The monthly HardLuckCafé concert series co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue, Huntington) in the Cinema’s Sky Room continues on Wednesday, March 19 with a multimedia Tribute to Those We’ve Lost. Two-dozen Long Island-based artists will perform songs by/popularized by notable songwriters and recording artists who left our world over the past year. The concert will extend from 7 to 10 p.m., with a short intermission.
LI-based artists slated to perform include Candice Baranello, Janice Buckner, Eric Eaton & Jennifer Grace, Gathering Time (Stuart Markus, Christine Sweeney & Gerry McKeveny), Ray Lambiase and Kate Corrigan, Bill Lauter, Stuart Markus, Larry Moser and Max Rowland, James O’Malley, Princess Peapod (Dave Cook & Michele Frimmer), Denise Romas, Gary Schoenberger, Terry Seidl, Hank Stone, Suffolk Shuffle (Richard Parr & Joe Roccanova), Bob Westcott, Jim Whiteman, and Lindsay Whiteman.
They’ll be performing songs by/popularized by such artists as Mike Brewer (Brewer & Shipley), Eric Carmen, Barbara Dane, Roberta Flack, Garth Hudson (The Band), Bernice Johnson Reagon, Kris Krisfofferson, Linda LaFlamme (It’s A Beautiful Day), Phil Lesh (The Grateful Dead), Dave Loggins, David Mallet, One Direction’s Liam Payne, Tom Prasada-Rao, John Roberts, JD Souther, Randy Sparks (The New Christy Minstrels), Libby Titus, and Peter Yarrow, among others.
Tickets are $20 ($15 for Cinema Arts Centre/FMSH members) and may be purchased online at cinemaartscentre.org or at the box office through the evening of the show.
As an exclusive post-Academy Awards treat, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington welcomes the one and only Bruce Vilanch — the two-time Emmy Award winning Comedy Writer for 25 Academy Award spectacles — on Monday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. After a screening of the hilarious and touching documentary about his life and career, Get Bruce!, Vilanch will help dissect the Oscar show of the night before and discuss his new, insider memoir, It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time.
Tickets are $28 per person, $22 for members and includes the screening, interview with audience Q&A, and book signing. Copies of Vilanch’s memoir are available to bundle with the film program or at the box office. For more information, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org or click here.
Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a special screening of The Girl Who Wore Freedom on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The documentary explores the untold stories of the men, women, and children of Normandy, France, who lived through German occupation, the D-Day invasion, and the liberation by Allied forces.
Long forgotten by the world, twenty thousand French civilians were killed during the Battle of Normandy. But those still living in Normandy haven’t forgotten, and continue to celebrate and embrace Americans for their liberation and the ultimate gift of freedom. Exploring D-Day through the personal stories of French survivors and American veterans, The Girl Who Wore Freedom captures the journey from war to forgiveness, and gratitude, honoring the legacy of those who fought for freedom.
Meet George Takei at the Cinema Arts Centre on Oct. 15.
George Takei
The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will present A Special Evening with George Takei on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. The event will include a screening of the acclaimed documentary, To Be Takei, an interview with Q&A moderated by Jud Newborn, and gala book signing reception with live music by Mike Soloway.
The world-renowned actor, author and activist has appeared in more than forty feature films and hundreds of television series, most famously as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the Starship Enterprise in the original Star Trek and in six blockbuster Star Trek feature films. But like Star Trek’s iconic introductory voice-over, Takei‘s story goes where few have gone before.
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind event
Tickets are $75 per person, $60 members and includes
a copy of George Takei’s new NY Times bestselling children’s book, My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story. To order, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org or click here.
SPECIAL NOTE:GeorgeTakei is honored to be appearing at the Cinema Arts Centre and is not receiving any fee or honorarium. All profits go to support Cinema Arts Centre.
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GeorgeTakei is a civil rights activist, social media superstar, Grammy-nominated recording artist, New York Times bestselling author, and pioneering actor whose career has spanned six decades. He has used his success as a platform to fight for social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and marriage equality. His advocacy is personal: during World War II, George spent his childhood unjustly imprisoned in US incarceration camps along with more than 125,000 other Japanese Americans. This experience inspired the musical Allegiance, in which George made his Broadway debut in 2018, and again in London, where it was staged anew in 2023.
Over the years he has appeared in TV series ranging from The Twilight Zone, The Big Bang Theory and Will & Grace to Psych and Ridley Scott’s The Terror in 2019 – in addition to his legendary work on Star Trek. His rich baritone has provided narration for the Ken Burns / PBS series The National Parks, while his voiceover work has ranged from The Simpsons to the animated feature, Mulan.
