"Bill Cunningham New York," which will be screened Feb. 10 at 3 p.m., is a portrait of The New York Times photographer who has been documenting the fashion scene for decades.
Now in its ninth season, Talking Pictures recently showed the Oscar-nominated film "Beasts of the Southern Wild," written and directed by former Hastings resident Benh Zeitlin. It was the 63rd film in the series.
Founded by Harvey Lerner, Talking Pictures visits the Hastings Library once a month from September through May for screenings are sponsored by the Hastings-on-Hudson Friends of the Library.
"It is built around the belief that the film-going experience is enhanced through intelligent discussion," Lerner says.
The "Beasts of the Southern Wild" program was highlighted by a discussion featuring Lerner and Benh Zeitlin's parents, Steven Zeitlin and Amanda Dargan, who offered insight into their son's film career and how the film found its way to the screen.
According to Lerner, the Cunningham film "is a complex portrait of a complex man – a humanist who sees the best in his subjects and a man who is content with the choices he has made."
"He also loves fashion and those who embrace it, from the beacons of high society and the headline-grabbing leaders of the industry to the anonymous trend setters on the street. In order to maintain his creative freedom, Cunningham leads an extraordinarily spartan existence devoid of material possessions. He is dedicated to his work to the exclusion of all else."
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