The New Orleans Film Society will screen “The Wiz” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Palmer Park. Admission is free, and there will be food and drinks sold during the screening.

The 1978 adaptation of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” directed by Sidney Lumet, stars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson as Dorothy and the Scarecrow, respectively. Playwright William F. Brown transformed the classic American story into one with both African-American background and culture. The musical first premiered in Baltimore in 1974 and was produced by Ken Harper, who had the original idea of replacing the all-white cast with an all-black one and catalyzed the wave of acceptance that would follow for black actors and actresses. The musical contains soulful, jazzy music, which makes New Orleans a perfect setting for this screening.   

The New Orleans Film Society, founded 26 years ago, organizes film events, screenings and festivals throughout the year. Each fall, the organization hosts its annual film festival, but promotes and holds many other events at local parks, museums and other venues within the city.More than 32,000 people attend those events yearly and, as Tulane students, it is important to take advantage of most of its programming, as the organization does much to enhance the New Orleans art scene and cultural perspectives. Living in a city like New Orleans, students should definitely take advantage of this opportunity to view this special movie in a place where its culture and history are relevant.