The Bozeman Film Society continues to roll out the best indie, art-house and specialty film events at downtown Bozeman’s Ellen Theatre!
On Wednesday, May 18th at 7:30 pm, Ethan Hawke lights up the screen as jazz legend Chet Baker, whose tumultuous life is thrillingly re-imagined with wit, verve, and style to burn in Born To Be Blue. In the 1950s, Baker was one of the most famous trumpeters in the world, renowned as both a pioneer of the West Coast jazz scene and an icon of cool. By the 1960s he was all but washed up, his career and personal life in shambles due to years of heroin addiction. In this innovative anti-biopic, director Robert Budreau zeroes in on Baker’s life at a key moment in the 1960s, just as the musician attempts to stage a hard-fought comeback, spurred in part by a passionate romance with a new flame (Carmen Ejogo). Creatively blending fact with fiction and driven by Hawke’s virtuoso performance, Born to Be Blue unfolds with all the stylistic brio and improvisatory genius of great jazz. Peter Traverse of Rolling Stone states; “Everything that makes Ethan Hawke an extraordinary actor—his energy, his empathy, his fearless, vanity-free eagerness to explore the deeper recesses of a character—is on view in Born to Be Blue.” Rated R, the film runs 98 minutes.
Then on Wednesday, May 25th at 7 pm, The Martian screens as part of the BFS Science on Screen (SoS) film series, funded by the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. BFS is one of only 23 independent non-profit cinemas from across the country awarded SoS grants to expand film and scientific literacy by creatively pairing screenings of popular culture and documentary films with lively presentations by local scientists. “We are excited to highlight local talent through this partnership with scientists and non-profits,” says Lisa McGrory, executive director of the Bozeman Film Society. The Martian features guest speaker Dr. Mac Burgess, MSU Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology. The film is set on Mars, where Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home. In his presentation “From Mars to Montana: The Dirty Secret Behind Soil,”
Dr. Burgess will share the reality of growing food in poor “Martian” soil—and draw a few parallels with soil closer to home. The Martian is a collaboration with Gallatin Valley Farm to School. Rated PG-13, the film runs 134 minutes. Tickets are $8.75/GA; $8.50/SR & ST (plus fees) and are available online at www.theellentheatre.com, by calling the Ellen Theatre box office at 585-5885, by visiting the box office Wednesday–Saturday, 1–3 pm, as well as two hours prior to any performance. Membership pass holders and sponsors must call or visit the box office to reserve seats. BFS Membership passes are available in the Ellen Theatre lobby before all BFS shows and online at www.bozemanfilmsociety.org.
Visit our website for detailed information on levels and benefits of a Bronze, Silver or Gold level Membership—and Keep ‘Em Flickering! •
