Nate Hood on Mission: Joy (Finding Happiness in Troubled Times) ★★★ which is playing Monday at the Port Jefferson Documentary Series

 

[This piece was originally published in the monthly newsletter for the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach.]

On the surface, it seems difficult to find two men more different than the Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. One is a Christian, the other a Buddhist. The first was born and raised in desperate poverty in apartheid-era South Africa. The second was raised as royalty in a lavish Tibetan palace. Tutu’s upbringing was heavily influenced by his loving mother and abusive father; Gyatso was taken from his parents at two years old and raised by monks. Desmond has spent his life in his native country; Gyatso has lived in exile for fifty-six years. Finally, one has given his life to God while the other is literally considered one by his followers. That both men have been instrumental figures in modern human rights struggles, each winning the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts, isn’t surprising. That the two diametric opposites are dear friends is.

First meeting at a museum in New Jersey in 1990, the two holy men hit it off right away. One of Tutu’s daughters describes the two octogenarians’ energy together as being similar to that of “eight year old boys.” Indeed, when the two reunite for the first time in years for the filming of Louis Psihoyos and Peggy Callahan’s Mission: Joy (Finding Happiness in Troubled Times), not even the strictures of age can keep the two from giggling and joking like schoolchildren. As the wizened Tutu departs his plane in Dharamsala, India and reunites with Gyatso on the tarmac, their years positively melt away as they tease and embrace each other. In this moment, the two are young again.

It seems appropriate then that the topic for Psihoyos and Callahan’s documentary is, as the title suggests, the nature of joy and whether or not it’s feasible in today’s world. The film is predominately an interview with the two holy men as they’re asked various questions about it as well as questions concerning hope and despair. Animated interludes recreating scenes from their childhoods demonstrate their familiarity with all three: Tutu with his experiences with poverty, abuse, and racist violence under apartheid; Gyatso with losing his family, home, and homeland at the hand of Chinese invaders. 

Yet their answers are astonishing similar: happiness and joy come from two places. The first is from within. “The ultimate source of a meaningful life is within ourselves,” Gyatso explains. One can choose to wallow in despair over one’s circumstances or one can choose—the key word here being “choose”—to recontextualize one’s life. Gyatso uses his own life as an example. Instead of viewing his life in exile as a tragedy, he’s deliberately reframed his experiences in his mind as a unique opportunity to escape the “Golden Cage” that trapped generations of Dalai Lamas in their monastic estates. Unlike other Lamas, he’s been afforded the chance to travel the world and learn about things he otherwise couldn’t. To reevaluate one’s life as a refugee in political exile as a blessing in disguise takes a superhuman level of mindfulness, and I sincerely doubt Gyatso would be so cruel as to suggest other people going through intense trauma should merely seek the silver lining. But I am reminded of the ending of Martin Scorsese’s Kundun (1997), a biopic of Gyatso that ends with him answering the question of whether or not he’s the Lord Buddha by saying: “I believe I am a reflection, like the moon on water. When you see me, and I try to be a good man, you see yourself.”

The second source of joy comes from helping others. Here the film turns more emphatically towards Tutu’s struggles as an anti-apartheid civil rights leader, risking life and limb to help free his fellow Africans from the last bastion of politically legalized white supremacy in Africa. Through acts of service, he was able to find compassion not just for his fellow persecuted blacks but for the white police officers and soldiers who terrorized them. At several points in the film scientists and clinical experts are brought in to comment on Tutu and Gyatso’s teachings and one of the most astonishing of these comes when Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky of UC Riverside is asked to corroborate Tutu’s claim that acts of kindness can change someone. She answers in the complete affirmative, explaining that medical trials have demonstrated that people who consistently perform acts of kindness see their blood and RNA transform on a biological level to better match a healthy immune profile. Helping others, being compassionate, acting kindly…all these things literally rewrite our bodies to live stronger, longer lives. It would seem the Most Reverend Archbishop Desmond Tutu has a point. But then, so too does His Holiness the Dalai Lama about personal mindfulness. Indeed, the film seems to argue that the Buddhist notion of interior cultivation and the Christian emphasis on acts of service are two halves of the same coin. It is by combining both that one can find the same kind of joy, the same kind of happiness, that these two old men share in each others’ presence during their twilight years.

