On Saturday, the feature length documentary "Route 66: The Main Street of America," will have a special screening at Springfield’s Gillioz Theatre.
From Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA, the documentary details the extensive stories shared by the various cities and communities, including Springfield, of the road’s historical significance then and now.
Per the Route 66 Centennial website, the veteran documentary filmmaker, John Paget, has extensively covered the Mother Road's local history since 1994. From the time he strapped a TV camera to a white 1969 Cadillac Coupe de Ville convertible hood for a cross-country roadtrip on the road to now, he has directed three documentaries on the road, including "Route 66: An American Odyssey," and "Route 66: Return to the Road with Martin Milner."
On Paget's filmaking website First Main Films, he reflected on his early experience of documenting his Route 66 films and their impact on him and the communities: "For me, it became a journey into the stories of hundreds of small towns, main streets, and unique proprietors struggling to survive against the onslaught of freeways and franchise blight. The documentaries I produced helped spark a Route 66 revival, luring travelers back to the Main Street of America, the Mother Road."
The event Saturday will feature a Q&A panel with the director and the participants from the feature. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the screening starts at 6:30.
For details, visit the gillioiztheatre.com