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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260418T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260418T213000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260408T172153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T172153Z
UID:10008693-1776538800-1776547800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Director's Spotlight: Age Group Winner
DESCRIPTION:In 1980 Jay Helgerson shocked the world\, becoming the first person to run a marathon a week for a year – each race completed in under three hours. For the last ten years\, his daughter\, filmmaker Alexandra Helgerson\, followed him with a camera in order to understand the eccentric man who raised her. What she gets are his projected anxieties\, his struggles with physical age and emotional distress\, all while he endlessly trains for the Boston Marathon. But as Jay trains\, the film is nearly derailed by Alexandra’s encounter with a life threatening illness. Ultimately\, AGE GROUP WINNER is an affirmation of the will to live. \nJoin us after the film for a discussion with the filmmakers: \nAlexandra Helgerson is a filmmaker\, actor and musician. She graduated from the University of California\, Berkeley\, where she played basketball her freshman year. After working in publishing in New York City\, she began a career in acting. Notable roles include Viola and Rosaline for the American Shakespeare Center\, Vivien in VIVIEN\, and Brynne in the horror-comedy HAPPY ENDING. AGE GROUP WINNER\, a ten year in the making cinema-verité documentary about her world record setting\, marathon running father\, is her directorial debut. A recent survivor of sarcoma\, Helgerson chronicles her experiences of love\, loss\, and desire on her debut album Halcyon Days\, to be released in the summer of 2026. \nJay Helgerson was born in Wichita\, KS and served in the U.S. Marine Corps before earning a degree in History at the University of California\, Berkeley. In 1980 he became the first person in the world to run 52 marathons in one year\, each in under 3 hours. His feat earned him a place in the Guiness Book of World Records. He trains daily in Portland’s Forest Park\, and at age 71 will run his 20th Boston Marathon in April of 2026. When not running\, Jay enjoys eating pizza\, reading the news\, and talking pop culture\, mostly with his three daughters and two granddaughters.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/directors-spotlight-age-group-winner/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260417T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260417T193000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260326T170000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T170000Z
UID:10008682-1776445200-1776454200@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Bending the Arc: The Journey Continues
DESCRIPTION:Global Spotlight: Partners in Health \nPartners In Health: The Journey Continues\nIn the 1980s\, Dr. Paul Farmer\, Dr. Jim Yong Kim\, activist Ophelia Dahl\, Todd McCormack\, and investor Thomas White began a movement that changed global health forever. Treating patients who had been abandoned by the health establishment\, they developed through Partners In Health (PIH) a community health model that saved millions of lives in the developing world. Their fight became a global battle in the highest halls of power for the right to health for all. Join PIH co-founder Todd McCormack\, their CEO Sheila Davis\, and Dr. Anatole Manzi to learn the challenges and opportunities for global health now and in the future. This event will begin at 5 pm with a pre-screening reception with PIH representatives. At 5:30 pm\, we will screen Bending the Arc\, the riveting documentary that shows how moral imagination\, strategy\, and sheer force of will can change the trajectory of the world. After the screening\, our panelists will discuss the film and their work followed by an audience Q&A. \nPANELISTS: \nDR. SHEILA DAVIS\nDr. Sheila Davis is Chief Executive Officer of Partners In Health (PIH)\, where she previously\nserved as Chief of Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Officer\, overseeing global clinical and operational programs. She led PIH’s response to the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic and has spent more than two decades advancing global health\, HIV/AIDS care\, and nursing leadership worldwide. A nationally recognized speaker and Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing\, she holds doctoral and graduate nursing degrees from the MGH Institute of Health Professions. \nTODD MCCORMACK\nTodd McCormack is a co-founder of Partners In Health and has supported the organization\nsince meeting Paul Farmer at Duke University in 1978. He serves on PIH’s Board of Trustees\nand Board of Directors\, where he focuses on stewarding partnerships and mobilizing resources to advance the organization’s mission\, and chairs the Governance and Nominating Committee. A Senior Corporate Vice President at IMG\, he has been a pioneer in digital media strategy and continues to advise and invest in emerging media ventures. \nDR. ANATOLE MANZI\nDr. Anatole Manzi is a global health leader advancing equity and excellence in healthcare\ndelivery and serves as Cluster Lead for Capacity Strengthening & Professional Development at the University of Global Health Equity’s LEAP Center. He previously served as Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Partners In Health\, leading multi-country strategies to improve clinical quality and care systems. Born and raised in Rwanda\, he holds academic appointments at Harvard Medical School\, the University of Global Health Equity\, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital\, grounding his work in social justice and accompaniment.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/bending-the-arc-the-journey-continues/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260315T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260315T220000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260312T160635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260312T160635Z
UID:10008662-1773597600-1773612000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:West Newton Cinema Oscars Party
DESCRIPTION:Strike a pose at our red carpet photo booth\, enjoy a dinner buffet by Anoush’ella\, and settle in to watch the Awards with fellow film lovers. A cash bar will be available throughout the evening. Film critic Ty Burr will serve as MC\, sharing commentary\, predictions\, and reactions as the night unfolds. \nBe sure to cast your ballot in our Oscars poll. The guest with the most correct predictions will win a Golden Ticket\, granting free admission to West Newton Cinema movies and events throughout 2026.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/west-newton-cinema-oscars-party/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260312T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260312T210000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260304T165417Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T165417Z
UID:10008654-1773340200-1773349200@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Ty Burr's Movie Club: The Holdovers
DESCRIPTION:From acclaimed director Alexander Payne\, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually\, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged\, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook\, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). \nTY BURR’S MOVIE CLUB is hosted by the nationally recognized film critic Ty Burr. \nEach month Ty presents and discusses one of his favorite films with the audience. His selections span the spectrum from classics that have stood the test of time to contemporary films that merit a second viewing.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/ty-burrs-movie-club-the-holdovers/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T150000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260219T161308Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T161308Z
UID:10008627-1772368200-1772377200@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: Hoosiers with Brad Stevens
