Department of Visual and Media Arts bright lights film series Spring 2018 Calendar Web: emerson.edu/brightlights /BrightLightsEmerson @BrightLightFilm BrightLightsEmerson All screenings are free and open to the public and start at 7:00 pm. Paramount Center 559 Washington Street Boston, MA One of Us explores the opaque world of Hasidic Judaism through a cadre of fascinating Mother! characters. Through unique and intimate access over the Good Time Tuesday, January 30 span of three years, acclaimed Mother! observational filmmakers on a mad descent into violence Heidi Ewing and Rachel and mayhem as he races against Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Grady (Jesus Camp, Detropia) the clock to save his brother and mystery/thriller, 121 minutes, delve into the lives of three himself, knowing their lives hang USA, 2017 brave individuals who have in the balance. Discussion led A couple’s relationship recently made the decision by VMA Affiliated Faculty Robert is tested when uninvited to leave the insular ultra- Ribera to follow. guests arrive at their home, orthodox community at the D disrupting their tranquil expense of all else, including existence. From filmmaker relationships with their family Thursday, February 8 Darren Aronofsky (Black members and—in one case— Loving Vincent Swan, Requiem for a Dream), their personal safety. With a Mother! stars Jennifer sensitive and compassionate Directed by Dorota Kobiela and Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed eye, One of Us chronicles the Hugh Welchman, animation/ drama, 94 minutes, UK/Poland, Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer achingly cinematic journey of 2017 in this riveting psychological people in search of a personal thriller about love, devotion, freedom that comes only at Loving Vincent is a stunning, and sacrifice. Discussion led a very high cost. Discussion fully painted animated feature, by VMA Associate Professor with alum editor JD Marlow starring Douglas Booth and Harlan Bosmajian and Director to follow. Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan that explores the life and of Religious and Spiritual Life W SJ EC & Campus Chaplain Harrison controversial death of Vincent Blum to follow. Tuesday, February 6 Van Gogh, told by his paintings and by the characters that inhabit F Good Time them. The intrigue unfolds Thursday, February 1 Directed by Josh and Bennie through interviews with the Safdie, drama/thriller, 101 characters closest to Vincent and One of Us minutes, USA, 2017 through dramatic reconstructions Directed by Heidi Ewing After a botched bank robbery of the events leading up to his and Rachel Grady, documentary, lands his younger brother death. Discussion led by VMA 95 minutes, USA, 2017, in prison, Constantine Nikas Professor Cher Knight to follow. English and Yiddish with (Robert Pattinson) embarks English subtitles W F D I on a twisted odyssey through New York City’s underworld Loving Vincent in an increasingly desperate- and dangerous-attempt to get his brother out of jail. Over the course of one adrenalized night, Constantine finds himself One of Us Tuesday, February 13 Key The Blind Boys of F Feminist (Bath Film Alabama: How Sweet Festival rating) the Sound Heroin(e) W Directed by women Directed by Leslie McCleave, documentary, 89 minutes, USA, Directed by Elaine McMillian POC Directed by or featuring 2016, English with subtitles Sheldon, documentary, 39 people of color minutes, USA, 2017 The Blind Boys of Alabama EC Emerson College first met in the 1930s at Once a bustling industrial community a segregated state-run town, Huntington, West D Dealing with vocational school and these Virginia, has become the disability issues friends since childhood epicenter of America’s modern I International cinema comprise the last of the great opioid epidemic, with an Gospel quartets. Combining overdose rate 10 times the LGBTQ Dealing with LGBTQ issues national average. This flood verite shot over 10 years SJ Social Justice cinema with current and archival of heroin now threatens this performances, the film Appalachian city with a cycle COM Comedy examines the past, present, of generational addiction, and future of the group. lawlessness, and poverty. About the “F-Rating” Discussion led by director and But within this distressed VMA Assistant Professor Leslie landscape, Sheldon highlights The F-rating was founded by Holly Tarquini at Bath three women working to McCleave to follow. This film Film Festival 2014, where will be presented with audio change the town’s narrative she wanted to highlight description for the vision and break the devastating films that feature prominent impaired. cycle of drug abuse one women both behind the person at a time. Fire Chief camera and in front of it. EC W POC SJ D Every film that ticks “yes” Jan Rader spends the majority to one of the following of her days reviving those questions receives the who have overdosed; Judge F-rating of approval: Patricia Keller presides over (1) Does