Freshly Chosen Films

Following a successful first four weeks of virtual programming with Sag Harbor Cinema @ Home, the cinema is bringing audiences a new selection of films that are accessible round the clock on its website

Starting May 15, SHC introduced three new virtual cinema titles. “Down and Out in America,” a 1986 film by Lee Grant, offers a must-see portrait of poverty in Reagan-era America and was the winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Also on offer is Jean-Luc Godard’s “Band of Outsiders” (1964) which, originally a flop, has now become a cult favorite of New Wave enthusiasts. Audiences will immediately recognize its often-imitated, famous dance sequence in a Parisian café.

The final title, “Our Mothers” (2019), comes from Guatemalan/Belgian first time feature director César Díaz. The film tells the story of a young forensic anthropologist searching for his father as he is investigating the killings during Guatemala’s civil war in the 1980s — and of the older women left in the villages that witnessed it all. A festival winner from last year (prizes include the Camera D’or at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival), Cinemania confirms “You can’t look away or stop listening.”

“Anne Karina’s recent passing gives further relevance to the opportunity of screening ‘Band of Outsiders,’ one of my favorite collaborations between Godard and the great muse of the French New Wave”, says SAC Artistic Director Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan. “I am also very excited to bring to our audiences the first of a series of Lee Grant’s documentaries, and a film that speaks loudly to our present. Last but not least, a new and very strong voice from Latin America’s cinema. As always with a program, I’d like to touch on different notes.”

This week’s SHC newsletter also continues its well-received Movie of the Week recommendation with Spike Lee’s Crooklyn (1994). Lee’s slice-of-life story of a family in 1973 Brooklyn is both intimate and universal. A lesser known but stunning film with an almost entirely ‘70s soundtrack, Crooklyn is a wild ride and a must-see summer escape.

The newsletter will also reprise Good Reads, sharing the most interesting articles that are being published about film and cinema during these unusual times.

A portion of the proceeds from virtual cinema tickets sales goes to support the Sag Harbor Cinema. Ticket prices may slightly vary according to each distributor’s policy. To access films, visit sagharborcinema.org.