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE FILM:\nA coach with a checkered past and a local drunk train a small town high school basketball team to become a top contender for the championship. \nPANEL DISCUSSION FOLLOWS \nBRAD STEVENS\nBrad Stevens is the President of Basketball Operations for the NBA’s Boston Celtics\, a position he has held since June 2021\, where he built the 2024 NBA championship team. A former standout college coach at Butler University—leading them to two consecutive NCAA Championship games in 2010 and 2011—he previously served as the Celtics’ head coach for eight seasons (2013–2021). \nDAN SHAUGHNESSY\nDan Shaughnessy is a sports columnist and associate editor at the Boston Globe. He has been named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year 14 times and 12 times has been voted one of America’s top ten sports columnists by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In 2016 Shaughnessy was the recipient of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award for “meritorious contributions to baseball writing\,” presented at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown\, New York. Shaughnessy has written thirteen books\, including New York Times bestseller “Francona\,” “The Curse of the Bambino\,” and “Senior Year.” He most recently wrote “Wish It Lasted Forever — Life With The Larry Bird Celtics”\, a book about his days covering the 1980s Bird Celtics.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-hoosiers-with-brad-stevens/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260222T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260222T153000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260211T160153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T160153Z
UID:10008620-1771765200-1771774200@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: All God's Children
DESCRIPTION:In an unprecedented attempt to heal centuries of racism and antisemitism\, and combat the rising racial and ethnic tension in their Brooklyn communities\, the largest reform synagogue and the oldest black Baptist Church attempt to unite their congregations and bring about peace\, by becoming family. Shot over five years by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ondi Timoner\, ALL GOD’S CHILDREN follows her sister\, activist Rabbi Rachel Timoner\, and her Congregation Beth Elohim’s partnership with Reverend Dr. Robert Waterman of Antioch Baptist Church as their faith is put to the test\, and both congregations struggle not to let their differences drive them apart. Though it’s a fraught partnership\, they refuse to walk away\, no matter how hard it gets\, and ultimately emerge with an inspiring model for how other communities might build bridges across religious\, economic and class divides to foster enduring\, powerful partnerships. \nPANEL DISCUSSION FOLLOWS \nREVEREND ELIJAH GIPSON-DAVIS\nThe Rev. Elijah Gipson-Davis\, a native of Riverdale\, Georgia\, was ordained into the Gospel ministry at the New Macedonia Baptist Church. An anointed preacher\, talented scholar\, and skilled administrator\, he currently serves as the Minister of Administration and Assistant to the Pastor at the Myrtle Baptist Church of West Newton\, Massachusetts. Rev. Elijah shares academic interests in religion\, specifically African American and North American religious history\, gender and sexuality\, congregational studies\, Christian education\, and liturgics. \nRABBI TIFERET BERENBAUM\nRabbi Tiferet Berenbaum received Rabbinic Ordination and a Master’s in Jewish Education from Hebrew College in 2013\, after spending a year in Israel as part of her studies. Rav Tiferet served congregations in Milwaukee\, WI and Mt. Holly\, New Jersey\, then returned home to Boston and TBZ in 2019. Always desiring to continue to learn\, she is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership at Lesley University in Cambridge\, MA. \nMODERATED BY: JAYMIE SAKS\nJaymie is the Director of Development at 2LifeCommunities and served for more than a decade as executive director of Boston Jewish Film (BJF) and was chief operating officer of the Jewish Women’s Archive.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-all-gods-children/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260219T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260211T160248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T160248Z
UID:10008619-1771527600-1771533000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Night Fight
DESCRIPTION:Night Fight is a hybrid documentary\, nonfiction framed with creative\, cinematic storytelling directed and edited by Khary Saeed Jones. The film emerges from a harrowing incident in 2017 when Jones was followed by a racist vigilante along back roads in rural Canada. Over time\, that encounter cast a long shadow over his life\, prompting a deep\, introspective journey to understand not just what happened\, but how it shaped him. \nRather than a conventional documentary\, Night Fight weaves together Jones’s personal reflections\, self-portrait video fragments\, and interviews with academics\, artists\, and writers about racial violence\, memory\, and psychological impact. The narrative oscillates between the literal journey back to the site of the incident and an emotional\, internal journey toward meaning and healing. \nDescribed as a candid\, nuanced\, and deeply personal film\, Night Fight confronts systemic and interpersonal racial violence and discrimination. It engages with the challenge of sharing an internal reality that is both singular and emblematic of broader collective experiences. \nJoin us for a post-film discussion with the filmmaker Khary Jones. \nKhary Saeed Jones is an award-winning filmmaker\, editor\, and Professor of the Practice in Drama\, Film\, and Performance Studies at Tufts University\, where he teaches screen storytelling and mentors students in both documentary and scripted projects. Jones holds an MFA in Film Directing and an MA in English from Columbia University\, as well as a BA in English from Morehouse College.\nHis work as a writer-director explores the tensions between fiction\, memory\, and lived experience\, and has screened at major festivals and cultural venues including Sundance\, SXSW\, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York\, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival\, and ICA Boston.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/night-fight/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260215T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260215T163000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260211T160334Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T160334Z
UID:10008618-1771164000-1771173000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Mary Pickford's Sparrows: Live Music Accompaniment
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a screening of Mary Pickford’s\, SPARROWS (1926) with live musical accompaniment. \nABOUT THE FILM:\nMolly\, the eldest child at a baby farm hidden deep in a swamp\, must rescue the others when their cruel master decides that one of them will be disposed of. \nLIVE MUSIC\nBRUCE VOGT\nBruce Vogt is a Canadian pianist who has devoted a distinguished career to performing and teaching. He has toured cities and towns of all sizes throughout North America\, Europe\, and Asia as a soloist and chamber musician. He has mentored generations of young artists in his role as professor of piano at the University of Victoria\, and has lectured widely\, leading master classes\, workshops\, and adjudicating for festivals. \nBruce has sustained an interest in exploring the many conversations to be found between music and film\, literature and painting. This has evolved into an unusual side hustle: improvising accompaniments for the great films of the silent era. He has developed a robust career in this multimedia sphere bringing sound to many masterpieces — by Chaplin\, Keaton\, Lloyd\, Griffith\, Sjöström\, Von Sternberg and many others. In movie theaters across Europe\, Asia\, and North America\, he has provided for audiences a greater intimacy with these films\, transforming the silence of the medium into another sphere.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/mary-pickfords-sparrows-live-music-accompaniment/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260208T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260208T153000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260114T152843Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T152843Z
UID:10008580-1770555600-1770564600@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: Sinners
