Peter Barlow, freshman, got interested in film after seeing “Jurassic Park” as a child.

“The way it manipulated me was amazing,” Barlow said. “I even forgot about my spelling test the next day. It really takes you away from where you are.”

Because of his love of film, Barlow was thrilled to have the opportunity to present one of his favorite movies at the most recent Wednesday night screening hosted by the University

Film Organization.

Even though it’s set during a time period covered in many films, the Great Depression, “They Don’t Shoot Horses, Do They?” is different, according to Barlow.

“It’s very natural looking and timeless,” said Barlow. “It doesn’t have the same pretense other movies have.”

The movie, which came out in 1969, is about the dance marathons that took place in the Great Depression, where the winners were the last ones standing at the end of the night and they often took home a hefty sum of money.

“It shows what people had to go through,” said Barlow. “You see people falling apart in the name of this dream. You can’t distance yourself from what the characters are experiencing.”

Often times, this money was what saved the people from starvation and other hardships those in the Depression had to endure.

The movie, which stars Jane Fonda, has been nominated for an Academy Award nine times without being nominated for Best Picture, which, according to Barlow, is a record.

“It’s one of my favorite movies no one’s heard of,” said Barlow.

That’s exactly the point of the Wednesday night screenings the UFO puts on.

UFO brings together students who have a general interest in film, according to Sophomore Emily Berins, UFO treasurer.

“You don’t need to be a film or theater major to be a member,” said Berins.

UFO tries to fill in what the film program lacks.

“The film program doesn’t always help with films we’re making on our own,” said Berins.

Before this year, members were encouraged to bring films they had made or were working on to the meetings to get feedback from their peers.

Members are still encouraged to seek feedback about their movies from other members, but because UFO’s meetings are so short, there isn’t always time in the meetings. That’s part of where the Wednesday night screenings came from.

The original idea for these Wednesday night screenings started with Daniel Williams, an adviser the group had last year.

“He did a series of movies he thought were important,” said Berins.

The turnout, however, was small, so he turned the idea over to UFO.

Now, student members sign up to present a movie of their choice. The only requirement is that it should be “a movie [they] think is important that students wouldn’t see in film classes or at the theater,” said Berins.

Turnouts are still fairly small. According to Berins, the biggest turnout was about 20 people. Barlow’s screening, however, had an audience of three, including himself, but that won’t stop him from doing it again.

“I have to say I’m disappointed in the turnout, but the point was to show students a movie they wouldn’t see in class or in a theater,” she said. “Even though only two other people showed up, it got the job done.”