Uncropped, One of the Year’s Best Docs, Screening and Filmmaker Q&A

posted on May 17, 2024

Q&A with Director D.W. Young and Composer David Ullmann to follow the screening (Chatham, NY, May 15, 2024)—On Friday, June 7, the historic Crandell Theatre will screen the acclaimed new documentary Uncropped, about the work of legendary Village Voice photographer and photojournalist James Hamilton. Praised by critics as a rich and absorbing must-see and one of the best documentaries of the year, the film is a visual feast of Hamilton’s indelible images and the eras they represent. Following Friday night’s show, Director D.W. Young and locally-based composer David Ullmann will take the stage for a Crandell Live! Q&A, moderated by Filmmaker and Crandell Board Member Mirissa Neff. James Hamilton is one of the great chroniclers of the cultural history of America. For over four decades working as a staff photographer at publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Observer…

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Three New Directors Elected to the Crandell Theatre Board

posted on February 15, 2024

The Crandell Theatre Board of Directors approved three new members to the Crandell board at its January annual meeting: John T. Lillis, a retired tax attorney; Mirissa Neff, a documentary filmmaker; and Carol Sadlon, the former owner of Cinerom cinemas and Millerton’s The Moviehouse. According to Crandell Board President Lydia Kukoff, “This is such an exciting moment for the Crandell. As we get closer to the full renovation of our beloved theater, we are delighted to welcome John, Mirissa, and Carol to our extraordinary board. They bring with them a wealth of talent and expertise that will further enrich our thinking and planning for the future.” John T. Lillis John T. Lillis retired as partner of White & Case LLP, a New York City law firm, in 2019. During his 39-year tenure at the firm, he focused on the tax…

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“High Noon’s Hidden Backstory” to Shed Light on Blacklisted Screenwriter Carl Foreman

posted on December 6, 2023

Benefit screening on December 9 at 7 pm and post-show Q+A with Dr. Amanda Foreman in conversation with Peter Biskind (Chatham, NY—November 21, 2023) — The historic Crandell Theatre on Chatham’s Main Street is pleased to present “High Noon’s Hidden Backstory,” about blacklisted screenwriter Carl Foreman, on December 9 at 7 pm. The documentary short High Noon on the Waterfront (2022) and a special screening of the 1952 film High Noon, starring Gary Cooper, will be introduced by acclaimed historian and Kinderhook resident Dr. Amanda Foreman, FRSA. Following the screenings, Dr. Foreman will discuss her father’s time during the McCarthy era with author Peter Biskind, a Crandell board member. Tickets are $20 and will benefit the theater’s upcoming restoration and renovation. High Noon, written by Carl Foreman, is an untraditional Western starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly and Katy Jurado. The…

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Leonard Bernstein’s Life and Legacy Celebrated in Maestro

posted on December 4, 2023

Benefit screening on December 16 at 7 pm and post-show Q+A with Nina Bernstein Simmons in conversation with Christopher Rothko   Nina Bernstein Simmons and Christopher Rothko Purchase Tickets (Chatham, NY—December 4, 2023) — This December, the historic Crandell Theatre on Chatham’s Main Street is pleased to present Maestro, Bradley Cooper’s brilliant biopic of legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. Following a special screening of the film on Saturday, December 16, at 7 pm, Bernstein’s youngest daughter, Nina Bernstein Simmons, will take to the stage for a discussion of her father’s legacy and her family’s involvement in the genesis of the movie. Christopher Rothko, son of abstract painter Mark Rothko and a classical music critic, will join Bernstein Simmons to discuss the intersecting creative influences and achievements of two of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Directed by and…

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Succession Star Brian Cox in Conversation at the Crandell

July 6

posted on June 20, 2023

(Chatham, NY, June 20, 2023)—The Crandell Theatre is thrilled to announce that celebrated Succession star Brian Cox will join FilmColumbia’s Peter Biskind live on stage for a special Q+A on Thursday, July 6, at 7 pm to benefit the renovation and restoration of Chatham’s historic theater. Cox and Biskind will discuss Cox’s Succession character, media titan Logan Roy, and the staggering success of the acclaimed HBO series. Tickets are $25 per person. All proceeds from the event will benefit the restoration fund. When Succession debuted in 2018 it became a cultural phenomenon across four riveting seasons. Created by Jesse Armstrong, the series also stars Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Matthew Macfadyen and Kieran Culkin. Cox’s portrayal of Roy, the family patriarch, earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Golden Globe Award and a legion of new fans. Nearly 3 million tuned…

