The Athena Cinema is re-opening this summer! And we want to share some of the best independent films that we did not get to show during our closure, because they deserve to be shown in a theater, and you deserve the chance to see them in one.
*Update: Due to a change in bookings, THE FATHER will open on August 20th, not August 13th.*
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Director: Lisa Immordino Vreeland
This film is part of our Virtual Cinema Screening Initiative. When you rent TRUMAN & TENNESSEE: AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION you are not only supporting independent film, but also supporting the Athena Cinema and our mission.
About the film
The brilliant work, personal struggles, and cultural impact of iconic American writers Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams explodes onto the screen in this innovative dual-portrait documentary. Filmmaker Lisa Immordino Vreeland masterfully collages a wealth of archival material, including dishy talk show appearances with Dick Cavett and David Frost, with clips from some of the duo’s most memorable movie adaptations: A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and In Cold Blood.
Featuring vibrant voiceover work by award-winning actors Jim Parsons (Capote) and Zachary Quinto (Williams), the film is dripping with wit and wisdom. It is a celebration of both men’s fearless candor and often tumultuous friendship that honors how their identity as gay Southerners informed their timeless artistic achievements and relationships with family, colleagues, confidants, and – most significantly – each other.
How to stream
For $12, you will get access to watch on your computer, phone, or tablet, or cast to your Google Chromecast or Smart TV. You can also download the Kino Now app for Roku or Apple TV (requires tvOS 9.0 or later) and watch the film there.
You will have to register for a free KinoNow account if you don’t already have one.
After you’ve entered your payment information, your rental period will start immediately and last for ten days.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulties with your rental, help is available to you directly from the distributor hosting your film:
While we encourage anyone having trouble to utilize these resources for quick, detailed resolutions for common issues, the Athena team is interested in hearing about your experience and will do our best to provide assistance.
Thank you for your support.
81 MIN
Watch Trailer
Director: Graham Shelby
This film is part of our Virtual Cinema Screening Initiative. When you rent CITY OF ALI you are not only supporting independent film, but also supporting the Athena Cinema and our mission.
About the film
City of Ali is a feature-length documentary that tells the story of how the death of Muhammad Ali brought the people of his Kentucky hometown – and the world – together for one unforgettable week. Ali’s passing on June 3, 2016, came in the context of a bitter U.S. presidential election, a proposed Muslim ban and the global expansion of the Black Lives Matter movement. Yet on the day of Ali’s funeral procession, more than 100,000 people lined the streets of Louisville to celebrate his life, and an estimated one billion people worldwide watched events like Ali’s memorial, held in the packed KFC YUM! Center as stories of the Louisville Lip’s wit, generosity, swagger and commitment to justice were retold by President Bill Clinton, Billy Crystal, Lonnie Ali, and many others.
City of Ali explores Ali’s lifelong relationship with his hometown through candid interviews with friends and relatives whose history with The Champ dates back to his childhood at 3302 Grand Avenue, and who share stories even devoted Ali fans have never heard. We also get behind-the scenes accounts of this unprecedented celebration of one man’s life from those who planned the events. We also hear thoughtful reflections from visitors such as NBC’s Craig Melvin, TV legend Dick Cavett, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, 4-time Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield, ESPN’s Hannah Storm and many others who gathered in Louisville to answer the question, “How do you say good-bye to The Greatest?”
How to stream
For $12, you will get access to watch on your computer, phone, or tablet, or cast to your Google Chromecast or Smart TV.
You will have to register for a free Eventive account if you don’t already have one.
After you’ve entered your payment information, your rental period will start immediately and last for 72 hours.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulties with your rental, help is available to you directly from the distributor hosting your film:
While we encourage anyone having trouble to utilize these resources for quick, detailed resolutions for common issues, the Athena team is interested in hearing about your experience and will do our best to provide assistance.
Thank you for your support.
81 MIN
Watch Trailer
Director: Hannah Berryman
This film is part of our Virtual Cinema Screening Initiative. When you rent ROCKFIELD: THE STUDIO ON THE FARM you are not only supporting independent film, but also supporting the Athena Cinema and our mission.
About the film
This is the unlikely tale of how two Welsh farming brothers turned their dairy farm into one of the most successful recording studios of all time, producing four decades of legendary rock music.
Fifty years ago, deep in the Welsh countryside, brothers Kingsley and Charles Ward were starting out in the family dairy farming business. But they yearned to do something different – they wanted to make music. So they built a studio in the attic of their farmhouse and started recording with their friends. Kingsley’s new wife, Ann, left her job in the local bank to do the books, and they continued farming all the while. Animals were kicked out of barns and musicians were moved into Nan’s spare bedroom. Inadvertently, they’d launched the world’s first independent residential recording studio: Rockfield.
Rockfield’s reputation spread like wildfire, quickly garnering international acclaim as the place that bands wanted to record. From Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and Queen, to Simple Minds, Iggy Pop and Robert Plant, and later Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, Manic Street Preachers and Coldplay – an unbelievable roll call of artists have recorded there over the decades.
