8/15 — “First Reformed” Screening & Discussion with Filmmaker Paul Schrader
Friday, August 15 at 7pm
at Irvington Theater | Get Directions →
We are thrilled to host the renowned filmmaker Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Affliction) for a screening of his 2017 film, First Reformed. Schrader, one of the most influential American screenwriters and directors whose films often explore themes of alienation, redemption, and the dark side of humanity, will discuss his work and legacy (and answer audience questions) after the screening.
About First Reformed: “Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) is a solitary, middle-aged parish pastor at a small Dutch Reform church in upstate New York on the cusp of celebrating its 250th anniversary. Once a stop on the Underground Railroad, the church is now a tourist attraction catering to a dwindling congregation, eclipsed by its nearby parent church, Abundant Life, with its state-of-the-art facilities and 5,000-strong flock. When a pregnant parishioner (Amanda Seyfried) asks Reverend Toller to counsel her husband, a radical environmentalist, the clergyman finds himself plunged into his own tormented past, and equally despairing future, until he finds redemption in an act of grandiose violence” (A24).