Dateline: Cannes Film Festival

The first Cannes film festival was cut short in 1939 by the German invasion of Poland but neither the Russian invasion of Ukraine nor Covid stopped the 75th edition of Cannes taking place in mid-May. Indeed, President Zelensky zoomed a speech into the opening night ceremony.

Cannes, a festival reserved for film “professionals,” celebrates cinema as a theatrical experience in all its forms. This includes films from the most popular like Top Gun: Maverick and Elvis to the quite esoteric like Crimes of the Future and Tchaikovsky’s Wife and this year’s Palme d’Or winner, Rueben Ostland’s absurdist satire of the super-rich, Triangle of Sadness, an over-the-top mix of each.

Other films I hope will find distribution in the U.S. and perhaps an appearance at FilmColumbia include Kelly Reichardt’s Showing Up, set in an Oregon art colony; Lola Quivoron’s Rodeo, about a young woman who wants to be a motorcyclist in France; Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage, a fantasy about Elisabeth, empress of Austria Hungary; Maxim Nakonechnyi’s Ukranian Butterfly Vision, about a female soldier abused by the Russians; and War Pony, a portrait of life on the Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation by Gina Gammell and Riley Keough (Elvis Presley’s granddaughter.)

–Laurence Kardish, Co-Artistic Director FilmColumbia and member of the Crandell Theatre’s  Board of Directors

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Now Playing:

Top Gun: Maverick

Action, Drama Rated: PG-13 131 min
Today: 4:00pm 7:00pm
Playing Through: Sunday, 7/3

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.

“Tom Cruise takes to the air once more in a long-awaited sequel to a much-loved ’80s action blockbuster.” — A.O. Scott, New York Times
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CRANDELL THEATRE PRESENTS HELLO, BOOKSTORE FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION WITH FILM SUBJECT AND DIRECTOR

Friday, June 24, 7 pm

posted on June 10, 2022

Crandell Theatre, Columbia County’s oldest and largest movie house, in Chatham, New York, presents the new critically acclaimed documentary Hello, Bookstore on Friday, June 24, at 7 pm. After the screening, film subject and owner of The Bookstore Matt Tannenbaum will be in conversation with filmmaker A.B. Zax. Sharon Weinberg, owner of Chatham Bookstore, will moderate the discussion and Q&A. In Hello, Bookstore, a small town rallies to protect a beloved local bookstore in its hour of need. A landmark in Lenox, Massachusetts, The Bookstore is a magical, beatnik gem thanks to its owner, Matt Tannenbaum, whose passion for stories runs deep. Presiding at The Bookstore for over forty years, Tannenbaum is a true bard of the Berkshires and his shop is the kind of place to get lost in. This intimate portrait of The Bookstore and the family at…

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CRANDELL THEATRE PRESENTS TWO DOCUMENTARIES WITH LOCAL SUBJECTS THIS JUNE

posted on May 10, 2022

Crandell Theatre, Columbia County’s oldest and largest movie house in Chatham, New York, screens critically acclaimed commercial films, classic movies, and arthouse independents in a variety of genres. This June, the Crandell will screen two distinct documentaries each featuring local subjects: The Automat and Hello, Bookstore. Each screening will be followed by post-film Q&A with community members, film subjects, and in the case of Hello, Bookstore, the filmmaker. The Automat, playing Sunday, June 5, at 1 pm tells the 100-year story of iconic restaurant chain Horn & Hardart, where generations of Americans enjoyed coffee and meals at communal tables. The documentary features interviews with Spencertown resident Steve Stollman, an architectural dealer who bought, sold, and restored antique commercial wood bar fixtures. His work led to the preservation of original Automat equipment and provision to exhibitions at the New York Public…

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Changes to Health & Safety Guidelines

posted on March 29, 2022

Effective March 31, Crandell Theatre patrons will no longer need proof of vaccination in order to attend screenings. Masks are recommended but not required.  However buffered seating remains in effect to ensure that every patron or party will have ample space around them. (With the Crandell’s 534 seat auditorium and balcony, there is ample space to spread out.)   We will continue to monitor the situation in Columbia County closely and make any adjustments accordingly. Your safety is our highest priority. Please do your part as well! We ask that guests refrain from entering the Crandell if they are experiencing any COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms.

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