‘Rockfield’ is an extraordinary story of rock and roll dreams intertwined with a family business’s struggle for survival in the face of an ever-changing music landscape. Amazingly Kingsley and his wife Ann, now in their 80’s are still at the helm today with daughter Lisa ‘front of house’. What is it about this small Welsh farm that made it a major competitor, holding its own against studios such as Abbey Road and Electric Lady. In this film the bands share with us tales of how they ended up at Rockfield, what it was like, and revisit some of the magical moments of musical genius that resulted in some of the best-known songs of our time.
How to stream
For $10, you will get access to watch on your computer, phone, or tablet, or cast to your Google Chromecast or Smart TV.
You will have to register for a free Eventive account if you don’t already have one.
After you’ve entered your payment information, your rental period will start immediately and last for 72 hours.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulties with your rental, help is available to you directly from the distributor hosting your film:
While we encourage anyone having trouble to utilize these resources for quick, detailed resolutions for common issues, the Athena team is interested in hearing about your experience and will do our best to provide assistance.
Thank you for your support.
90 MIN
Watch Trailer
Director: Ester Gould, Reijer Zwaan
This film is part of our Virtual Cinema Screening Initiative. When you rent STRIKE A POSE you are not only supporting independent film, but also supporting the Athena Cinema and our mission.
About the film
In 1990, seven young male dancers – 6 gay,1 straight – joined Madonna on her most controversial tour. On stage and in the iconic film Truth or Dare, they showed the world how to express yourself. Now, 25 years later, they reveal the truth about life during and after the tour, when they were ambassadors to the world on behalf of the LGBT community during the height of the AIDS epidemic. STRIKE A POSE is a dramatic tale about overcoming shame and finding the courage to be who you are.
How to stream
For $4.99, you will get access to watch on your computer, phone, or tablet, or cast to your Google Chromecast or Smart TV.
You will have to register for a free Eventive account if you don’t already have one.
After you’ve entered your payment information, your rental period will start immediately and last for 72 hours.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulties with your rental, help is available to you directly from the distributor hosting your film:
While we encourage anyone having trouble to utilize these resources for quick, detailed resolutions for common issues, the Athena team is interested in hearing about your experience and will do our best to provide assistance.
Thank you for your support.
83 MIN
Watch Trailer
Director: Marcia Jarmel, Ken Schneider
This film is part of our Virtual Cinema Screening Initiative. When you rent LOS HERMANOS/THE BROTHERS you are not only supporting independent film, but also supporting the Athena Cinema and our mission.
About the film
Virtuoso Afro-Cuban-born brothers—violinist Ilmar and pianist Aldo—live on opposite sides of a geopolitical chasm a half-century wide. Tracking their parallel lives in New York and Havana, their poignant reunion, and their momentous first performances together, Los Hermanos/The Brothers offers a nuanced, often startling view of estranged nations through the lens of music and family.
Featuring an electrifying, genre-bending score, composed by Cuban Aldo López-Gavilán, performed with his American brother, Ilmar, and with guest appearances by maestro Joshua Bell and the Harlem Quartet.
How to stream
For $10, you will get access to watch on your computer, phone, or tablet, or cast to your Google Chromecast or Smart TV.
You will have to register for a free First Run Features account if you don’t already have one.
After you’ve entered your payment information, your rental period will start immediately and last for 72 hours.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulties with your rental, help is available to you directly from the distributor hosting your film:
While we encourage anyone having trouble to utilize these resources for quick, detailed resolutions for common issues, the Athena team is interested in hearing about your experience and will do our best to provide assistance.
Thank you for your support.
84 MIN
How to watch
Ohio University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion in conjunction with the Black Student Cultural Programming Board, the Multicultural Center, the Campus Involvement Center, the LGBTQ Center, PRISM LGBTQA+ Youth Art Program and the AAPISU present a viewing of the documentary Paris is Burning.
Watch it free, then tune in and submit questions for a post-show talk with former NFL defensive tackle Esera Tuaolo about his experience as a queer person of color.
To watch and participate, please use the registration form below. An email will be delivered to you when the film becomes available to stream, containing a link to watch and a link to Thursday’s Zoom discussion. Registrants will have access to film in advance, though we recommend viewing the films on the day of the panel discussion.
Access information will be sent to those registered on Monday, June 14th. If you register after Monday morning, please note there may be a delay in receiving your registration access information. Access information will be sent daily at 12:00 p.m. thru Thursday, June 17th. Be sure to check your spam, clutter, or junk folder if you have not seen your registration email by noon.
*Registration for this event is now closed.*
About the film
This 1990 documentary, directed by Jennie Livingston, is an intimate and colorful portrait of Harlem drag ball culture in 1980s New York City. In weekly competitions between drag “houses,” young people of color perform elaborate routines according to fashion-inspired categories of “realness,” disappearing into a fantastical world that celebrates their flamboyant expressions of gender and sexuality. Paris is Burning is a moving meditation on the meanings of community, family, and desire against an urban backdrop of poverty, racism, transphobia, homophobia, violence, and the looming HIV/AIDS crisis.