Winner of numerous awards and conferred with Honorary Doctorates by universities around the globe, GeorgeTakeinow serves as Chairman Emeritus and a member of the Japanese American National Museum’s board of trustees. George served on the board of the Japan–United States Friendship Commission and, in 2004, was given the Gold Rays with Rosette of the Order of the Rising Sun by the emperor of Japan for his contribution to US-Japan relations.
Film Screening:
To Be Takei. From outer space to Capitol Hill, from the silver screen to YouTube, the legendary GeorgeTakei has blazed his own trail while conquering new frontiers with a beaming trademark grin. Oh, my! To Be Takei is a look at the many roles played by this eclectic actor and activist. His wit, humor and grace have helped him to become an internationally beloved figure and Internet phenomenon with 7-million Facebook fans and counting. Those testifying to Takei’s charisma include Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, Senator Daniel Inouye, Dan Savage, Howard Stern, and George and Brad Takei themselves. The film offers unprecedented access to the daily life of George and his husband/business partner Brad and chronicles George‘s fascinating personal journey from Japanese American internment camps to his iconic and groundbreaking role as Sulu on Star Trek, and his rise as a pop culture icon. (USA, 2014, 94 mins. | Dir. Jennifer Kroot)
GeorgeTakei’s new book:
My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story, is the moving, beautifully illustrated true story for children ages 6 to 9 about growing up in Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II – from GeorgeTakei, the iconic Star Trek actor, activist, author, world-renowned social influencer and tireless educator. Published lovingly in hardcover – and a pleasure for adults as well – Takei’s heartfelt account will make an important and enlightening gift for the children in your lives. Takeilooks back at his own memories to help children today understand what it feels like to be treated as an enemy by your own country. Featuring powerful, meticulously researched watercolor paintings by Michelle Lee, this is a story of a family’s courage, a young boy’s resilience, and the importance of staying true to yourself in the face of injustice.
The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will host a Bizarre Bazaar, a vintage, oddities, art, and alternative market in partnership with The Perks Department on Sunday, Sept. 29 from noon to 5 p.m .
The Bizarre Bazaar will feature a curated selection from Long Islands best makers, pickers, and artists to kick off the Halloween season.
Visitors can expect vintage Halloween decor, rare CDS, vinyl, and cassettes, witchy art and crafts, jewelry, stickers, specialty coffee, pottery, graphic Ts and buttons, collectables and oddities for your curio or just your seasonal decor. Food and beverages, treats, and snacks will also be available.
The event is free, and all ages are welcome! For more information, call 631-423-7610 or visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.
Academy Award nominated actor Eric Roberts’ first memoir is being released this month and he is kicking off his book tour on Long Island.
Part of the famous Roberts family (including his sister Julia and daughter Emma), the 68-year-old actor is publishing his first memoir, Runaway Train: or, The Story of My Life So Far next week. To celebrate, he has chosen the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington as his first stop on the tour.
“This is the first appearance that he’s making as the book is being released so we’re really honored and delighted he would choose us,” said Jud Newborn, Emmy Award-winning producer of special programs at the Centre. “It’s wonderful to be appreciated.”
On Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. the evening will start with a screening of the 1985 film Runaway Train followed by a discussion with the actor, audience Q&A, gala book signing and reception featuring food and live jazz music by New York Times-acclaimed guitarist Mike Soloway.
The film, which stars Roberts, Jon Voight, and Rebecca DeMornay, tells the story of two convicts who escape a prison in snowy Alaska, battling the desolate landscape until they board an empty train — only to discover that the engineer has had a heart attack as the train accelerates out of control.
Roberts was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the film and it is rarely screened in a live setting, Newborn said.
“Eric Roberts is actually one of the most prolific actors in the world,” he added. “I was dumbfounded when I read that he was in more than 700 films.”
Roberts grew up in Georgia, spending most of his teens away from his mother and sisters and instead stayed with his controlling father, a grifter jealous of his early success. At age 17, he moved to New York to pursue acting, where he worked and partied with future legends like Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, John Malkovich, Bruce Willis and Robin Williams.
His big break came when he was cast in “King of the Gypsies,” becoming one of the hottest stars of the era. While his younger sister, Julia, has held a career based on her “squeaky clean, girl next door” persona, Roberts has had a life and career filled with ups and downs including arrests, drug addiction and a near-death car accident.
