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OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS: LIVE ACTION

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Screening Only on Friday, March 8th & Saturday, March 9th

The Oscar season is just around the corner! So, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be screening some of the short films that have been nominated for cinema’s most prestigious award. We’ll be showing films from both the Animated Shorts category and the Live Action Shorts category on March 8th and March 9th. We’ll also have ballots available for attendees, so you can cast your vote for the films you think best deserve to take home the handsome golden statue.

It’s a great honor to offer our community the chance to see these amazing and creative films before the official Academy Awards broadcast taking place on March 10th, 2024!

Rated R. Topics include murder, abortion, sexual abuse, and suicide. 

Featured Live Action Shorts

 

THE AFTER – Misan Harriman, UK. 18 min. 2023

Starring: David Oyelowo, Jessica Plummer, Amelie Dokubo

Synopsis: A powerful and affecting story that follows Dayo (Olewoyo), a Londoner who has to reconnect with himself and society after witnessing a devastating attack in the capital.

 

INVINCIBLE – Vincent René-Lortie, Canada. 29 min. 2022

Synopsis: Inspired by a true story, Invincible recounts the last 48 hours in the life of Marc-Antoine Bernier, a 14-year old boy on a desperate quest for freedom.

 

KNIGHT OF FORTUNE (RIDDER LYKKE) – Lasse Lyskjær, Denmark. 25 min. 2022

Synopsis: The loss of a loved one, the grief, the risk of yellow skin, and a coffin – this is too much for Karl to face. It is much easier to fix a broken lamp. A chance encounter with a stranger will help him face his pain.

 

RED, WHITE AND BLUE – Nazrin Choudhury, USA. 23 min. 2023

Synopsis: Rachel (Brittany Snow) is a single parent living paycheck-to-paycheck. When an unexpected pregnancy threatens to unravel her already precarious position, she’s forced to cross state lines in search of an abortion. As Rachel contemplates the series of events that necessitated this journey and the obstacles in her path, we learn a heartbreaking truth that means her life will never be the same again.

 

THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR – Wes Anderson, UK. 37 min. 2023

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade

Synopsis: A beloved Roald Dahl story about a rich man who learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes and then sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.

 

 

 

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The Met: Live in HD: Verdi’s LA FORZA DEL DESTINO

Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Verdi’s grand tale of ill-fated love, deadly vendettas, and family strife, with stellar soprano Lise Davidsen as the noble Leonora, one of the repertory’s most tormented—and thrilling—heroines. Director Mariusz Treliński delivers the company’s first new Forza in nearly 30 years, setting the scene in a contemporary world and making extensive use of the Met’s turntable to represent the unstoppable advance of destiny that drives the opera’s chain of calamitous events. The distinguished cast also features tenor Brian Jagde as Leonora’s forbidden beloved, Don Alvaro; baritone Igor Golovatenko as her vengeful brother, Don Carlo; mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk as the fortune teller Preziosilla; bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi as Fra Melitone; and bass Soloman Howard as both Leonora’s father and Padre Guardiano.

Due to the current repairs going on at the Athena Cinema, this program will be presented as a pre-recorded encore at the Ridges Auditorium. The screening starts at 12:55pm and is estimated to end at 5:17pm. 

Admission $20 (senior $18, children $8)

OHIO Student: Free

Thanks to Arts for OHIO, we are able to offer a limited number of FREE student tickets available on first-come, first-serve basis. Must have valid student I.D.

Click here to view the rest of the Met: Live in HD schedule.

Special thanks to George Weckman and the following supporters:

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Running Time: 262 MIN262 MIN
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Sustainability Series: THE GREAT GREEN WALL

Watch Trailer Director: Jared P. Scott
Writer(s): Jared P. Scott
Cast: Inna Modja

About the Film

A landmass stretching uninterrupted for nearly 4000 miles, from Senegal on the Atlantic Coast to Djibouti on the coast of the Red Sea, Africa’s Sahel region serves as a climatic transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the more tropical environments to the south. The Sahel not only embodies a diverse population and geography as it passes through many of the continent’s nations, it also, sadly, exemplifies the devastating effects that climate change is having on our planet. As desertification creeps through the region and soil erosion undermines the efforts of agriculture, social problems like famine, mass migration, and armed conflict have taken root and threaten to destroy an already-fragile ecosystem.

