater workers in the room at the time. The noise stopped after a few minutes and the angry comments subsided.

When the movie was over, people applauded but remained seated. As people were leaving the auditorium, a theater worker thanked people for coming. Afterward, attendees either stood outside the bathroom, in the lobby or outside the theater and discussed the most impressive scenes and expressed their feelings of anger, sadness and inspiration to get more involved in social justice issues.

“I thought it was great. Didn’t feel sappy or ‘Oscar baity,’ at least not compared to other historical dramas,” said PTEC student Daniel Justo-Sanchez.

“The movie was a real inspiration to me because I actually saw how much of a struggle our ancestors went through for us young African Americans today,” said LMC student Erika Pree.