Newborn, who will be moderating the discussion, said that people are drawn to these events because the Centre brings in guests who can speak to the concerns and interests of people — and have been since it was opened in 1973.
“It’s going to be a lovely evening and another special Cinema Arts Centre event which we’re famous for,” he said. “We bring in such astounding artists, it’s really mind boggling.”
Roberts’ memoir is said to show a candid look inside his life discussing the ups and downs of his career, his stormy relationship with Julia and how he confronted his demons with the help of his wife, Eliza. Written with New York Times bestselling author Sam Kashner, this memoir plans to have people talking.
“I think our guests are going to be surprised,” Newborn said. “I’ve always found Eric Roberts to be compelling and unconventional in a way that is so intriguing … He has appeared in every kind of medium you can imagine; film, TV, music videos, voice over work and he’s a character actor.”
Tickets for the event are $52 for the public and $42 for members. It includes the film screening, a copy of the memoir that will be signed by Roberts in person, and the reception. To order, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org or click here.
Other celebrity guests scheduled for appearances at the Cinema Arts Centre this fall include director Barry Sonnenfeld on Oct. 8, actor George Takei on Oct. 15; Moon Unit Zappa (daughter of Frank Zappa) on Oct. 27; and actor Tim Matheson on Nov. 12. For further information, call 631-423-7610.
The award-winning composer and sound designer will perform a live concert and speak to the audience about his career
On Friday, August 30 at 7 p.m., legendary film composer and sound designer Alan Howarth, best known for his collaborations with John Carpenter, and his work on the Star Trek films, will perform a live concert of his iconic film music at Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre. The concert will be proceeded by a Q&A with the audience where he will discuss the art of film composing, and storied long career.
Alan Howarth and John Carpenter at work on Escape from New York. 1980. Photo by Phil D’Angelo
Alan Howarth’s award–winning film work started on Star Trek–The Motion Picture, launching him as a sound designer for the following 6 Star Trek feature films. He would then go on to collaborate with the director John Carpenter, crafting the scores for many of Carpenter’s most iconic works. He has since composed music for over 50 films. A sound design innovator, Howarth has worked on such films as Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard II, Stargate, The Little Mermaid, Back to the Future II and III, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Together with Carpenter, Alan Howarth pioneered a synth heavy style that would go on to influence many of the horror films that would follow, as well as the techno music genre as a whole.
The concert will feature music from beloved John Carpenter films such as Escape From New York, Halloween II, III & IV, The Thing, Big Trouble In Little China, Christine, They Live, Prince Of Darkness, and others.
The Cinema Arts Centre is located at 423 Park Avenue in Huntington. Tickets to the event are $27 public | $20 Cinema Arts Centre members.
You can purchase tickets or find more information about this and other events on the Cinema Arts Centre website: www.cinemaartscentre.org
Group of partisans including Abba Kovner - his Vilna Partisans Brigade
Abba Kovner with rifle, famed Partisan from the Vilna Ghetto and founder of the Ghetto Fighters House Museum in Israel
Jewish female couriers disguised as “Aryans” who engaged in espionage, conveying news between isolated ghettos
An excavated canister in which some of the “Oneg Shabbat” secret archival documentation by Warsaw Ghetto prisoners was hidden
By Daniel Dunaief
Paula S. Apsell wants to correct one of the more insidious myths about Jews during the Holocaust.
Director Paula S. Apsell
The award-winning filmmaker is showing the documentary Resistance – They Fought Back at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington on July 25, offering numerous examples of Jews who fought against the murderous Nazi regime.
The film from Apsell, who will be at the Cinema Arts Centre screening to speak with the audience, chronicles resistance in many forms, from getting married in secret, to having children, to holding concerts, to caring for the poor, to smuggling food and weapons into ghettos and, ultimately, to guerilla combat.
These stories of courage and a readiness to fight back when any form of resistance could mean severe punishment or death not just for the person rebelling but for many others paint a completely different picture than the one in which Jews surrendered meekly to their fate.
“There were seven rebellions in death camps, and six of them were led by Jews,” said Apsell, who won numerous awards as executive producer for PBS NOVA films. “They still mustered the courage to rebel knowing they would die in the rebellion” and almost all of them did.
The survival rate among Jews in general and those who the Germans found were rebelling, which includes many in their late teens and early 20’s who were fighting to protect and defend their families, was low.
While she was an executive producer at PBS for the Nova science series in 2016, Apsell traveled to Lithuania near Vilnius, where she produced a documentary for PBS about Jews who were brought to a site to burn the bodies of thousands of other Jews whom the Nazis had murdered.