About the speaker
Esera Tuaolo: Veteran NFL Player & LGBT Role Model
Since “coming out of the closet” in 2003, Esera has been speaking to schools and corporations about the pervasiveness of homophobia in sports and business, helping organizational leaders understand how to create a safe environment for members and employees. Audiences of all ages learn how to identify and peacefully combat bullying and other forms of discrimination. Audiences are inspired to be their best selves by speaking to their individual truths without fear or intimidation.
78 MIN
**RAIN DATE NOTICE: Due to rain, this event has been moved from the evening of June 3rd to June 5th, at the same start time and location as planned. All tickets sold for June 3rd will be honored for the June 5th showing.
Click here for more information about weather, parking, restrooms, and safety.
The Athena is thrilled to announce an outdoor screening of Tim Burton’s BATMAN at The Ridges Ballfield, presented by Science on Screen®, featuring a pre-show presentation from OU’s Joseph Johnson, Assistant Professor of Vertebrate Biology at Ohio University. Joe’s talk is titled: Nature’s Superheroes: Bats, their superpowers, and their kryptonite
Bring a blanket and/or chairs (and a jacket!) to the Ridges ballfield and set up camp in front of our outdoor screen on the evening of June 5th. We strongly encourage tickets and concessions be purchased in advance. Outdoor screenings presented by the Athena will adhere to University public health safety protocols.
Seating on the field will begin at 8:00 P.M. The event will start at 8:30 P.M. with the presentation, and the film starting shortly thereafter.
About the film
Having witnessed his parents’ brutal murder as a child, millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) fights crime in Gotham City disguised as Batman, a costumed hero who strikes fear into the hearts of villains. But when a deformed madman who calls himself “The Joker” (Jack Nicholson) seizes control of Gotham’s criminal underworld, Batman must face his most ruthless nemesis ever while protecting both his identity and his love interest, reporter Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger).
About the speaker
Joseph Johnson, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Vertebrate Biology at Ohio University. Joe’s research focuses on bat ecology and conservation in Ohio and around the world. He has been studying bats since 2003 and is more fascinated by bats every day.
His presentation, “Nature’s Superheroes: Bats, their superpowers, and their kryptonite” will take place before the film.
R
126 MIN
Click below for information on each event in the series:
RAIN DATE NOTICE: Tickets are non refundable however we have planned alternate “rain” dates for each event. In the event of inclement weather, we will announce the date change on our website and all social media the morning of the event.
See “What will happen if it rains on the night of the event?” below for more details.
Parking is available in university lots 202, 200, and 201, (highlighted in yellow above), which are open to visitors after 5 p.m. When you enter using South Park Drive, you will pull around past the screening area on your left to reach space for parking. The screening area will be only a short walk from the lot.
We will begin seating on the field for each event at 8 p.m. The event will begin at 8:30 p.m.
Folding chairs and blankets! Seating will not be provided and it is up to patrons to bring their own blankets and chairs to the space if they do not wish to sit on the grass. The field is mostly flat with some hillside towards the back, near the road.
*In addition to chairs and blankets, remember to bring extra layers for when it gets chilly late at night!*
There will be limited restroom access at the screening site, however guests will have access to the Putt People First Miniature Golf Course restrooms, located within walking distance of the site.
Following Ohio University public health protocol, individuals will not be required to wear face coverings outdoors. Per CDC guidance, we strongly encourage unvaccinated individuals wear face coverings and maintain physical distance from other unvaccinated individuals, even when outdoors. Our staff will adhere to the standards of the University’s COVID Safety Protocol.
Yes! Tickets must be purchased in advance. When you arrive at the screening area, an Athena employee will ask for the name of the cardholder who purchased your tickets to validate entry. If you purchase concessions online ahead of time, you can pick up your concessions at this time.
While we may have tickets to sell the night of the event, it is strongly encouraged that you reserve your tickets in advance in case of a sellout.
We will have some concessions, including soda, popcorn, and candy in limited supply at the event, which can be purchased with cash. Patrons are encouraged to pre-order their concessions online and retrieve them when they are checked for tickets. No outside concessions permitted.
Each outdoor screening will have a backup date should the weather not cooperate. The Athena will communicate through social media, email, and this website should the decision be made to postpone an outdoor screening. You will not need to repurchase your tickets or concessions should the date move. All orders will be honored on the night of the screening.
Backup dates are planned for the following dates:
We will have limited availability in a small parking lot closer to the site, reserved for those with accessibility needs. Please note that this outdoor site does feature rough, uneven terrain. Please contact us ahead of time so we can accommodate your needs at athenacinema@ohio.edu.
Southeast Ohio's Premier
Art House Theater
Est. 1915