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Summer at the Crandell

posted on June 12, 2023

Blockbusters, discounted matinees, live performances and more! (Chatham, NY, June 12, 2023) — School is almost out and that means a slate of soon-to-be-released blockbusters is coming to the Crandell Theatre seven days a week. The theater’s special summer schedule, launching on June 15, includes hotly anticipated films The Flash, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, plus a live Chatham SummerFest children’s musical performance featuring the Columbia County Youth Theatre. The Flash, Indiana Jones and Mission: Impossible will screen during new Wednesday matinees at 3 pm with discounted ticket prices. The Flash will also have additional matinees on Fridays at 3 pm at the regular ticket price. For all summer showtimes and to reserve tickets visit crandelltheatre.org. The Crandell’s new summer schedule coincides with the special preview opening night of The…

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Crandell Theatre and Ellsworth Kelly Studio to Present Free Ellsworth Kelly Documentary and Post-Show Filmmaker Q+A

posted on May 12, 2023

On Sunday, May 21, at 1 pm, the Crandell Theatre and the Ellsworth Kelly Studio will present a free screening of the 2007 documentary, Ellsworth Kelly: Fragments. The afternoon is part of a year-long centennial celebration of one of the most influential American artists of his time and a long-time resident of Spencertown. A conversation and Q&A with the filmmaker, Edgar Howard, President of Checkerboard Film Foundation, and Jack Shear, President of the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, will directly follow the film. “Ellsworth was a film lover and the Crandell Theatre was an important resource for him beginning when he first moved to Columbia County in the 1970s,” said Shear, the late artist’s husband and now President of the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation. “He really appreciated having a theater so close to home.” The Ellsworth Kelly Foundation and Jack Shear have long…

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May 13: Q+A with Wild Life Film Editor Bob Eisenhardt

posted on May 5, 2023

  Wild Life, the latest documentary from the Oscar-winning team who produced Free Solo, will screen at the Crandell Theatre in Chatham May 12, 13, 14 and 18. Following the Saturday, May 13 screening at 7 pm, the film’s editor, Bob Eisenhardt (right), will take to the stage with FilmColumbia Managing Director Calliope Nicholas to answer audience questions and share more about how the documentary was shaped in the edit suite. Wild Life is directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin and follows conservationist Kris Tompkins on an epic, decades-spanning love story as wild as the landscapes she dedicated her life to protecting. After falling in love in mid-life, Kris and the outdoorsman and entrepreneur Doug Tompkins left behind the world of the massively successful outdoor brands they’d helped pioneer—Patagonia, The North Face, and Esprit—and turned their attention to…

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Crandell Membership Day

The Crandell to Launch May Membership Drive

May 6

posted on April 27, 2023

  KICK-OFF MEMBER DAY: May 6, 10 am – 4 pm The Crandell Theatre invites area residents and families to participate in a day of free film-themed activities on Saturday, May 6, from 10 am to 4 pm at the historic theater in Chatham, New York. The program includes family short films, tours of the theater, photo opportunities with film celebrity cutouts, and marquee cookies created for the occasion by Pooky Amsterdam of PookyStudio. Admission to the regularly scheduled 1 pm screening of The Eagle Huntress, an award-winning documentary about the first female eagle hunter in twelve generations of a nomadic Mongolian family, is free for new and current members. Those who join the Crandell or renew their memberships on May 6 or anytime during May receive free admission to all films during the month. According to Annie Brody, Crandell…

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James Schamus

Award-Winning Writer, Producer, Director James Schamus Elected to Crandell Theatre Board

posted on April 14, 2023

James Schamus was elected to a three-year term on the Crandell Theatre board at its January annual meeting. Schamus, who has had a home in Columbia County for 25 years, is a longtime supporter of the Crandell, and was honored at the 2018 FilmColumbia festival. By providing FilmColumbia with advance screenings of films he produced, such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Pianist, and Brokeback Mountain, Schamus helped anchor the young festival with quality cinema. “By adding his invaluable perspective to our film programming efforts, James Schamus will help us navigate these changing and challenging times in the film industry,” said Crandell Board President Lydia Kukoff. “He has shown himself to be fully engaged in the issues of maintaining and sustaining the Crandell as a vital presence in the Chatham community.” “People-supported theaters such as the Crandell are not just…

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15th Farm Film Festival Call for Entries

posted on February 17, 2023

Farm Film Festival, the annual event presented by the Crandell Theatre in collaboration with the Chatham Agricultural Partnership and the Columbia Land Conservancy, is currently seeking entries to its 15th season. The entry deadline is March 15, 2023. Farm Film Festival focuses on farms, farming, and farming issues with special interest in films that have a Hudson Valley connection. Submitted films can be either feature length or in short film format. The program will include those made by professional and amateur filmmakers. Students of all ages are encouraged to submit their work. Click below for the downloadable PDF entry form. Farm Film Festival 15 Entry Form NOTE: All submissions will need to include a Vimeo or YouTube link for jury viewing. Additional information about previous festivals is available at farmfilmfest.org.

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