CLAYDREAM plays The Port Jefferson Doc series Monday

CLAYDREAM is a great film. A portrait of the late great animator Will Vinton from his birth through his battle with the founder of Nike over his studio on to his death. It is a glorious celebration of the man and his work.

I am a huge Will Vinton fan. His version of the THE LITTLE PRINCE is one of my favorite films of all time. His CLOSED MONDAYS changed how I see animation. His feature films were unlike anything out there. When I saw that this film was playing Tribeca I instantly reached out to get a copy of the film. Having seen it I want to go back through all of Vinton’s films.

While the film is very much a celebration of the man the film doesn’t shy away from some the missteps that he made. Getting hooked up with Nike, a move that would ultimate result in his being thrown out of his own studio being chief among them. While the mistakes are softened by the words of friends and family we see that Vinton sometimes reached too far.

There is much to love in this film. I suspect that the abundance of clips will make this a film that is a revelation for even long time Vinton fans. I kept seeing bits and realizing that there are still a good number of films I know nothing about. I also love the way that director Marq Evans weaves together new and old interviews in such a way that I completely forgot that Vinton had past. This is a film that put all of Vinton’s films firmly in the present.

In all honesty I was so sure that Vinton was alive  that the films final image, that of the aviator carrying a sleeping Prince crushed me with in the context of Vinton’s life. It  hit me so unexpectedly that I had to back up the film and watch it a second time, only to have it reduce me to a sobbing mess with the perfection of the image and context.

I love this film a great deal

It, along with the earlier The GLAMOUR AND THE SQUALOR makes director Marq Evans one to put on your must follow list. Evans has a unique vision that is unlike anyone else and I am hoping he makes films for many decades to come.

CLAYDREAM is playing at Tribeca and should be high on your must see list

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series has added a virtual component

 

We are very excited to announce that, with the extremely generous cooperation of the distributors and filmmakers listed below*, we are now able to offer a Virtual Alternative to the exciting in-person events for the Fall 2021 Port Jefferson Documentary Series. We have tried, especially during this pandemic, to keep everyone’s different needs and preferences in mind. Although the COVID protocols at Theatre Three are exceptionally effective (universal masking, mandatory vaccine proof, social distancing and excellent ventilation), we realize that some people are not yet ready to attend a live screening. In addition, our audience has grown geographically during this period and some people are now too far away.

Therefore, we will have an online screening on the night following each live screening. Six of the seven films will be exact duplicates and as we are not permitted to screen CLAYDREAM virtually, we are working on finalizing a “sneak peek” of a very special film on a date that will be announced shortly. 

The details for the 2021 Fall Virtual Alternative Series:

— Seven films, available individually at $10 per film for your entire household or as a seven-film Pass for $56.

— All purchases of virtual passes/tickets will be online from our website at: https://portjeffdocumentaryseries.com/tickets-venues-virtual-fall-2021/

— Each film will be available at approximately 7 PM on the night it is presented for a 24 hour period (until 7 PM the following night).

— Dates of our encore virtual films will be:

Tuesday, 9/21- LOVE IT WAS NOT

Tuesday, 10/5 - DEAR MR. BRODY

Tuesday, 10/12 - THE UNITED STATES VS. REALITY WINNER

Tuesday, 10/19 - NOT GOING QUIETLY

Tuesday, 10/26 - IN BALANCHINE’S CLASSROOM

Tuesday, 11/16 - MISSION: JOY - FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES

— AND we can’t wait to announce our “sneak peek” film shortly!

— Although virtual, we are limited to selling 50 tickets for each film, so it is possible for tickets to our virtual screenings to be sold out.

