Much more on this soon, but Tuesday’s meeting with LACMA director and CEO Michael Govan shed a bit of light on the state of the museum’s film program moving forward. The most heartening thing from my perspective, and likely for those who have a vested interest in the sort of current classical programming that underscores cinema’s position as a primary art form, was Govan’s unequivocal statement of belief that film was and is an art on par with the other collected and curated works of the museum, and that there was no inter-organizational opposition toward establishing a separate curatorial department for film.

Attending on behalf of the Save Film at LACMA grassroots campaign were site/petition organizers Debra Levine and Doug Cummings (far right), along with, from left, former Los Angeles Film Critics Association president Lael Loewenstein; Oscar-winning costume designer James Acheson; American Cinematheque Director of Publicity and Promotions Margot Gerber; Sony repertory executive Jared Sapolin; Shannon Kelley (kneeling), Head of Public Programs at the UCLA Film & Television Archive; yours truly, current president of LAFCA; DocFilms Programming Chair emeritus Kyle Westphal, and Michael Schlesinger (in sunglasses), a veteran film distribution and repertory programming executive.

For Govan’s perspective, and more on the museum’s announced “CineClub” endeavor, a $50 LACMA membership add-on that would give members priority ticketing and help them support a program they value deeply, click here. There’s also an op-ed in today’s Los Angeles Times which ably sketches out many of the particulars of the situation, but perhaps misstates things when it concludes: “Looking at Govan’s original decision, it’s clear the program wasn’t being canceled because elitists at LACMA don’t take film seriously; the bigger problem was that attendance had fallen by 50 percent. Ultimately, if the program is to succeed, it must attract patrons.” Knowing the numbers, that figure is a bit of an overstatement. And yes, money is key. But this isn’t a fight over patrons; big donor money is what it’s about. Underline that.