For the love of chess & The Polar Express in Livingston
The Livingston Film Series is delighted to present a free screening of Queen of Katwe on Sunday, December 10th at the Shane Lalani Center for the Arts beginning at 7pm.
Living in the slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) and her family. Her world changes one day when she meets Robert Katende (David Oyelowo), a missionary who teaches children how to play chess. Phiona becomes fascinated with the game and soon becomes a top player under Katende’s guidance. Her success in local competitions and tournaments opens the door to a bright future and a golden chance to escape from a life of poverty.
Following on Friday, December 22nd, a special Shane Center screening of The Polar Express is set for 7pm.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on children’s author Chris Van Allsburg’s modern holiday classic of the same name, The Polar Express follows Billy (Hayden McFarland), who longs to believe in Santa Claus but finds it quite difficult to do so in the face of his family’s dogged insistence that all of it — from the North Pole, to the elves, to the man himself — is just a myth. Everything changes on Christmas Eve when a mysterious train visits Billy in the middle of the night, promising to take him and a group of other children to the North Pole for a visit with Santa. The train’s conductor (Tom Hanks) and passengers help turn Billy’s crisis of faith into a journey of self-discovery.
Now in its third season, the Livingston Film Series presents a wide variety of independent features, documentaries, local films, and special screenings on the second Sunday of every month in the Shane Center’s Dulcie Theatre. A reception precedes each film at 6:30pm. Admission is always free, but donations are gratefully accepted.
Visit 
for further details and a complete schedule of upcoming films. The Livingston Film Series is generously sponsored by Marilyn Clotz, Mary Ann Bearden, and Donald B. Gimbel. •