THE GREAT GREEN WALL chronicles the efforts of an ambitious reforestation plan striving to restore the environmental health and revitalize the economies of the region. Written and directed by Jared P Scott and produced by Oscar-nominated director Fernando Meirelles (City of God), the film follows Malian musician/activist Inna Modja as she journeys from coast-to-coast, gathering stories of resilience and self-determination by, sharing songs with, and spreading hope among the people on the Sahel’s frontline in the battle against a changing landscape.

About the series

Athena Cinema, University Libraries, and OHIO’s Environmental Studies Program present the 11th annual Sustainability Film Series.

This year’s batch of films will be centered on reflecting the urgency of what is before us. After a decade of screening movies and hosting discussions led by experts from the OHIO student body and faculty and the Athens community detailing the problems facing the world, this semester’s focus will be on solutions.

The films will demonstrate that a collaborative approach to problem-solving — involving all members of our global community, regardless of age, ethnicity, or gender — is a necessity. Education is the first crucial step in both understanding the world’s problems and developing sustainable solutions.

Following the screening of each of these beautiful, thought-provoking, and timely films, audience members are invited to join us for a panel discussion hosted by OHIO faculty members, students, and members of the Athens community.

The series is sponsored by Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, OHIO Honors Program, Honors Tutorial College, Cutler Scholars, Office of Sustainability, Center for Campus & Community Engagement, University College and beloved nonprofits and businesses.

Free admission and post-show discussion as part of the Spring Sustainability Series.

 

 

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Running Time: 90 MINS90 MIN
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The Met: Live in HD: Gounod’s ROMEO ET JULIETTE

Two singers at the height of their powers—radiant soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor sensation Benjamin Bernheim—come together as the star-crossed lovers in Gounod’s sumptuous Shakespeare adaptation, with Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium to conduct one of the repertoire’s most romantic scores. Bartlett Sher’s towering staging also features baritone Will Liverman and tenor Frederick Ballentine as the archrivals Mercutio and Tybalt, mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey as the mischievous pageboy Stéphano, and bass-baritone Alfred Walker as Frère Laurent.

Due to the current repairs going on at the Athena Cinema, this program will be presented as a pre-recorded encore at the Ridges Auditorium. The screening starts at 12:55pm and is estimated to end at 4:26pm. 

Admission $20 (senior $18, children $8)

OHIO Student: Free

Thanks to Arts for OHIO, we are able to offer a limited number of FREE student tickets available on first-come, first-serve basis. Must have valid student I.D.

Click here to view the rest of the Met: Live in HD schedule.

Special thanks to George Weckman and the following supporters:

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Running Time: 211 MIN211 MIN
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Friends of India Present: RRR

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“Forget streaming- the joy of the communal RRR theatrical experience is as much fun as you can have” — Variance Films

RRR – Rise, Roar, Revolt! – is the story of comrades Raju and Bheem who have embarked on a quest to incite a revolution in the 1920s and bring an end to the colonial British Raj imposed on India. Pitted against everything from soldiers to jungle beasts to the earthly elements, the protagonists, like heroes from mythology, have their mettle and courage tested to find out what they are really made of. The exhilarating, action-packed, epic journey that unfolds not only unites two friends, but has the potential to unite an entire nation!

With a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film and an Oscar win for Best Original Song, RRR has been lauded by critics, fans, and filmmakers — including James Cameron, JJ Abrams, and Steven Spielberg — around the world since its release in 2022. Not only that, but the film has since become a sort-of Hindi Rocky Horror Picture Show, with audiences breaking out in song and dance during screenings. Director/Screenwriter S. S. Rajamouli’s magnificent film offers everything that a great movie should!

Admission is free but ticketed. Open to the public! Claim tickets in person or by clicking the showtime link below.

“Friends of India” will provide Indian snacks and Chai during intermission.

The start time of the film will be 1:30 p.m. There will be an intermission of approximately 20 mins during the screening, so please plan accordingly. The film is anticipated to conclude around 5:00 p.m.

“In a movie that also includes Bheem battling a tiger with his bare hands and an aerial rescue involving a motorcycle, “Naatu Naatu” may be the most impressive action sequence.”–The Ringer

 

To learn more about the Ohio University’s Friends of India Endowment visit their website here

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Running Time: 187 MINS187 MIN
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"You won't be bored for a nanosecond." -- The Hollywood Reporter

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SEED: THE UNTOLD STORY

Watch Trailer Director: Jon Betz and Taggart Siegel

The Athena Cinema and OEFFA are thrilled to present a special screening of this important Emmy-nominated documentary!