*A special thank you to the following distributors/filmmakers for making our 2021 Fall Virtual Alternative Series possible:

The Film Collaborative

Codebreaker LLC

Greenwich Entertainment

Zeitgeist Films

Brody Documentary LLC

And thanks to all the folks who have stayed with us through “thick and thin” as we present some of the best new docs out there!

Warmest Regards,

The Film Board

Port Jefferson Documentary Series

516-639-2624

portjeffdocumentaryseries.com

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Port Jefferson Documentary Fall Series starts September 20

I am way way behind in posting this. But here is the information for the great Port Jefferson Documentary Series fall slate.

If you are on Long Island you need to attend. Details, directions and tickets here.

The Fall Selections are all in person at Theater Three

LOVE IT WAS NOT

Monday, September 20, 2021 @ 7:00 PM

Theatre Three

412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777

Guest Speaker recorded via Zoom: Maya Sarfaty, Director; Q&A moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio

Directed by Maya Sarfaty

The romantic relationship between Helena Zitron, a beautiful Jewish prisoner at Auschwitz, and SS officer Franz Wunch remains one of the most confounding stories of Holocaust survival. Fascinating first-person accounts confirm their affair began when Helena was forced to sing at a party where she caught Wunsch's eye. Besotted, he transfers her to lighter duties, and even nurses her through typhoid. But when Helena's sister Rose arrives at the camp, a tragedy irrevocably fuses the fates of the three together. Whether Helena was simply surviving, collaborating, or truly in love with Wunsch will haunt both sisters even 30 years after they flee to Israel. Meticulous historical investigation reveals that Wunch repeatedly tried to reunite with his love over the years, ultimately requesting Helena testify at his war crimes trial in 1972. Rescued by her beauty and her will to survive, Helena recognizes her need to tell the truth and is forced to make an impossible choice once again.

Running Time: 86 Minutes

CLAYDREAM

Monday, September 27, 2021 @ 7:00 PM

Theatre Three

412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777

Guest Speaker: Marq Evans, Director, Q&A via Skype; Moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio  

Directed by Marq Evans

A modern day Walt Disney, Will Vinton picked up a ball of clay and saw a world of potential. Known as the “Father of Claymation," leading a team of artists and writers, Vinton revolutionized the animation business during the 80’s and 90’s. But after thirty years of being the unheralded king of clay, Will Vinton’s carefully sculpted American dream came tumbling down. Marq Evans’ CLAYDREAM takes us on an exciting journey, rich with nostalgia and anchored by a trove of clips from Vinton’s life work, including his iconic, classic California Raisins, The Noid from old Dominos commercials, The Pj’s, written by Eddie Murphy and the Gary and Mike TV shows. Structured around interviews with this charismatic pioneer and his close collaborators, the film documents Vinton’s many successes and how he was unable to capitalize on them. In his documentary, Evans has effectively created a cautionary tale by bringing to life the battle between art and commerce. It’s a tale that is as old as time and always sad to hear. In this case, Vinton was overshadowed by two powerful forces: Disney and Nike. CLAYDREAM is an insightful portrait of an artist who put so much of himself into his craft, and is brought back to life for a whole new generation to explore his colorful world of adult animation.

Running Time: 96 Minutes

DEAR MR. BRODY

Monday, October 4, 2021 @ 7:00 PM

 Theatre Three

412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777

Guest Speaker: Melissa Robyn Glassman, Producer and Subject in Film, Q&A moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio

Directed by Keith Maitland

In January 1970, hippie-millionaire Michael Brody Jr., the 21-year-old heir to a margarine fortune, announced to the world that he would personally usher in a new era of peace and love by giving away his twenty-five million dollar inheritance to anyone in need. In a frenzied few weeks, Brody and his young wife Renee ignited a psychedelic spiral of events. Instant celebrities, the Brodys were mobbed by the public, scrutinized by the press, and overwhelmed by the crush of personal letters responding to this extraordinary offer. Fifty years later, an enormous cache of these letters are discovered--unopened. In this riveting follow-up to his acclaimed film, TOWER, presented by the PJDS in 2016, award-winning director Keith Maitland reveals the incredible story of Michael Brody Jr. and the countless struggling Americans who sought his help, to create a deeply moving meditation on desire, need, philanthropy, and love.