DESCRIPTION:SINNERS is a genre-defying period horror drama written and directed by Ryan Coogler\, set in 1932 Mississippi during the Jim Crow era. The story follows twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore\, portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in dual roles\, who return to their hometown to open a juke joint for the local Black community\, only to find that an ancient\, supernatural evil threatens their celebration and their lives. The film blends Southern Gothic\, blues music\, historical memory\, and supernatural horror\, creating a richly layered narrative about community\, survival\, and cultural expression. \nPOST SCREENING PANEL DISCUSSION\nOur panel will explore the film’s fusion of music\, history\, and horror\, considering how SINNERS engages with African-American cultural traditions\, the symbolic role of blues music in confronting evil\, and the artistic choices that make the film a singular cinematic experience. \nJAKE BLOUNT\, A.M.\nMusician\, Scholar\, and Music Consultant on SINNERS;\nSpecialist in Traditional African-American Music and Afrofuturism\nJake Blount is an award-winning musician and scholar whose work bridges performance\, research\, and advocacy. He specializes in African-American traditional music and Afrofuturist approaches\, and his recordings have appeared on best-of lists from NPR\, The New Yorker\, and Rolling Stone. Blount served as a music consultant on SINNERS and his work often interrogates the cultural and historical roots of American music. \nJOEL LARUE SMITH\, Ph.D.\nAssociate Teaching Professor\, Tufts\, Pianist\, Composer\, Arranger\nJoel LaRue Smith has been the Director of the Tufts Jazz Orchestra (formerly the Big Band) and Jazz Activities at Tufts University since 1996. He is also a pianist and composer known for moving seamlessly between jazz\, classical\, gospel\, and Afro-Cuban repertoire. He has performed globally at venues including Carnegie Hall\, Lincoln Center\, and the Royal Albert Hall\, and has received numerous awards including ASCAP’s distinguished George and Ira Gershwin Award. \nBILL LOWE\, Ph.D.\nComposer\, Performer\, Educator; Leader of Signifyin’ Natives\nBill Lowe is a distinguished bassist trombonist\, tuba player\, composer\, and educator with decades of experience in creative music. His ensemble Signifyin’ Natives explores African-American musical traditions through improvisation and collaboration\, and Lowe has performed and taught extensively throughout the United States and internationally.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-sinners/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260207T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260207T183000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260107T152223Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T152223Z
UID:10008574-1770480000-1770489000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:An Evening with John Sayles
DESCRIPTION:West Newton Cinema Reads & Newtonville Books present: \nThe iconic filmmaker John Sayles reading from and discussing his new novel\, The Crucible\, along with his classic film\, City of Hope\, with Here & Now’s Robin Young. \nJoin director John Sayles as he reads from his new novel\, The Crucible\, following a screening of his riveting film\, City of Hope (1991). \nIn The Crucible\, Henry Ford—the Elon Musk of his day—aims to rule both an automotive empire and the rambunctious city of Detroit. In an epic tale ranging from the Prohibition Era to the Second World War\, featuring violent labor disputes\, misbegotten jungle expeditions\, a tragic race riot\, and the gestapo tactics of Ford’s private army\, Sayles does what he’s become famous for: shows us\, through multiple perspectives\, the country in which we live. \nIn City of Hope\, an old apartment complex stands in the way of a major commercial development. Its owner\, Joe\, feels pressure to torch it\, and Joe’s estranged son\, Nick\, soon becomes a pawn in the game. Following the arrest of two teenagers\, idealistic city councilman Wynn finds himself torn between what he thinks is right\, and what his Black constituents want. \nSayles and Young will walk us through this incredible cast of characters and the themes that make both The Crucible and City of Hope so crucial to understanding our current moment. Their talk will follow with a signing in the lobby\, with books for sale courtesy of Newtonville Books. \nJohn Sayles is an independent filmmaker\, screenwriter\, actor\, and novelist. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay\, and once for the National Book Award. He has written eight novels\, including\, most recently\, Jamie MacGillivray and To Save the Man. \nRobin Young is a host of Here and Now\, the nationally syndicated radio program produced by WBUR. A Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker\, Robin has been a correspondent for ABC\, CBS\, NBC\, and the Discovery Channel. She is a former guest host of The Today Show and one of the first hosts on Boston’s ground-breaking television show\, Evening Magazine.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/an-evening-with-john-sayles/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T153000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260114T153139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260114T153139Z
UID:10008578-1769950800-1769959800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: The Testament of Ann Lee
DESCRIPTION:From award-winning writer-director Mona Fastvold (The World to Come\, The Brutalist) comes the extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee\, founder of the devotional sect known as the Shakers. Academy Award nominee Amanda Seyfried stars as the Shaker’s irrepressible leader\, who preached gender and social equality and was revered by her followers. The Testament of Ann Lee captures the ecstasy and agony of her quest to build a utopia\, featuring more than a dozen traditional Shaker hymns reimagined as rapturous movements with choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux) and original songs & score by Academy Award winner Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist). \nPANEL DISCUSSION FOLLOWS\nA post-screening conversation will explore the film’s portrayal of Ann Lee and Shaker spirituality\, with particular attention to women’s religious leadership\, utopian community-building\, and the historical contexts of dissenting Protestant movements in the Atlantic world. \nCHRISTOPHER H. EVANS\, Ph.D.\nProfessor Emeritus of History of Christianity & Methodist Studies\, Boston University School of Theology\nChristopher Evans teaches and writes on the history of Christianity\, American religion\, and Methodist history\, with additional interests in religion and popular culture. His books include The Social Gospel in American Religion and Histories of American Christianity: An Introduction. \nANN D. BRAUDE\, Ph.D.\nSenior Lecturer on American Religious History; Director\, Women’s Studies in Religion Program\, Harvard Divinity School\nAnn Braude’s scholarship focuses on American religious history with an emphasis on women and minority religious movements. She is the author of Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women’s Rights in Nineteenth-century America and is widely known for her work on the centrality of women to American religious history. \nMARGARET LAMBERTS BENDROTH\, Ph.D.\nHistorian of American Protestantism; former Executive Director\, Congregational Library & Archives (Boston)\nMargaret Lamberts Bendroth is a historian of American religion and the author of FUNDAMENTALISM AND GENDER\, 1875 TO THE PRESENT and other works on Protestant history. She served for many years as Executive Director of the Congregational Library & Archives.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-the-testament-of-ann-lee/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T210000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260107T154605Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T154605Z
UID:10008562-1769540400-1769547600@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Among Neighbors
