Bozeman Film Society partners for two nights of story-driven screening & discussion
On Wednesday, June 19th, Bozeman Film Society partners with local nonprofit Windhorse Equine Learning for a presentation of acclaimed independent film, The Mustang. The screening will be held at the Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture beginning at 7:30pm.
Inspired by actual wild horse rehabilitation programs in prisons throughout the West, violent convict Roman (Flemish actor Matthias Schoenaerts), is required to participate in an “outdoor maintenance” program as part of his state-mandated social rehabilitation. Spotted by a no-nonsense veteran trainer (Bruce Dern) and helped by an outgoing fellow inmate and trick rider (Jason Mitchell), Roman is accepted into the selective wild horse training section of the program, where he finds his own humanity in gentling an especially unbreakable mustang. Developed at Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute lab for emerging talent, The Mustang marks an impressive feature directorial debut by French actress Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre.
With the horse as partner, Windhorse Equine Learning helps Gallatin and Park County youth better manage the demands and challenges of their lives by encouraging and developing life skills, including self-confidence, compassion, respect and responsibility. Discussion will follow the screening. Rated R, the film runs 96 minutes and also stars Connie Britton. Closed captioning available.
Following on Friday, June 28th, BFS joins forces with Bozeman Public Library for a 7:30pm screening of The Public, the new acclaimed film written, directed and co-starring Emilio Estevez. The screening will be held at the Emerson and will be accompanied by a topical panel discussion.
A dramatic comedy set inside one of the last bastions of democracy-in-action – your public library – the story revolves around the library patrons, many of whom are homeless, mentally ill and marginalized, as well as an exhausted and overwhelmed staff of librarians who often act as “de-facto social workers” and care for those regular patrons.
After an unusually bitter Arctic blast has made its way to downtown Cincinnati and to the front doors of the public library, library officials are at odds over how to handle the extreme weather event after the patrons turn the building into a homeless shelter for the night by staging an “Occupy” sit in. What begins as an act of civil disobedience becomes a stand-off with police and a rush-to-judgment media constantly speculating about what’s really happening inside the building. Tackling some of our nation’s most challenging issues, including homelessness and mental illness, Common Sense Media exclaims, “Estevez achieves a career high with this empathetic look at homelessness, concentrating on a rousing, inspiring story, rich characters, and a fluid, detailed visual style.”
A panel discussion will follow The Public screening featuring Library Director Susan Gregory, Bozeman Police Captain Andy Knight, HRDC Housing Director Shari Eslinger, and Western Montana Mental Health Clinic Director Michael Foust. Rated PG-13, the film runs 119 minutes. Closed captioning available.
Reserved seats for The Mustang are $12 for general admission or $11 for seniors and students, with a portion of ticket sales benefitting Windhorse. General admission for The Public is $9.75 for adults or $9.25 for seniors and students. Advance tickets are available in-store at Cactus Records or online at www.cactusrecords.net (plus service fees). The Emerson lobby opens at 6pm for day of show tickets, with concessions available for purchase at 6:30pm. Doors at 7pm ahead of the screenings.
Bozeman Film Society seeks out and presents independent films which engage, entertain, and foster an understanding of the world community around us. Visit www.bozemanfilmsociety.org for film previews and further information – and “Keep ‘Em Flickering!” •