Running Time: 97 minutes

UNITED STATES VS. REALITY WINNER

Monday, October 11, 2021 @ 7:00 PM

 Screening at Theatre Three

412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777

Guest Speaker: Sonia Kennebeck, Director, Q&A moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio

Directed by Sonia Kennebeck

A state of secrets and a ruthless hunt for whistleblowers – UNITED STATES VS. REALITY WINNER is the story of 25-year-old NSA contractor Reality Winner who leaked a top secret document to the media about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. German documentary filmmaker, playwright, author, and photographer Wim Wenders serves as an executive producer.

Running Time: 94 minutes

NOT GOING QUIETLY

Monday, October 18, 2021 @ 7:00 PM

Screening at Theatre Three

412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777

Guest Speaker: Nicholas Bruckman, Director, Q&A moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio

Directed by Nicholas Bruckman

When 32-year-old activist and father Ady Barkan is diagnosed with ALS and given four years to live, he finds himself in a deep depression, struggling to connect with his young son, whose presence reminds him of the future he will miss. But, after a chance confrontation on an airplane with Senator Jeff Flake goes viral, Ady decides to embark on a tour of America, using his final breaths to fight for healthcare justice, and ultimately discovering that collective action and speaking truth to power can not only inspire movements, they can offer personal and emotional transformation as well.

Running Time: 97 minutes

IN BALANCHINE’S CLASSROOM

Monday, October 25, 2021 @ 7:00 PM

Screening at Theatre Three

412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777

Guest Speaker Connie Hochman, Director, Q&A moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio

Directed by Connie Hochman

IN BALANCHINE’S CLASSROOM takes us back to the glory years of Balanchine’s New York City Ballet through the remembrances of his former dancers and their quest to fulfill the vision of a genius. Opening the door to his studio, Balanchine’s private laboratory, they reveal new facets of the groundbreaking choreographer: taskmaster, mad scientist, and spiritual teacher. Today, as his former dancers teach a new generation, questions arise: what was the secret of his teaching? Can it be replicated?

Filled with never-before-seen archival footage of Balanchine at work, along with interviews with many of his adored and adoring dancers and those carrying on his legacy today, this is Balanchine as you have never seen him. This film will thrill anyone interested in the intensity of the master-disciple relationship and all who love dance, music, and the creative process.

Running Time: 89 minutes

MISSION: JOY FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES

Monday, November 15, 2021 @ 7:00 PM

Screening at Theatre Three

412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777

Guest Speaker: Peggy Callahan, Co-Director; Q&A moderated by Tom Needham, Host of The Sounds of Film at WUSB radio via Skype

Co-Directed by Louis Psihoyos and Peggy Callahan

MISSION: JOY - FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES is a profound and jubilant exploration of the remarkable friendship between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Inspired by the international bestseller, The Book of Joy, the documentary welcomes viewers into intimate conversations between two men whose resistance against adversity has marked our modern history. Through rare archival footage and affecting animation, the documentary reflects upon their personal hardships as well as the burden both men carry as world leaders dedicated to bringing justice to and fighting authoritarianism in their communities. The film gives us a window into the inner lives of these influential figures as they enjoy a week together laughing, sharing wisdom, and delighting in the rarity of spending time with a good friend.

Running Time: 90 minutes

---

Dear Film Lover,

With COVID cases rising again on Long Island and considering the ever-changing public health safety environment, the Board of the Port Jefferson Documentary Series has been reviewing what needs to be done to keep people comfortable and safe at Theatre Three during our upcoming fall series. Theatre Three has now settled that question. Like all Broadway theaters, the Hamptons International Film Festival and many concert venues, Theatre Three has implemented new protocols for all staff and attendees who enter the theater.  See Below From Theatre Three:

*Theatre Three Covid Policy

As of August 11, 2021:

All THEATRE THREE patrons must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.