DESCRIPTION:2026 Special Event DCP with Filmmaker Q&A intended for screenings on or around International Holocaust Remembrance Day | January 27\, 2026 \nABOUT THE SPECIAL EVENT\nThe Special Event Q&A includes a brief pre-recorded introduction by filmmaker Yoav Potash\, and an in-depth post-film Q&A compilation that reveals the fascinating making-of stories –– as well as the ongoing controversy –– behind this critically-acclaimed film. The Q&A compilation was filmed live at sold-out screenings in New York\, Los Angeles\, and the San Francisco Bay Area\, lending a special event feel to the content. \nFILM SYNOPSIS\nUsing beautiful hand-drawn animation to bring the past to life\, “Among Neighbors” investigates the story of a small\, rural town where the longstanding peace between Jewish and Polish neighbors was shattered by World War II. Now\, in an era where difficult truths about the past are being silenced for political gain\, the film focuses on the only living Holocaust survivor from the town\, and an aging eyewitness who saw Jews murdered there – six months after the Nazis were defeated. Produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Yoav Potash (“Crime After Crime\,” Sundance Film Festival)\, “Among Neighbors” is an evocative and heart-pounding murder mystery with urgent political relevance.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/among-neighbors/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260125T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260125T160000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20260107T154731Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T154731Z
UID:10008560-1769349600-1769356800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Keaton and Chaplin: Live Music Accompaniment
DESCRIPTION:Join us for screenings of Buster Keaton’s\, THE GENERAL (1926)\, and Charlie Chaplin’s\, THE IMMIGRANT (1917) with live musical accompaniment. \nABOUT THE FILMS:\nTHE GENERAL\, Buster Keaton-\nAfter being rejected by the Confederate military\, not realizing it was due to his crucial civilian role\, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized by Union spies and return it through enemy lines. \nTHE IMMIGRANT\, Charlie Chaplin-\nCharlie is an immigrant who endures a challenging voyage and gets into trouble as soon as he arrives in America. \nLIVE MUSIC\nBRUCE VOGT\nBruce Vogt is a Canadian pianist who has devoted a distinguished career to performing and teaching. He has toured cities and towns of all sizes throughout North America\, Europe\, and Asia as a soloist and chamber musician. He has mentored generations of young artists in his role as professor of piano at the University of Victoria\, and has lectured widely\, leading master classes\, workshops\, and adjudicating for festivals. \nBruce has sustained an interest in exploring the many conversations to be found between music and film\, literature and painting. This has evolved into an unusual side hustle: improvising accompaniments for the great films of the silent era. He has developed a robust career in this multimedia sphere bringing sound to many masterpieces — by Chaplin\, Keaton\, Lloyd\, Griffith\, Sjöström\, Von Sternberg and many others. In movie theaters across Europe\, Asia\, and North America\, he has provided for audiences a greater intimacy with these films\, transforming the silence of the medium into another sphere.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/keaton-and-chaplin-live-music-accompaniment/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260108T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260108T210000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251231T145715Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251231T145715Z
UID:10008555-1767897000-1767906000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Ty Burr's Movie Club: Her
DESCRIPTION:TY BURR’S MOVIE CLUB is hosted by the nationally recognized film critic Ty Burr. \nEach month Ty presents and discusses one of his favorite films with the audience. His selections span the spectrum from classics that have stood the test of time to contemporary films that merit a second viewing. \nABOUT THE FILM:\nIn the near future\, a lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system designed to meet his every need.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/ty-burrs-movie-club-her/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251218T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251218T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251203T163627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251203T163627Z
UID:10008516-1766084400-1766089800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Director's Spotlight: Drink and Be Merry
DESCRIPTION:ABOUT THE FILM\nSet at a struggling New York dive bar in the days approaching Christmas\, 2019\, Chet (Jefferson White)\, a beleaguered bartender in a state of extended arrested development\, must balance taking care of his difficult regulars\, who have nowhere else to go\, and rely on him for far more than pouring drinks\, with his naive desire to muster some Christmas Spirit. \nQ&A FOLLOWS THE SCREENING \nADAM VOLERICH\nFilmmaker and Podcast Producer \nThe set is his natural habitat and the crew his family. His films have screened and been awarded at festivals worldwide. His latest short film\, MISPRINT\, premiered on Omeleto\, and his feature directing debut\, DRINK AND BE MERRY\, is available to rent or buy. \nAdam is also the co-creator of the hit film podcast EYE OF THE DUCK on the Morbid Podcast Network for SiriusXM. He also produced and developed the Signal Award Winning and Ambie and Webby Nominated narrative fiction podcasts AMERICAN HOSTAGE (Amazon Originals)\, starring Jon Hamm (soon to be a TV Show from Shawn Ryan and MGM+)\, and THE FOXES OF HYDESVILLE (QCODE)\, starring Carey Mulligan\, for Criminal Content. \nETHAN WARREN\nAuthor \nEthan Warren is the author of The Cinema of Paul Thomas Anderson: American Apocrypha\, and the forthcoming When I Paint My Masterpiece: The Cinematic Dylan.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/directors-spotlight-drink-and-be-merry/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251207T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251207T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251119T171939Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T171939Z
UID:10008494-1765116000-1765126800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: Hamnet
DESCRIPTION:HAMNET is a historical drama directed by the Academy Award winning writer/director Chloé Zhao and based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell. The film follows the arc in the relationship between William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes in the wake of the death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet. It tells a powerful story of love and loss\, and one that is believed to have inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s masterpiece\, Hamlet. \nPOST SCREENING DISCUSSION\nOur distinguished panelists will explore the film’s cultural and historical context and discuss more broadly the influence of Shakespeare on the arts\, having inspired countless works across different mediums and periods. Artists have continually drawn on Shakespeare’s work for inspiration\, an enduring legacy that has shaped modern art and culture. \nFEATURING:\nSTEPHEN GREENBLATT\, Ph.D.\nJohn Cogan University Professor of Humanities\, Harvard University\nGreenblatt is the author of fifteen books\, including Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics; The Swerve: How the World Became Modern; Shakespeare’s Freedom; Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare; Hamlet in Purgatory; and most recently Dark Renaissance. He is General Editor of The Norton Anthology of English Literature and of The Norton Shakespeare. His honors include the 2016 Holberg Prize from the Norwegian Parliament\, the 2012 Pulitzer Prize and the 2011 National Book Award for The Swerve\, and two Guggenheim Fellowships. He has been elected to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences\, the American Academy of Arts and Letters\, the American Philosophical Society\, the Italian literary academy Accademia degli Arcadi\, and is a fellow of the British Academy. \nIN CONVERSATION WITH:\nMICHELLE EPHRAIM\, Ph.D.\nProfessor of English at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.\nEphraim\, a Shakespeare scholar\, is the author of Green World: A Tragicomic Memoir of Love & Shakespeare\, which was awarded the 2023 Juniper Prize for Creative Nonfiction; Reading the Jewish Woman on the Elizabethan Stage; and the co-author of the literary humor book Shakespeare\, Not Stirred: Cocktails for Your Everyday Dramas. Her latest venture is the award-winning podcast\, Everyday Shakespeare\, which explores ways that Shakespeare sheds light on our modern problems.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-hamnet/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251204T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251204T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251119T172013Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T172013Z