At night with shackles on, they used spoons to dig a tunnel over the course of 76 days. When they escaped, they filed off their shackles and raced towards a forest, with 11 of them surviving through the rest of the war.
Building on this story, Apsell, who worked with Lone Wolf Media and co-directed the documentary with Kirk Wolfinger, started gathering information for the Resistance film in 2019 and completed editing the movie in September of 2023.
Apsell, who herself is conservative about what she shares with her eight and 11-year old grandchildren, suggested the documentary is appropriate for juniors in high school or older, unless they have had some level of education about the Holocaust.
Compelling lives
Amid the many stories of courage and sacrifice, Apsell felt a particular connection with Bela Hazan.
A courier who brought information, money and weapons to the ghettos, Hazan posed as a Polish Christian woman and traveled along dangerous roads surrounded by Nazis who would imprison, torture or kill her if they knew of her work.
After Hazan survived the dangers of the war, her son Yoel Yaari, who hadn’t heard of his mother’s wartime activities, found two notebooks containing details about her work.
Yaari, who is the Henri and Erna Leif Professor for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine in Jerusalem, has told people through articles and his book “Portrait of a Woman” about his mother’s “astounding courage and what she had done for the Jewish people,” said Apsell. “We can all learn about courage in adversity.”
Apsell suggested that scholars knew about the way Jews had resisted, but that lay audiences often say they thought Jews went to their death as sheep to the slaughter.
Other ways to watch the film
Apsell is in the final stages of putting together a broadcast deal, which she hopes will be ready in January to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is on January 27.
She also plans to work with organizations that have relationships with schools and libraries so students can access the information.
These stories “ought to be a much more visible part of the history of the Holocaust,” she said.
“I had a mission to tell these stories,” Apsell said. “I felt like it was a personal commitment and a responsibility” to share these stories.
While Apsell appreciates and acknowledges that people who weren’t Jewish helped their Jewish friends, neighbors and even strangers, she felt like the focus on resistance has often been on outside help.
“In this film, my emphasis was on Jews rescuing other Jews,” she said.
The film includes interviews with five Jewish survivors who were among the resistance fighters. Resistance also uses considerable archival footage from organizations that had recorded interviews. The film’s narrators include actors Corey Stoll, Dianna Agron and Maggie Siff.
Dr. Jud Newborn, lecturer, author and curator at the Cinema Arts Centre, had an immediate reaction when he viewed the film.
“I was stunned,” said Newborn, who is an expert on Jewish anti-Nazi resistance and served as the founding historian of New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage. “No documentary covers the panoply of Jewish resistance in its many forms and in such a moving as well as revelatory manner.”
Newborn, who will host a discussion with Apsell right after the screening, added that he thought this was a “groundbreaking film.”
While Newborn describes all manner of Jewish resistance in his multimedia lecture programs, he learned new stories because the movie pulls together “the most cutting edge information,” he said. “The subject of Jewish resistance breaks stereotypes and is deeply inspiring and energizing and it’s also deeply moving because they had to overcome obstacles unlike any people under Nazi occupation or indirect rule.”
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The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen Resistance – They Fought Back on Thursday, July 25 at 7:15 p.m. with filmmaker Paula S. Apsell in person followed by discussion with moderator Dr. Jud Newborn. Tickets are $18 per person in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.orgor at the box office. For more information, please call 631-423-7610.
Update: The event on July 10 has been postponed to October 7.
By Daniel Dunaief
Films can take us far from our lives, even as they can also bring us closer to truths about our world.
From July 9 to 12, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington is presenting a four-day festival that highlights the intersection between politics and Hollywood. The screenings, which cost $16 for nonmembers and $10 for members, will include the films Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Best Man, and The Candidate.
On the first night, former Congressman and the festival’s curator Steve Israel will host a discussion entitled “Campaigning on Celluloid: How Cinema Informs and Reflects Changing Political Communication on Film.”
Israel, who taught a class at Cornell University about politics and film after he left public office, selected the movies.
‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ will be screened on July 10.
“I thought it would be interesting and fun to offer a similar series” to the films he discussed at Cornell “on Long Island to the general public,” he said.
Israel describes the film The Best Man, which pits the principled William Russell, played by Henry Fonda, against the populist opportunist Joe Cantwell, acted by Cliff Robertson, as eerily prescient of recent political battles.