As of September 1, 2021:

In addition to the above mask requirement, all THEATRE THREE patrons (ages 12 and over) must be fully vaccinated* with an FDA-authorized vaccine to attend performances. Therefore, all patrons entering the theater must show a Vaccination Card or Excelsior Pass along with a valid ID.

Children under the age of 12 may attend performances with a fully vaccinated adult as long as the children wear masks throughout their time at the theater.

Please understand these protocols are for the safety and health of our patrons, employees, and community. Again, we thank you in advance for your cooperation.

* "Fully vaccinated" means the performance date you are attending must be:

1. at least 14 days after your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

or

2. at least 14 days after your single dose of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.

Theatre Three's COVID-19 protocols remain subject to change. Any policy adjustments will be found on our website and social media as well as communicated to ticket holders in advance of their performance.

As we have since the pandemic arrived in March of 2020, the Film Board is balancing the health and safety of our filmgoers with our desire to continue to entertain and inform you by screening the best, new documentaries. Of course, health and safety are paramount. We support Theatre Three’s decision to hold the well-being of the community above all else and we hope you will too.

FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION  GO HERE

Seeing JIMMY CARTER ROCK & ROLL PRESIDENT at the Port Jefferson Documentary series

It may sound crazy, but six months into the age of Covid I actually managed to go to the movies. No it was not in a traditional movie theater, not was it at a drive-in , rather it was on the lawn in the village of Port Jefferson on the north shore of Long Island where the Port Jefferson Documentary Series had their opening night of the Fall series.

Now before anyone goes berserk we were all properly socially distant. Cones were placed 15 to 20 feet apart from each other and you could put your lawn chairs on either side of each one. Everyone stayed far apart, and remained masked. Wendy Feinberg, one of the organizers and I even remained masked for a photo to record our meeting for the first time after exchanging emails for four or five years. Of all socially distant events I’ve seen Port Jeff‘s screening was the best. They made all the precautions feel unforced and natural to the point you didn’t even think about it.

This is  the spacing of the sold out crowd

And if that isn’t good enough mother nature helped the natural ventilation by having a steady breezy blowing the whole evening. It may have blown the trees and rocked the screen a bit but it just made us aware that we were in a beautiful seaside location.

In all seriousness this is how I want to see movies- I want to go to this park and watch movies at sunset with the water behind us. It made for magical experience unlike any other. I had an absolute blast being there. Yea, the location is about 90 minutes by car from my house but it is absolutely wonderful.

This is what you see when you turn around from the screen

Actually the whole series is great. If you are on Long Island you need to go. It’s worth the trip. The organizers, Wendy included, are marvelous people. They are just great fun and eal film fans. I wish I wasn’t so hungry and dashing off to grab a quick bite to eat before the film because I could have and should have spoken to them more. Everyone was absolutely charming. What was also cool was the audience was fun. Everyone seemed to be talking to each other. This is what festival going should be like.

Seriously if you can go do so. This fall season is stacked with great films. Next Monday they are doing another screening in the park- this time of Barbara Kopple’s Desert One, and you have to go. Trust me the physical being in the park will do wonders for you, and the movie is great too.

Later on the series is going to do some virtual screenings and some real drive-in screenings and I highly recommend you do so. Partly you need to go because the series has a winner every night and partly you need to go because the series can use the support. Covid has reduced the size of the audiences they can host and as a result they are operating right on the margin. You might think that perhaps they should hang it up for a season, but I don’t think they can do that. The people who run and go to the series are a big hearted group of people who know that they can’t be locked away. They know that there has to be some sort of attempt at normal even if it is masked and socially distant.

I know at this point you want to know about the movie – how was JIMMY CARTER ROCK & ROLL PRESIDENT?

It’s very good.

The film is not a full on biography of Carter, rather it is a look at the relationship of Carter and the music world. Music was, and is, important to the former President and it was because of his relationship to music that he won over a nation.