UID:10008493-1764873000-1764880200@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Producers Circle: Nine
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special evening with filmmakers Jeremy S. Levine and Rachael DeCruz as they share a rough cut and discuss the making of their documentary\, “Nine”. \nIn this contemplative\, immersive documentary\, we see two men’s parallel lives unfold\, separated by generations and bound together by experience. In Act I\, Nine interweaves the lives of Gerald and Henry. They are both stuck. Henry’s life in prison is on loop; he works as a janitor\, calls his wife Juanita—who stayed with him during his decades of incarceration—and mentors the younger men while playing dominos before starting it all over again the next day. Gerald frantically juggles his day job\, his activism\, and at night\, he digs into the archives of Henry’s case\, looking for something—anything—that will help bring his Pops home. Act II centers on Gerald’s campaign to free Henry. Gerald and his team of formerly incarcerated activists strategize on ways to bring Henry home. They work to pass a bill Gerald wrote while still in prison that would radically transform the clemency board. Gerald records emotional video testimonies from men whose lives Henry transformed. He’s worried it’s not enough and that he’s failing Henry. Things come to a head in Act III\, leading to Henry’s clemency hearing and his unexpected freedom after 45 years of incarceration. \nWith quiet attention to details\, Nine feels like a cinematic poem. In moments small and large\, the film builds a beautiful\, lyrical world that explores the resilience and joy that can be found in our most cherished relationships. \nJeremy S. Levine\, Director/Producer\nLevine’s work explores race\, class\, and the power of parental bonds through cinematic\, formally rigorous films. \nRachael DeCruz\, Director/Producer\nDeCruz’s work centers on how familial and community bonds fortify people to push back against racist systems. \nProducer’s Circle is an opportunity to:\nExperience excerpts of a filmmaker’s past work to understand their vision and craftsmanship.\n-Engage directly with in-progress productions that need your support.\n-Participate in shaping the final stages of a film’s journey\, through discussion and financial contributions.\n-Foster a Vibrant Film Community. Beyond supporting a single documentary\, your participation helps strengthen Boston’s larger documentary scene. By investing in these works-in-progress\, you become part of a community pushing the boundaries of independent storytelling\, inspiring future filmmakers\, and expanding the city’s creative horizons.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/producers-circle-nine/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Education
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251116T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251116T160000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251112T193100Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T193100Z
UID:10008488-1763301600-1763308800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: It Was Just an Accident
DESCRIPTION:IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT marks another remarkable act of defiance by Jafar Panahi\, one of the most courageous filmmakers of our time. Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival\, the film is a tense\, darkly humorous thriller about Vahid\, a mechanic who believes he has reencountered Eghbal\, the intelligence officer who once tortured him. As Vahid gathers others whose lives were also scarred by Eghbal\, a dangerous plan for revenge takes shape. Panahi crafts a powerful meditation on justice\, morality\, and resistance under repression. A NEON release and a NYFF63 Main Slate selection. \nPOST SCREENING PANEL DISCUSSION\nOur distinguished panel will discuss IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT in the context of Iranian cinema\, political expression\, and the role of art as resistance under authoritarian rule. \nALI BANUAZIZI\, Ph.D.\nResearch Professor of Political Science at Boston College and Faculty Affiliate at the Center for International Studies at M.I.T. \nAli Banuazizi’s research focuses on the political cultures of the Middle East and the comparative study of religion\, civil society\, and politics. His work includes Iran’s social history and its contemporary domestic and foreign relations. A past president of both the Middle East Studies Association and the International Society for Iranian Studies\, he has held visiting appointments at Princeton\, Harvard\, Hebrew University of Jerusalem\, MIT\, and Oxford University. \nRASHIN FAHANDEJ\nMultimedia Artist and Filmmaker; Research Fellow\, MIT Open Documentary Lab \nRashin Fahandej’s multimedia projects center on marginalized voices and the use of media and technology for social change. Her multi-platform project A Father’s Lullaby explores the role of men in raising children and the impact of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. A 2019 James and Audrey Foster Prize recipient\, she has been a Boston Artist-in-Residence and a visiting faculty member at MassArt. She is also a recipient of the Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowship Grant. \nKAMRAN RASTEGAR\, Ph.D.\nProfessor of Comparative Literature\, Tufts University \nKamran Rastegar’s scholarship focuses on modern Middle Eastern literature and film\, with attention to representation\, cultural memory\, and transnational identity. He is a founding faculty member of the Department for Studies in Race\, Colonialism and Diaspora and an affiliate of the Film and Media Studies Program. He served as Director of the Center for the Humanities at Tufts from 2018 to 2022. His work bridges cultural studies and the political dimensions of art in the Middle East.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-it-was-just-an-accident/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251115T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251115T133000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251112T193154Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T193239Z
UID:10008486-1763204400-1763213400@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Sy Montgomery & E.B. Bartels: A Turtle Celebration
DESCRIPTION:Famed naturalist Sy Montgomery\, author of THE TRUE AND LUCKY LIFE OF A TURTLE\, and E. B. Bartels\, author of GOOD GRIEF\, together for a talk and book signing to benefit the Turtle Survival Alliance! \nOur day begins with a turtle meet and greet. Sy and E.B. will then share big-screen stories and more from their animal adventures\, followed by a Q&A. Guests are invited to stay for a screening of THE SLOWEST STAMPEDE ON EARTH and join Sy and E.B. for a book signing in our lobby. \nAnd don’t forget to bid on items—like turtle quilts—in the silent auction! \nThe day’s events:\n11am-11:30:\nTurtle meet & greet; mingle in the lobby to browse books & turtle merch & bid on the silent auction items\n11:30-12:30:\nAuthors talk books & turtles\, followed by a Q&A\, in the theater\n12:30-1:30:\nJoin us for a screening of THE SLOWEST STAMPEDE ON EARTH (20 mins\, in the theater) & a book signing (in the lobby) \nNational Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller SY MONTGOMERY is the author of thirty-nine books for both adults and children\, including Soul of an Octopus and Of Time and Turtles\, and has been honored with a Sibert Medal\, three Sibert Honors\, two Science Book and Film Prizes from the National Association for the Advancement of Science\, four honorary degrees\, and many other awards. She lives in Hancock\, New Hampshire\, with her husband\, Howard Mansfield\, and their border collie\, Thurber. \nE.B. BARTELS is a nonfiction writer\, a teacher\, an editor\, and a former bookseller with an MFA from Columbia. She is the author of Good Grief: On Loving Pets\, Here and Hereafter (out in paperback from Mariner Books/HarperCollins on 11/11/25)\, a narrative nonfiction book about loving and losing animals\, which has received positive press from many media outlets including The Associated Press\, NPR\, The Boston Globe\, WBUR\, Kinship\, Psychology Today\, and the American Kennel Club\, and which has been translated into Korean. Her essays and interviews have appeared in Salon\, Slate\, WBUR\, Literary Hub\, Catapult\, Electric Literature\, The Believer\, and The Rumpus\, among others. E.B. lives in Arlington\, Massachusetts\, with her husband (Richie)\, her son (Luca)\, and a pair of red-footed tortoises (Terrence and Twyla).
