I recently had the pleasure of attending the Detroit Loves Cinema event at the Detroit Institute of Arts. As a Challenge Detroit program fellow, we are invited to various cultural events throughout the year with Detroit Passport to the Arts and other local organizations.

For this specific event, the 2013 Academy Awards® Nominated Short Films were presented to a packed house at the DIA’s Detroit Film Theater. From the red carpet to Oscar-worthy shorts it really felt like the Academy Awards in the comfort of my own city. They aired about a dozen shorts films from all over the world made by small production houses to large ones like Disney. I thoroughly enjoyed this night of shorts, laughing and crying with everyone else in the theater over these silly, serious, and emotional films. The red carpet did not stop at the DIA but continued across Woodward to the after party at the recently renovated Detroit Historical Museum with awesome food and drink samples from local restaurants and live music. I have never seen this place so packed and so lively, warmed my heart. Such an incredibly classy red-carpet-night at the theater and wonderfully enjoyable after party put on by great organizations. I am happy to say Detroit loves cinema, and so do I.