The film charts how Carter’s love of music and willing to engage superstars like Willie Nelson, the Allman Brothers and Nigel Rogers won him friends and fans. Bob Dylan was taken aback when he first met Carter because not only was this the first member of the establishment he ran across who genuinely loved his music, but Carter also spoke to him as a person without condescension. They connected as people. It was something that happened time and time again and something that allowed Carter to connect to the fans of the various artists because they could feel the love of the President coming out from the artists.

Full of great music this film needs to be played loud. Thankfully the audio set up in Port Jefferson was great, with the sound never wavering and being loud enough that no one could hear me singing along. I hope the producers can get a soundtrack album out because it’s awesome.

Is the film perfect? No. It only covers certain aspects of Carter’s life which makes its shifting of his being distracted by being president feeling like it could have used a bit more meat.

Imperfections or no this is still a glorious celebration of a great man who continues to this day to change the world for the better.

Highly recommended- see it when ever you can and play it loud and sing along (Jimmy certainly would)

Lastly once more thank you to the Port Jefferson documentary series for a wonderful evening.

Information on the Port Jefferson Documentary Series April 30th screening of Mole Man

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES~SPRING 2018
DATE/TIME: Monday, April 30, 2018 @ 7PM
 LOCATION: Long Island Museum 1200 Rt. 25A, Stony Brook, NY
TICKET PRICES: $7.00 general admission, tickets at the door (No Credit Cards)

MOLE MAN Directed by Guy Fiorita,
Mole Man is the story of Outside Architect Ron Heist. Ron is a 66-year-old autistic man who built a 50-room structure solely of scrap materials, on the land behind his parent’s home in Western Pennsylvania. His home was built without the use of nails or mortar. Ron’s home keeps on expanding, as he collects, classifies and displays objects from a deserted cluster of homes in the woods. When we meet him, Ron is living with his aging parents. In an effort to keep him in his home, Ron’s friends team up in search of a mystical mansion that Ron insists lays abandoned in the forest. Mole Man examines the interplay between autism and creativity. Ron, with idiosyncrasies and an eagerness to talk about them, is an ardent archivist of work that loved ones and caregivers consider odd but not necessarily important. This is the story of an extraordinary life, a family, and the beauty of thinking differently

Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson/ Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the Port Jefferson Documentary Series brings directors, producers or stars of each film into the theater for an up-close and personal question-and-answer session.
Our guest speaker will be the director, Guy Fiorita.

Running Time: 85 Minutes; Year: 2017;
Country: USA;
Language: English, Rated G

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES (www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com) is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and by the Suffolk County Office of Film and Cultural Affairs, Steve Bellone,County Executive


The details for the Port Jefferson Documentary screening of LOVE CECIL on April 23

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES~SPRING 2018

DATE/TIME: LOCATION: Monday, April 23, 2018 @7PM
 Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook, NY

TICKET PRICES: $7 General Admission, tickets sold at the door starting at 6:15 PM
Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council, 631-473-5220

LOVE, CECIL 

In Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s visually stunning film LOVE, CECIL, the glamorous world of the fashion/ celebrity photographer and stage set designer, Cecil Beaton(1904-1980), comes alive. Using archival footage, interviews and readings from his diaries by actor Rupert Everett, we see the world as he transformed it, as he wished it to be. With sparkling wit and often unsparing criticism, the quintessentially British Beaton photographed luminaries of his era such as Great Garbo, Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn and pictured them in VOGUE magazine and Vanity Fair. His official pictures of the British royal family are iconic as are the stage sets and designs for GIGI and MY FAIR LADY which won him two Oscars.