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/sy-montgomery-e-b-bartels-a-turtle-celebration/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Children,Community,Education
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251105T171220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T171220Z
UID:10008464-1763058600-1763065800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Ty Burr's Movie Club: Children of Men
DESCRIPTION:TY BURR’S MOVIE CLUB is hosted by the nationally recognized film critic Ty Burr. \nEach month Ty presents and discusses one of his favorite films with the audience. His selections span the spectrum from classics that have stood the test of time to contemporary films that merit a second viewing. \nABOUT THE FILM\nIn 2027\, in a chaotic world in which women have become somehow infertile\, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/ty-burrs-movie-club-children-of-men/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251109T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251109T150000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251105T171306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T171306Z
UID:10008463-1762693200-1762700400@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: Nouvelle Vague
DESCRIPTION:NOUVELLE VAGUE is Richard Linklater’s love letter to the magic of French New Wave cinema\, as he reimagines the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless (1960)\, the film that established Godard’s signature place in the history of cinema. The film is about a young and impulsive criminal in Paris and his American girlfriend. In Nouvelle Vague we are transported back to the streets of 1959 Paris for a delightful and vibrant recreation of one of cinema’s most groundbreaking productions. It is an ode to the transformative power of cinema. \nPOST SCREENING PANEL DISCUSSION\nOur distinguished panel will delve into how this film pays tribute to one of the world’s most beloved and influential example of French New Wave cinema. We will go deeper into why this film brought international attention to new ways of French film-making and the impact of French New Wave on how movies are made. \nPANELISTS:\nTY BURR\nTy Burr\, nationally renowned film critic\, who reviews films for The Washington Post and writes the film and popular culture newsletter\, “Ty Burr’s Watchlist”. Burr worked as a film critic at The Boston Globe from 2002 until 2021. \nJULIE LEVINSON\, Ph.D.\nWilliam R. Dill Governance Professor\, Film Studies\, Babson College. Levinson’s scholarship has focused on a wide range of topics including genre and gender\, documentary film\, narrative theory\, and metafiction. \nMALCOLM TURVEY\, Ph.D.\nSol Gittleman Professor\, Film and Media Studies\, Tufts University. Turvey’s research is in the areas of film theory\, the philosophy and aesthetics of film\, avant-garde film\, and film and modernism. \nMODERATOR:\nERICKA KNUDSON\, Ph.D.\nVisiting Professor\, French Studies\, Northeastern University.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-nouvelle-vague/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251107T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251107T210000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251105T171350Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T171350Z
UID:10008462-1762542000-1762549200@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:There Was\, There Was Not
DESCRIPTION:In THERE WAS\, THERE WAS NOT\, myth and reality intertwine to reveal the lives of four\nArmenian women facing the loss of their homeland. What began as a quiet observation\nof their daily lives became\, after the war in Artsakh\, an urgent chronicle of survival — a\ncinematic act of memory and resistance. \nThe film has been hailed by critics as:\n“A bold act of narrative resistance”-The Moveable Fest\n“A fiery\, feminist wartime fable”- Hammer to Nail\n“A powerful tribute to a former country” – RogerEbert.com\nFilmmaker Atom Egoyan praised it as “a deeply felt and beautifully made film.”\nThe documentary has toured festivals worldwide following its world premiere at True/False\nFilm Festival\, winning multiple awards\, including the Audience Award and First Honorable Mention Jury Award at Argentina’s Mar del Plata International Film Festival and the FIPRESCI International Film Critics Award at the Golden Apricot Film Festival. \nQ&A:\nFollowing the screening\, filmmaker Emily Mkrtichian will join a Q&A discussion moderated by Paul Boghosian\, President of Harbor Side Films\, producer of documentaries (PBS)\, public affairs programming as well as major television and cable\nand streaming projects for networks and private clients.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/there-was-there-was-not/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Politics & Policy
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251024T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251026T170000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251001T143507Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T143507Z
UID:10008004-1761292800-1761498000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Jack Lemmon: A Centennial Tribute!