Few things on Earth are as miraculous and vital as seeds – they have been worshipped and treasured by various peoples since the dawn of humankind.

SEED: The Untold Story follows a handful of dedicated seed-keepers from around the planet who have tasked themselves with protecting our 12,000-year old food legacy. And, protection is a must – During the past century, 94% of our seed varieties have disappeared. Moreover, “Big Ag” and bio-tech firms have control of the market-share and distribution of the vast majority of seeds available to farmers, forcing scientists, lawyers, and indigenous seed-stewards into a David-and-Goliath battle to defend the future of our food.

Through this compelling and poetic story, executive produced by Marissa Tomei, SEED relates the trials and travails of often-reluctant heroes – including Vandana Shiva, Dr. Jane Goodall, Andrew Kimbrell, Winona Laduke, and Raj Patel – who strive to repair our lost connection to our most treasured resource and help a global culture centered on seeds begin to take root.

Admission is FREE and open to the public thanks to our partnership with

OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association)

To pre-register for the screening and show your support for OEFFA, please visit their webpage here:

SEED: The Untold Story Event Registration

 

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Running Time: 94 min94 MIN
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Seed: The Untold Story is the rare documentary from filmmakers who are not just capable but also in love with their craft.

Daphne Howland
Village Voice
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BAD PRESS

Watch Trailer Director: Joe Peeler, Rebecca Landsberry-Baker
Awards: Sundance Film Festival (2023) U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression

About the film

Bad Press follows the journey of tenacious Muscogee reporter Angel Ellis as she fights to bring free press back after it was swiftly repealed on the eve of an election year for the Muscogee Nation. The election is full of twists and turns, and she refuses to leave the fate of free press to its outcome.

This documentary provides unparalleled insight into the inner workings of a modern Native American tribe, revealing a holistic look into the structure of its media, sovereignty, humor and elections that few audiences will have experienced before.

 

 

About the Speakers

The screening of BAD PRESS will be accompanied by a short talk given by filmmaker Rebecca Landsberry-Baker, reporter/film protagonist Angel Ellis, and Ohio University E.W. Scripps Master’s in Journalism Alum, public relations specialist, documentary reporter, and IJA member Sarah Liese.

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker

Rebecca Landsberry-Baker is an enrolled citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the executive director of the Native American Journalists Association. She is a recipient of the 2018 NCAIED “Native American 40 Under 40” award and was selected to the Harvard Shorenstein News Leaders Fall 2022 cohort. Landsberry-Baker made her directorial debut with the documentary feature film, BAD PRESS, which was supported by the Sundance Institute, Ford Foundation JustFilms, NBC, and the Gotham. BAD PRESS premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.

 

Angel Ellis

Angel Ellis is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and has lived, worked, and played within the tribes’ reservation boundaries most of her life. Growing up, her heroes had press passes rather than capes. Ellis learned to read with a newspaper at the breakfast table with her grandfather, and the fascination never faded.

Ellis advocates for and educates on ethical coverage of Indigenous topics and communities.

 

 

Sarah Liese

Sarah Liese, MS (Navajo/Turtle Mountain Chippewa) is a public relations specialist at Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi. Previously, she was a 2022 Indigenous Non-Fiction Sundance Institute Fellow, researcher, and mitigation video specialist. She completed her Master of Science in Journalism at Ohio University in July 2022.While pursuing her master’s degree, she served as a Full Circle Fellow at the Sundance Institute, Native American Journalism Fellow and Mentor-In-Training at the Native American Journalist Association (renamed to the Indigenous Journalists Association), as well as a research assistant and teaching assistant at Ohio University. Her previous work focused on social media management, content creation and broadcast journalism.

 

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Running Time: 98 MIN98 MIN
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From the Hills and Hollers: CALLS FROM HOME: PRISON RADIO IN APPALACHIA with Sylvia Ryerson

Watch Trailer Director: Sylvia Ryerson

About the film

Sylvia, a young radio DJ, hosts “Calls from Home”, a weekly radio call-in show in rural Kentucky that sends messages and shouts-out to people incarcerated in prisons throughout Central Appalachia, allowing the inmates and their families to bridge the iron bars of the corrections system and share a much-needed connection. Director Sylvia Ryerson will be at this event to introduce the film.