The stylish society that Beaton documented, created and inhabited came crashing down when he scandalized the world of fashion in 1938 by inserting an anti-semitic slur into an illustration in American Vogue. He was fired from the magazine and his reputation was ruined. With many apologies and what looked like penance, he devoted himself to his work as a war photographer, capturing the solemnity and solidarity of Britons on the home front. Many of his photos at this time appeared in LIFE magazine. Postwar, he returned to his first love, photographing celebrities such as Dean Martin and Mick Jagger. Perhaps though, his most iconic work was what he created for the stage and then the screen: the Ascot race scene from MY FAIR LADY, for which he designed both the costumes and film set.

Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson/ Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the Port Jefferson Documentary Series brings directors, producers, and stars of each film into the theater for an up-close and personal question-and answer session. Our guest speaker is Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland.

Country: USA.
Language: English
Release Date: 9/ 17 Runtime: 98 min. Awards: Audience Award, Hamptons International Film Festival, 2017

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series (www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com) is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and by the Suffolk County Office of Film and Cultural Affairs, Steve Bellone, County Executive

ITZHAK plays on on April 16th at the Port Jefferson Documentary Series

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES~SPRING 2018
DATE/TIME: Monday, April 16, 2018 @ 7PM
LOCATION: Theatre Three
412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777
TICKET PRICES: $7.00 general admission, tickets at the door (No Credit Cards)

ITZHAK

An impressionist, fly-on-the-wall portrait, ITZHAK examines the life and glorious music of Israeli-born Itzhak Perlman, widely considered the greatest living violinist. For over a year, filmmaker Alison Chernick follows the virtuoso around the world, portraying his huge passion and spirit. Wheelchair-bound from childhood polio, Perlman recounts overcoming obstacles with humor and talent, the devotion of wife Toby always shining through. Archival materials and performance clips, including a breakthrough appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show at age 13, combine with behindthe-
scenes moments of the venerated artist in rehearsal, teaching classes, attending award shows, and collaborating with colleagues. Perlman’s musical discipline is contrasted with an intimate view of his home life, as a modern Jewish family embraces its heritage in a changing world.

Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson/ Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the Port Jefferson Documentary Series brings directors, producers or stars of each film into the theater for an up-close and personal question-and-answer session. Our guest speaker will be the director, Alison Chernick.

Co-Sponsored by the North Shore Jewish Center and the Stony Brook University Dept. of Music

Running Time: 82 minutes; Year: 2017; Country: USA; Language: English

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES (www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com) is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and by the Suffolk County Office of Film and Cultural Affairs, Steve Bellone, County Executive

THE PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES ~ SPRING 2018 - THIS IS CONGO

DATE/TIME: Monday, April 9, 2018
LOCATION: Theatre Three,
412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, NY
TICKET PRICES: $7.00 general admission, tickets@door (no credit cards)

THIS IS CONGO
THIS IS CONGO is a riveting, unfiltered immersion into the world’s longest continuing conflict and those who are surviving within it. Following four compelling characters: a whistleblower, a patriotic military commander, a mineral dealer and a displaced tailor —the film offers viewers a truly Congolese perspective on the problems that plague this lushly beautiful nation. Colonel ‘Kasongo’, Mamadou, Mama Romance and Hakiza exemplify the unique resilience of a people who have lived and died through the generations due to the cycle of brutality generated by this conflict. Though their paths never physically cross, the ongoing conflict reverberates across all of their lives.

Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson/ Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the Port Jefferson Documentary Series brings directors, producers or stars of each film into the theater for an up-close and personal question-and-answer session. Our guest speaker will be the director, Daniel McCabe.
Running Time: 93 minutes; Year: 2017; Country: Congo; Language: Multi-lingual with English subtitles

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES
(www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com) is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and by the Suffolk County Office of Film and Cultural Affairs, Steve Bellone, County Executive

THE JUDGE plays PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES April 2nd

DATE/TIME: Monday, April 2, 2018
LOCATION: Long Island Museum, Gillespie Rm.
1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook, New York, 11790
TICKET PRICES: $7.00 general admission, tickets@ door (No credit cards please!)