DESCRIPTION:Our hottest event of the season\, West Newton Cinema will present the Jack Lemmon 100th Anniversary Celebration from October 24–26\, 2025\, marking the centenary of the birth of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors and Newton’s own native son. \nOne of the most beloved actors in movie history\, Jack Lemmon (1925–2001) was born John Uhler Lemmon III\, in Newton\, Massachusetts. He grew up in Newton Center and attended Ward Elementary\, the Rivers School\, and Andover. After Harvard University\, where he was president of the Hasty Pudding Club\, and a brief stint in the Navy\, Lemmon moved to New York City and made his start in radio and early television before transitioning to film roles. Over five decades and more than sixty films\, Lemmon built a career as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors\, known for his witty\, relatable “everyman” persona. \nThe three-day program will feature screenings of Jack Lemmon’s most acclaimed films\, a commemorative reception\, and a special conversation with members of the Lemmon family. Courtney Lemmon\, Chris Lemmon\, and Sydney Lemmon will take part in the event\, celebrating their father and grandfather’s enduring legacy.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/jack-lemmon-a-centennial-tribute/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251019T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251019T150000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251015T180230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251015T180230Z
UID:10008029-1760878800-1760886000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Best of Fests: Remaining Native
DESCRIPTION:Best of Fests: REMAINING NATIVE\nCo-Presented by Salem Film Fest \nABOUT THE FILM\nREMAINING NATIVE is a coming-of-age documentary told from the perspective of Kutoven (Ku) Stevens\, a 17-year-old Native American runner\, struggling to navigate his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great-grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past\, present\, and future. \nLearn more about the Salem Film Fest: www.salemfilmfest.com \nABOUT BEST OF FESTS\nBest of Fests is a new curated series showcasing standout films from national and international festivals\, spanning experimental nonfiction and documentary to fiction cinema and animation. The series aims to connect Newton’s audiences with the most exciting work on the global festival circuit and bring those conversations home. Curated by Homa Sarabi\, in partnership with the West Newton Cinema Foundation\, Best of Fests connects our community-run nonprofit cinema—saved and purchased for the community in 2024— to the best of contemporary films around the world. \nRooted in the Foundation’s mission to “foster joy and deepen community connections through innovative\, engaging film and arts programming\,” the series invites viewers to discover new voices\, connect with global stories\, and experience the power of cinema together in a historic neighborhood theater. \nCurator’s Note:\n“It is simple. I believe in the power of cinema to bring us together. I’ve seen how films ignite revolutions\, energize movements\, resist authorities\, grow empathy\, spread love\, and remind us that life is expansive\, multidimensional\, and luminous. This world is made of collective struggles\, and we are in it together—inside and outside the theater.” — Homa Sarabi
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/best-of-fests-remaining-native/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251001T143412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T143412Z
UID:10008005-1760639400-1760646600@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:West Newton Cinema Reads: The Bostonians
DESCRIPTION:In Boston\, in the aftermath of the Civil War\, Verena Tarrant (Madeleine Potter)\, a gifted young orator\, has attracted the attention of Olive Chancellor (Vanessa Redgrave)\, who wishes to nurture Verena as an inspirational force for the Women’s Movement. Ranged against her is Basil Ransom (Christopher Reeve)\, a handsome male chauvinist\, who wants Verena as his wife. Against a backdrop of luminous New England landscapes\, battle is joined\, and for Olive\, the struggle will prove an odyssey that forces her to acknowledge her true nature. Merchant Ivory Productions’ acclaimed screen adaptation of Henry James’s The Bostonians (1886)\, set in Cambridge and Boston\, charts the struggle between two charismatic forces to gain control over the destiny of a spirited young woman. \nJoin us for a special screening of The Bostonians\, now in stunning 4K restoration\, with an opening discussion of both the film and the novel led by Sierra Eckert and David Kurnick and moderated by John Plotz. This screening opens the Brandeis Novel Symposium set for Friday\, October 17\, a free event drawing scholars from across the country that audience members are encouraged to attend. \nTHE BRANDEIS NOVEL SYMPOSIUM is a one-day conference that chooses a single novel as a point of focus for salient theoretical\, historical\, political\, and narratological questions about the novel as a genre. This year’s symposium on Henry James’s The Bostonians will be held on Friday\, October 17\, in Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center\, and speakers will include Louis Menand (Harvard University) and Holly Jackson (University of Massachusetts\, Boston). \nSIERRA ECKERT is Assistant Professor of English at Wesleyan University. She specializes in nineteenth-century British and Anglophone literature\, disciplinary history\, critical and social theory\, and the digital humanities. Her work has appeared in Victorian Studies and Studies in the Novel. \nDAVID KURNICK is Professor of English at Rutgers University at New Brunswick. He is the author of The Savage Detectives Reread and Empty Houses: Theatrical Failure and the Novel\, and his writing has appeared in Bookforum\, Public Books\, and Chronicle of Higher Education. \nJOHN PLOTZ is Mandel Professor of Humanities at Brandeis University. He co-hosts two podcasts: Novel Dialogue and Recall This Book\, and oversees the annual Brandeis Novel Symposium. \nRegistered attendees of the Brandeis Novel Symposium are entitled to a ticket discount. To receive the discount\, tickets must be purchased ONLINE with code. To receive your code\, register for the Brandeis Novel Symposium for free at the following link:\nwww.brandeis.edu/english/events/brandeis-novel-symposium/
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/west-newton-cinema-reads-the-bostonians/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251014T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251014T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251001T142644Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T142644Z
UID:10008012-1760466600-1760473800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:"An Uncommon Education" Film Showing and Panel Q&A
DESCRIPTION:Join Historic Newton\, West Newton Cinema\, and Newton Cultural Alliance for a film showing and panel discussion of the original film “An Uncommon Education: The Allen School”. The panel will feature key members of the film’s production including the director\, Joe Hunter. Guests will also be able to view the coinciding exhibit installed at West Newton Cinema. \nAt a time when slavery was still the law of the land and women’s suffrage still a distant goal\, the West Newton English and Classical School admitted Black students\, international students\, and women to a forward-looking program of study. Founded in 1854 and led by Nathaniel T. Allen\, the school (often called the Allen School) empowered its students to develop their talents while moving society decisively toward gender\, racial\, and educational equality. The inclusion of gymnastics as part of the educational offering\, along with kindergarten\, were also educational firsts. \nThis film restores a little-known piece of history in Massachusetts\, a state that values education and has been a pioneer in fostering inclusion. Early in his career\, Allen worked closely with progressive educator Horace Mann\, the first Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education\, and lived for a time in Mann;s home in West Newton. Many of the ideas that Allen helped develop are still relevant today. Teachers and those who want to learn more about progressive ideas in education will find the content of special interest. \nThis is a tripartite collaboration and revenue from ticket sales will be divided evenly between the three non-profit organizations.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/an-uncommon-education-film-showing-and-panel-qa/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Fundraiser
ORGANIZER;CN="Historic Newton":MAILTO:info@historicnewton.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251009T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251009T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20250924T171410Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250924T171410Z
UID:10007992-1760034600-1760041800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Ty Burr's Movie Club: I Know Where I’m Going!