“It’s an example of a film in 1964 that was regarded as entertaining and implausible that has been overtaken by the reality,” said Israel.
The Cinema Arts Centre is debuting this series of movies this year and may run another similar program in future years.
Israel anticipates a discussion about how films are a “projection of our times and politics often influences films,” and added that some films seem political, but they aren’t, while others don’t seem political, but they are.
‘The Best Man’ will be screened on July 11.
“We are going to explore that dynamic,” Israel explained.
Atticus Finch, the hero in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, served as a role model for Israel, who spent his early time in public service trying to emulate the determined lawyer. “Atticus Finch wouldn’t survive in our current political environment,” Israel said.
The novel is relevant in the world of today, as a modern day Finch would struggle to confront the anger, vitriol and division that defines contemporary society, Israel suggested.
The reality of the modern political environment has surpassed the fiction, making the two satirical novels Israel has written difficult to produce.
“The market for satire is dead because the reality has surpassed the story,” Israel added.
Non partisan
Nate Close, the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Cinema Arts Centre, explained that the mission of the festival is to be nonpartisan.
Indeed, guest speakers come from both parties, with republican Representative Peter King joining Israel for a discussion after Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and political strategist and policy advisor Basil Smikle participating in the post discussion after The Candidate.
The festival hopes to “shine a light on how these two institutions [politics and Hollywood] influence American culture and shape each other,” said Close. “There’s interplay there.”
Films are “more important than ever,” said Israel. “You sit through it, you take in the textures, the characters and the writing” and it “should inspire us to think.
Program Schedule:
Tuesday, July 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Campaigning on Celluloid: How Cinema Informs and Reflects Changing Political Communication on Screen — Lecture with former Congressman Steve Israel
*Postponed to October 7: Wednesday, July 10 at 7 p.m.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington — Film screening and discussion with Rep. Steve Israel and Rep. Peter King
Thursday, July 11 at 7 p.m.
The Best Man — Film screening and discussion with Steve Israel
Friday, July 12 at 7 p.m.
The Candidate — Film screening and discussion with Rep. Steve Israel and Basil Smikle
For tickets, visit www.cinemaartscentre.org. For more information, call 631-423-7610.
The Cinema Arts Centre will host a five-day celebration of Jewish Cinema and culture, with films that include thoughtful documentaries, captivating dramas, and historically significant films
This May, the Long Island Jewish Film Festival will return to Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre for the festival’s second year. The second season of the Long Island Jewish Film Festival will span five days, May 3rd – May 7th, and will include screenings of films at the forefront of Jewish cultural storytelling.
The festival will feature films that include innovative documentaries, riveting dramas, and rarely seen pieces of film history, all curated by David Schwartz, Curator at Large at the Museum of the Moving Image, who will also host and lead audience discussions after many of the festival’s screenings.
The Long Island Jewish Film Festival was organized to help celebrate the rich cultural traditions and history of the Jewish community in America and abroad. The films highlighted in the festival represent the apex of both historic and modern Jewish cinema, featuring films from over a 100 years ago, through today.
The Long Island Jewish Film Festival will begin on Friday, May 3rd with a screening of powerful historical drama “Kidnapped”. The second day of the festival will feature screenings of three films: the enthralling dramas “The Other Widow” & “The Goldman Case”, as well as the acclaimed new documentary “How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer”. Sunday, the third day of the festival, will include a screening of the historic 1923 silent film “The Ancient Law”, with a live score performed by pianist Donald Sosin & klezmer violinist Alicia Svigals, a screening of the 1980 documentary “Brighton Beach”, featuring a discussion with director Susan Wittenberg in-person, as well as an encore screening of the film “Kidnapped” for those that observe shabbat and couldn’t attend the Friday screening.
The remaining days of the festival will also feature encore screenings of the films “The Goldman Case”, and “The Other Widow”. The screenings of “The Other Widow” and “How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer” will feature pre-record Q&As with the film’s directors and our host and curator David Schwartz.
Public tickets are $16 per screening with the exception of the film “The Ancient Law”, for which public tickets will cost $18. The Films:
A scene from ‘Kidnapped’
Kidnapped Friday, May 3rd at 7 PM
& Sunday, May 5th at 7 PM
$16 Public | $10 Members
The great Italian filmmaker Marco Bellocchio, now 84, has made one of the most stylish and operatic films of his career. Kidnapped depicts the scandalous true story of Edgardo Mortara, a six-year-old Jewish boy who, in 1858, was baptized by his caretaker, and abducted from his family by order of the Pope, to be raised as a Catholic. Edgardo became the center of an international firestorm as his parents fought to retrieve their child from the clutches of a ruthless theocratic government; the case led to historical change. (2023, 134 mins)
Promotional Image from The Other Widow. 2022. Lama Films, Cup of Tea, Tobina Films.