About the director/speaker

Sylvia Ryerson is a multimedia artist, organizer, and PhD candidate in American studies at Yale University. Prior to graduate school she worked as an independent radio producer, and at the Appalshop media arts and education center in Whitesburg, Kentucky. There she served as a reporter and the director of public affairs programming for WMMT-FM, where she co-directed and hosted Hip Hop from the Hilltop & Calls from Home, a nationally recognized weekly radio program that broadcasts music and toll-free phone messages from family members to their loved ones incarcerated. She also co-directed Making Connections News, a multimedia community storytelling project documenting efforts for a just transition from coal extraction. Her research questions build from this work, and are rooted at the intersection of scholarship, activism, and art.

About the series

Due to the resounding success of the series launch during 2022-2023, we are thrilled to present the 2nd annual From the Hills and Hollers: Appalachian Film Series for 2023-2024.

The series seeks to foster a deeper connection between the Athens city and university communities and the cultural legacy of the surrounding region through films that examine the many facets, both positive and negative, of life in Appalachia. This batch of films is, in large part, the product of filmmakers who have intimate knowledge of living in this environment and, as a result, are well-suited for representing the realities of Appalachia on the big screen.

Short introduction/lectures will provide context for the film and introduce the underlying issues represented in film and other media. All events in the series are presented with free admission.

This screening will take place at the Athena Cinema located at 20 S. Court St.

This series is sponsored by the College of Health Sciences and Professions, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences, OHIO Honors Program, Center for Campus and Community Engagement, Athens County Public Libraries, University Libraries, GO Local, University College, the Center for Law, Justice, and Culture, and the Ohio Arts Council.

 

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David Pepper: Saving Democracy

Join us for “Saving Democracy,” a presentation by David Pepper.

David is a writer, democracy activist, former elected official, and former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. He also currently serves as a senior fellow at the Kettering Foundation, and teaches election law and voting rights at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. David is a frequent contributor on MSNBC, CNN, and C-Span, in addition to being a featured guest on podcasts and radio shows.

Based on his books, including Saving Democracy, David will illustrate the problems facing our country, describe how we can engage our legislators to respond to the will of the voters, and offer inspiration on how to best bring reason back to the political process. Democracy, after all, can only be saved if we all take part.

Following the presentation, please join us for an after party where you can meet local and state Democratic Party candidates and elected officials.

Beer, wine and snacks will be made available to attendees for purchase.

The timeline for the event will be as follows:

“Saving Democracy” Speech:  7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

After Party:  8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

 

Sponsored by the Athens County Democratic Party.

 

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Sustainability Series: KISS THE GROUND

Watch Trailer Director: Rebecca and Josh Tickell
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Tom Brady, Jason Mraz, Ian Somerhalder

About the Film

Hollywood superstar/activist Woody Harrelson narrates and stars in this timely documentary that promises to offer a real and viable solution to climate change: regenerating the Earth’s soil. By shifting our focus to the health of the very ground we stand on, we can rebuild the ecosystems that are rapidly being destroyed around the world, create sustainable and abundant food supplies, and stabilize some of the chaotic climate-related phenomena that have become all-too-common in the 21st century.

Created by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, Kiss the Ground features not only striking visuals, but also a host of well-known celebrities (Jason Mraz, Tom Brady, Ian Somerhalder) and expert scientists who all pull together to deliver a message of hope for the planet’s future. Nominated for and winner of numerous awards on the film festival circuit, this film is sure to add a new perspective on the problem of climate change…a perspective that is more “down to earth”.

About the series

Athena Cinema, University Libraries, and OHIO’s Environmental Studies Program present the 11th annual Sustainability Film Series.

This year’s batch of films will be centered on reflecting the urgency of what is before us. After a decade of screening movies and hosting discussions led by experts from the OHIO student body and faculty and the Athens community detailing the problems facing the world, this semester’s focus will be on solutions.

The films will demonstrate that a collaborative approach to problem-solving — involving all members of our global community, regardless of age, ethnicity, or gender — is a necessity. Education is the first crucial step in both understanding the world’s problems and developing sustainable solutions.

Following the screening of each of these beautiful, thought-provoking, and timely films, audience members are invited to join us for a panel discussion hosted by OHIO faculty members, students, and members of the Athens community.

The series is sponsored by Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, OHIO Honors Program, Honors Tutorial College, Cutler Scholars, Office of Sustainability, Center for Campus & Community Engagement, University College and beloved nonprofits and businesses.

Free admission and post-show discussion as part of the Spring Sustainability Series.

 

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Running Time: 84 MINS84 MIN
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