DESCRIPTION:TY BURR’S MOVIE CLUB is hosted by the nationally recognized film critic Ty Burr. \nEach month Ty presents and discusses one of his favorite films with the audience. His selections span the spectrum from classics that have stood the test of time to contemporary films that merit a second viewing. \nABOUT THE FILM\nI’m always a little surprised when someone says they haven’t heard of I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING!\, the 1945 Michael Powell-Emeric Pressburger romance set in the rugged\, mystical Scottish Hebrides. It was my mother’s all-time favorite movie\, so\, for me\, it’s always been around — she would have been 22 when it came out\, and for her generation I think it held some of the same eldritch appeal as a show like “Outlander” does today (albeit with rather less bodice-ripping). More to the point\, I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING! has within it the genetic material of so many romantic comedies and dramas that have followed\, then and now and the day after tomorrow: The Proud Heroine\, all set to marry the wrong man; the Right Man right there by her side\, annoying her while she annoys him until they just say the hell with it and kiss; a Forest of Arden setting whose magic bends the laws of attraction; a wry best friend or two and a gallery of eccentrics to remind the Proud Heroine she’s part of the human race. Plenty of movies before I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING! had some or all of those ingredients\, but few filmmakers have been able to suggest the wildness of life bursting through repressed British decorum like Powell\, here and in films like “The Red Shoes\,” “Black Narcissus\,” and many others.\n–Ty Burr
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/ty-burrs-movie-club-i-know-where-im-going/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251005T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251005T183000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20250924T171527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250924T171527Z
UID:10007991-1759680000-1759689000@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Screen: Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
DESCRIPTION:Agathe (Camille Rutherford) works in the legendary Shakespeare & Co. bookshop in Paris\, where she dreams of becoming a successful writer and of experiencing love akin to a Jane Austen novel. Instead\, she finds herself desperately single and plagued by writer’s block. When Agathe’s best friend (Pablo Pauly) helps secure her a spot at the Jane Austen Writers’ Residency in England\, Agathe finally has her Jane Austen moment . . . and is caught in a very unexpected romantic triangle. In the end\, Agathe must let go of her insecurities to decide what she really wants for herself and to achieve her romantic and professional dreams. \nPOST SCREENING PANEL DISCUSSION\nJane Austen’s novels have inspired countless adaptations in film\, literature\, television\, and theater. Our distinguished panel will dive deep into the author’s unparalleled influence on the arts and her enduring appeal\, tracing themes of class\, gender\, and marriage in her work and their resonance in today’s world. \nSONIA HOFKOSH\, Ph.D.\nAssociate Professor & Chair of English at Tufts University \nSonia Hofkosh is the author of Sexual Politics and the Romantic Author and coeditor of Romanticism\, Race\, and Imperial Culture\, 1780–1834. She has published essays on Jane Austen and among her favorite courses to teach is one that considers Austen’s marriage plots in relation to Mary Shelley’s speculative fiction. \nDEIDRE LYNCH\, Ph.D.\nErnest Bernbaum Professor of English Literature at Harvard University \nDeidre Lynch is the editor of Janeites: Austen’s Disciples and Devotees and has prepared editions of Austen’s Persuasion for Oxford University Press and Mansfield Park for Harvard University Press. She is also the author of Loving Literature: A Cultural History and has written for the Los Angeles Review of Books and Public Books. \nTARA MENON\, Ph.D.\nAssistant Professor of English at Harvard University \nTara Menon’s debut novel\, Under Water\, will be published by Riverhead Books in\nMarch\, and her first monograph\, Speaking Parts: Conversation\, Character\, and Social\nWorlds\, is forthcoming from Princeton University Press in the fall of 2026. \nModerator: \nMARY COTTON\nMary has owned and operated Newtonville Books with her husband\, the writer and editor Jaime Clarke\, for nearly twenty years.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/behind-the-screen-jane-austen-wrecked-my-life/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250930T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250930T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20251001T145221Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T145221Z
UID:10007979-1759258800-1759264200@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Silent Movie Monday presents 1916 fairy tale "Snow White" with live harp-viola score
DESCRIPTION:The historic West Newton Cinema will celebrate Silent Movie Monday with a special live score screening of the 1916 silent film Snow White on Monday\, September 29 at 7 pm. \nThe vintage film was heroically rescued and preserved for future generations just a few years ago\, and the parallels between the restored silent motion picture and the preservation of West Newton’s own beloved movie house are striking. \nLike all silent movies\, Snow White was made on flammable nitrate film stock\, and for many years\, it was rumored to have been destroyed in a vault fire. But a single theatrical print was discovered in the Netherlands in 1992\, and an amazing restoration was done by the George Eastman House film archive. \nThe whimsical silent fantasy returns to the big screen of a movie theater which was rescued itself just last summer. Through the mighty efforts of the West Newton Cinema Foundation and passionate support of local film lovers\, the 90-year-old venue has re-emerged as a vital cultural gathering place. The foundation now owns the building and is continuing its campaign to revitalize its Art Deco charm\, as well as provide a range of lively cinema storytelling for the public. \nCome experience the magic of movies with a silent fairy tale from the dawn of cinema accompanied by a live harp and viola score from Leslie McMichael\, harpist-composer\, and her sister Barbara McMichael\, viola. \nMcMichael enthuses\, “It’s thrilling to play live and pair the visuals of film with my music. With every performance\, we get to use our instruments to underscore the expressive acting so typical of the silent era – very fun!” \nFor advance tickets to the Snow White film screening with live harp and viola accompaniment\, visit https://www.westnewtoncinema.com/movie/snow-white-1916 General admission is $20 with discounts offered for students and teachers. West Newton Cinema is located at 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA.
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/silent-movie-monday-presents-1916-fairy-tale-snow-white-with-live-harp-viola-score/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Children,Community,Music,Visual Arts
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250929T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250929T203000
DTSTAMP:20260506T030409
CREATED:20250924T171758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250924T171758Z
UID:10007988-1759172400-1759177800@www.newtonbeacon.org
SUMMARY:Silent Movie Monday - "Snow White" (1916) with live harp-viola score
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate National Silent Movie Day with a showing of the vintage silent film “Snow White” (1916) at the nonprofit West Newton Cinema on Monday\, September 29 at 7 pm. The event boasts a magical live score accompaniment by harpist-composer Leslie McMichael and violist Barbara McMichael. Although there have been many film versions of this fairy tale\, this silent movie was the first and the silent picture actually inspired a teen Walt Disney to make his own animated feature decades later. Snow White is played by Marguerite Clark in one of her few surviving film performances from the silent film era. The runtime of the vintage film with live harp and viola accompaniment is 62 minutes. https://www.westnewtoncinema.com/movie/snow-white-1916
URL:https://www.newtonbeacon.org/event/silent-movie-monday-snow-white-1916-with-live-harp-viola-score/
LOCATION:West Newton Cinema\, 1296 Washington Street\, West Newton\, MA\, 02465\, United States
CATEGORIES:Children,Music,Visual Arts
ORGANIZER;CN="West Newton Cinema Foundation":MAILTO:kbrown@mit.edu
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END:VCALENDAR