it have a female drug court, handing down director? (2) Is it written by a woman? empathy along with orders; (3) Is/are there complex and Necia Freeman of Brown female characters on screen Bag Ministry feeds meals who exist in their own The Blind Boys of Alabama to the women selling their right (not simply there to bodies for drugs. As America’s support the male lead)? The F stands for feminist. opioid crisis threatens to tear Thursday, February 15 Feminism is: communities apart, Heroin(e) Heroin(e) “The belief that men and shows how the chain of women should have This screening will take compassion holds one town equal rights and place at 5:00 pm (instead together. Discussion led by opportunities.” We believe that feminism benefits of the usual Bright director to follow via Skype. Lights screening time of everyone. W SJ EC http://f-rated.org 7:00 pm) as she and her ragtag playmates fearlessly explore the utterly unique world into which they’ve been thrown. Unbeknownst to Moonee, however, her delicate fantasy is supported by the toil and sacrifice of Halley, who is forced to explore increasingly dangerous possibilities in order to provide for her daughter. The Killing of a Sacred Deer Discussion led by VMA Assistant Professor Korbett Matthews Tuesday, February 20 confronts Steven with a long- to follow. forgotten transgression that The Killing of a Sacred Deer F will shatter the Murphy family’s Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, domestic bliss. Discussion led by drama/thriller, 121 minutes, UK/ VMA Distinguished director in USA/ Ireland, 2017 Residence Regge Life to follow. Dr. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) F I is a renowned cardiovascular surgeon presiding over a Thursday, February 22 spotless household with his Free in Deed ophthalmologist wife Anna The Florida Project Tuesday, February 27 (Nicole Kidman) and their two Directed by Sean Baker, drama, exemplary children, 12-year-old 111 minutes, USA, 2017 Free in Deed Bob (Sunny Suljic) and 14-year- Set on a stretch of highway just Directed by Jake Mahaffy, drama, old Kim (Raffey Cassidy). Lurking outside the imagined utopia 100 minutes, USA, 2017 at the margins of his idyllic of Disney World, The Florida Set in the distinctive world of suburban existence is Martin Project follows six-year-old storefront churches, and based (Barry Keoghan), a fatherless Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) and on actual events, Free in Deed teen who Steven has covertly her rebellious mother Halley depicts one man’s attempts taken under his wing. As Martin (Bria Vinai) over the course of to perform a miracle. When a begins insinuating himself into a single summer. The two live single mother brings her young the family’s life in ever-more week to week at “The Magic boy to church for healing, this unsettling displays, the full Castle,” a budget hotel managed lonely Pentecostal minister is scope of his intent becomes by Bobby (Willem Dafoe), forced to confront the seemingly menacingly clear when he whose stern exterior hides a incurable illness of the child… deep reservoir of kindness and and his own demons as well. The compassion. Despite her harsh more he prays, the more things surroundings, the precocious seem to spiral out of his control. and ebullient Moonee has no Discussion led by producer trouble making each day a and VMA Assistant Professor Mike celebration of life, her endless S Ryan to follow. afternoons overflowing with mischief and grand adventure POC D EC The Florida Project Thursday, March 1 Lady Bird Co-sponsored by the MIT Women Take the Reel Series Directed by Greta Gerwig, drama/comedy, 94 minutes, USA, 2017 Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) Matters of Life fights against but is exactly and Death like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed Emerson Professor Robert Todd industry that has dominated mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse presents a selection of his the landscape of West working tirelessly to keep latest 16mm films in a program Virginia for over a century is her family afloat after Lady of cinematic poems that being replaced by natural Bird’s father (Tracy Letts) loses follow the changing tides of the gas. In the Hills and Hollows his job. Set in Sacramento, living world, and the shifting documents the lives of California, in 2002, amid a textures of both inner and outer rural West Virginians and rapidly shifting American light. Films containing both their communities, steeped economic landscape, Lady unity and distance: a space in history and heritage, Bird is an affecting look at the to come together as we stand responding to yet another relationships that shape us, (and walk) apart, a reflection uncertain future. Discussion the beliefs that define us, and of our fragmented worlds that with director and MFA the unmatched beauty of a seem to overlap, a shared candidate Keely Kernan to place called home. Discussion illusion of community, rendered follow.