THE JUDGE
When she was a young lawyer, Kholoud Al-Faqih walked into the office of Palestine’s Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench. He laughed at her. But just a few years later, Kholoud became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts. THE JUDGE offers a unique portrait of Judge Kholoud—her brave journey as a lawyer, her tireless fight for justice for women, and her drop-in visits with clients, friends, and family. With unparalleled access to the courts, THE JUDGE presents an unfolding legal drama, providing rare insight into both Islamic law and gendered justice.

In the process, the film illuminates some of the universal conflicts in the domestic life of Palestine —custody of children, divorce, abuse—while offering an unvarnished look at life for women under Shari’a.

Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson/ Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the Port Jefferson documentary Series brings directors, producers or stars of each film into the theater for an up-close and personal question-and-answer session. Our guest speaker will be the director, Erika Cohn.

Running Time: 76 minutes; Year: 2017; Country: Palestine; Language: Arabic, subtitles in English

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES (www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com) is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo
and the New York State Legislature and by the Suffolk County Office of Film and Cultural Affairs, Steve Bellone, County Executive

Information on the Port Jefferson Documentary Series screening of SAMMY DAVIS, JR : I'VE GOT TO BE ME

DATE/TIME: Monday, March 26, 2018 @ 7PM
LOCATION: The Long Island Museum (Gillespie Rm.)
1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook, New York, 11790
TICKET PRICES: $7.00 general admission, tickets at the door (No Credit Cards)

SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: I’VE GOTTA BE ME is the first major documentary to examine Davis’ vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress in 20th-century America. A star of stage and screen and member of the legendary Rat Pack, Sammy Davis, Jr. broke racial barriers, but paid a heavy price for it. Defying societal norms concerning interracial romance, religion and political affiliation, Davis courted controversy many times, but always with grace and honesty. Filmmaker Sam Pollard explores all the complexities of Davis, crossing several phases of American show business. Featuring new interviews with such luminaries as Billy Crystal, Norman Lear, Jerry Lewis, Whoopi Goldberg and Kim Novak, with never-before-seen photographs from Davis’ vast personal collection and excerpts from his electric performances in television, film and concert, the film explores the life and art of a uniquely gifted entertainer whose trajectory
blazed across the major flashpoints of American society from the Depression through the 1980s.

Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson/ Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the Port Jefferson Documentary Series brings directors, producers or stars of each film into the theater for an up-close and personal question-and-answer session. Our guest speaker will be the screenwriter and co-producer, Laurence Maslon.

Running Time: 82 minutes; Year: 2017; Country: USA; Language: English

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES (www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com) is
made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew
Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and by the Suffolk County Office of Film and
Cultural Affairs, Steve Bellone, County Executive

The China Hustle is the first of the Port Jefferson Documentary Spring series March 19

PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES~SPRING 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, Feb. 5, 2018
DATE/TIME: Monday, March 19, 2018 @ 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Theater Three
412 Main Street, Port Jefferson, New York, 11777
TICKET PRICES: $7.00 general admission, tickets at the door (no credit cards)

THE CHINA HUSTLE
In the midst of the 2008 market crash, investors on the fringes of the financial world feverishly ought new alternatives for high-return in the global markets. With Chinese indexes demonstrating explosive growth, this country suddenly emerged as a gold rush opportunity with one caveat: US investors were prohibited from investing directly into the country’s market. Makeshift solutions led to a market frenzy until one investor discovered the massive web of fraud left in it’s wake. Jed Rothstein’s
documentary uncovers the biggest heist you’ve never heard of.

Sponsored by the Greater Port Jefferson/ Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, the Port Jefferson Documentary Series brings directors, producers or stars of each film into the theater for an up-close and personal question-and answer session. Our guest speakers will be Dr. Juan Carlos Conesa, Prof/Chair of the Dept. of Economics SBU; plus a member of the film’s production team

Running Time: 82 minutes; Year: 2017; Country: USA,
China; Language: English, Chinese
PORT JEFFERSON DOCUMENTARY SERIES
(www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com) is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and by the Suffolk
County Office of Film and Cultural Affairs, Steve Bellone, County Executive.