The Other Widow Saturday, May 4th at 2 PM
& Tuesday, May 7th at 7 PM
Featuring a pre-recorded Q&A with director Maayan Rypp
$16 Public | $10 Members
Nominated for 9 Ophir awards (the Israeli Oscars) including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress, this wonderfully observed comedic drama follows Ella (Dana Ivgy) a costume designer who is in a long-term affair with Assaf, a married playwright. When Assaf dies unexpectedly, Ella decides to attend Shiva while keeping her identity under wraps, diving into a world once forbidden to her. Through intimate encounters with his family, she examines her place in his life and eventually demands her legitimate right to mourn. (2022, 83 mins)
A scene from ‘The Goldman Case’
The Goldman Case Saturday, May 4th at 4 PM
& Monday, May 6th at 7 PM
$16 Public | $10 Members
This gripping courtroom drama delves into the sensational and widely followed 1976 trial of Pierre Goldman, a Jewish activist defending himself against multiple charges, including murder. Goldman steadfastly maintained his innocence, while the facts of his case became a flash point for a generation, raising questions of antisemitism and political ideology. Directed with vérité realism and pinpoint historical precision, The Goldman Case is both subdued and electrifying, communicating so much about the complexity of Jewish identity in recent European history. It was the opening night film in the Director’s Fortnight section at Cannes. (2023, 115 mins)
Portrait of Norman Mailer featured in How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer. 2023. Zeitgeist Films. Image provided courtesy of Zeitgeist Films & Kino Lorber.
How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer Saturday, May 4th at 7 PM
Featuring a pre-recorded Q&A with director Jeff Zimbalist
$16 Public | $10 Members
Norman Mailer, a towering figure in American literature, had a life that was certainly stranger than fiction. From his formative years in Brooklyn, through his career as a preeminent cultural voice, we follow Mailer’s life through 6 marriages, 9 children, 11 bestselling books and 2 Pulitzer Prizes as he solidifies his place in the literary pantheon. With access to Mailer’s family and never before seen footage, this biography details the life and times of an American icon. (2023,100 mins)
Still from The Ancient Law. 1923. Comedia-Film. Public Domain.
The Ancient Law Sunday, May 5th at 2 PM
With live score performed by Donald Sosin and Alicia Svigals
$18 Public | $12 Members
This rarely seen silent film from Weimar Era Germany tells the dramatic story of Baruch, a young shtetl Jew and the son of a Rabbi, who leaves his family and community, seeking a secular career as a stage actor. Featuring wonderful scenes depicting shtetl life, the film paints a complex portrait of the tension between tradition and modernity. Like so many other Jewish artists of the era, director E.A. Dupont and star Ernst Deutsch were both forced to flee their homelands as the Nazis rose to power. (1923, 128 mins)
Still from Brighton Beach. 1980. Carol Stein and Susan Wittenberg. Courtesy of Indiecollect.
Brighton Beach Sunday, May 5th at 5 PM
With director Susan Wittenberg in-person
$16 Public | $10 Members
Set against the iconic Coney Island boardwalk, Brighton Beach is a neighborhood in constant re-formation. This 1980 documentary offers a genuine portrait of the immigrant communities that changed the Brooklyn neighborhood—mostly Soviet Jews and Puerto Ricans—as they mingle on the boardwalk with long-time residents, eye one another, and coexist around a shared sense of uprootedness. From directors Susan Wittenberg and Carol Stein, Brighton Beach is an unposed, seductively shot, color film about life’s simple pleasures and the creating of a community. (2080, 55 mins)
Location:
Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave, Huntington, NY 11743
You can purchase tickets or find more information about these and other events on the Cinema Arts Centre website: www.cinemaartscentre.org
To Be 
My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story, is the moving, beautifully illustrated true story for children ages 6 to 9 about growing up in Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II – from 
“This is the first appearance that he’s making as the book is being released so we’re really honored and delighted he would choose us,” said Jud Newborn, Emmy Award-winning producer of special programs at the Centre. “It’s wonderful to be appreciated.”
Newborn, who will be moderating the discussion, said that people are drawn to these events because the Centre brings in guests who can speak to the concerns and interests of people — and have been since it was opened in 1973.
