Film

Something 'Wicked' This Way Comes to Darien Library This Monday Night, 6 to 8:45 PM

Documentary About Medical School Students and a Discussion with Its Executive Producer Monday Night at Darien Library

How Movies Changed Dancing: A Brief Talk Wednesday Night on a 130-Year History

See the Short Film 'Cutter' and Ask Its Director About It at Darien Library Monday Night, Starting at 6:30

Documentary and Discussion About Seniors Thriving in Their Later Years Coming Thursday at Library

Playland Amusement Park Opening Saturday, May 18: Here’s What It Offers on Opening Day and After

Focus on French Cinema Film Festival runs April 25 to May 5, in Stamford, Greenwich and Online

Smartphones, Social Media and Your Kids: See ‘Childhood 2.0’ Followed by Q&A Tuesday at Darien Library

See Four Short Films and a Conversation With a Director at Darien Arts Center Friday, February 2

Fourth Annual Norwalk Film Festival This Weekend, with 60 Films

Darien Library Monday Night Movie: ‘Broker’ — Drama About Infant Brokers Selling to Affluent Couples

‘Rio: The 4D Experience’ — a 12-Minute Film Playing at the Maritime Aquarium

See Oscar-Nominated ‘Fabelmans’ Movie at Darien Library on Monday Night

‘Happy Feet 4D Experience’ Now Playing at The Maritime Aquarium

Avon Theatre Announces Free One-Year Memberships If You Get Vaccinated in August

Still Spaces Left in Library’s ‘For Teens, By Teens Intro to Filmmaking’ Five-Part Series

Avon Theatre Presents Oscar-Nominated Shorts 2021, Starting Friday, April 2

Avon Theatre Presenting Independent Films Online: You Can Buy Tix, Stay Safe at Home, Support a Nonprofit

Barrett Bookstore to Hold Online Discussion with Author/Director of ‘Emperors of the Deep’ About Sharks

U.S. Premiere of Judi Dench Documentary ‘My Passion for Trees’ on March 4 at Avon Theatre

By DARIENITE.COM | March 23, 2025

Parents & Kids

By DARIENITE.COM | May 16, 2024

Film

By DARIENITE.COM | April 24, 2024

Parents & Kids

By DARIENITE.COM | April 22, 2024

Film

By DARIENITE.COM | January 24, 2024

Film

By DARIENITE.COM | January 18, 2024

Film

By DARIENITE.COM | May 6, 2023

Film

By Darienite.com Staff | April 1, 2023

Darien Library

By DARIENITE.COM | March 26, 2023

Maritime Aquarium

By DARIENITE.COM | January 3, 2022

Avon Theater 2021

By DARIENITE.COM | August 3, 2021

Classes

By DARIENITE.COM | May 7, 2021

Film

By DARIENITE.COM | March 30, 2021

Film

By DARIENITE.COM | April 4, 2020

Books & Authors

By DARIENITE.COM | March 31, 2020

Environment

By DARIENITE.COM | February 18, 2020

Movies and those who make them in and around Darien

The movie “Wicked” will be shown Monday, May 24, at Darien Library, starting at 6 p.m. — and it’s a long one, lasting until 8:45 p.m.

— an announcement from Darien Library

Nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role – Cynthia Erivo, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Ariana Grande, and Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures – Original Score – John Powell & Stephen Schwartz. From the Universal Pictures description of the film:

“Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning and Oscar®-nominated powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman misunderstood because of her green skin who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman gilded by privilege who has yet to discover her true heart. “The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.”
If You’re Going …

Movie poster for Cutter (2022) short film thriller

Fun rides and the Long Island Sound’s tides are right around the corner at Playland, in Rye, New York, as the historic amusement park and premier waterfront destination will host a special ribbon cutting opening ceremony at 12 noon, Saturday, May 18, to celebrate the start of the summer season. — an announcement from Playland Park

Guests can enjoy a full season of entertainment, rides, beach going and more with the 2024 All Access Season Pass.The award-winning amusement park features over 50 rides and attractions including the iconic Dragon Coaster, which will turn 95-years-old this year, and the debut of Playland’s newest ride, Jack the Puppeteer. Other opening weekend festivities include a celebratory drum roll line up by the Lighting Drumline from the Barack Obama School for Social Justice in Yonkers, a special performance by an electric violinist, strolling entertainers, face painters, airbrush tattoo artists, and more. “Through our diverse offerings ranging from recreation to leisure, and thrilling entertainment, coupled with our new and robust arts and community programming this year, Playland is committed to not only growing and revitalizing the historic park but to introduce Playland to a new generation of visitors to create lasting memories and traditions for the next 100 years,” said Evonne Keeler, CEO of Playland. On Sunday, a Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk
On Sunday, May 19, 2024, Playland Park will also host a 2nd Annual Half Marathon & 5K Run/Walk event by Soul Ryeders, a nonprofit cancer support organization based in Rye.

Focus on French Cinema 2024, the annual festival of U.S. premieres of French and Francophone film in Greenwich, Stamford and online, runs this Thursday, April 25 through May 5. The FCC film festival, presented by the Alliance Française of Greenwich, will have new releases both in person and online following the highly successful 2023 “hybrid” edition that welcomed more than 8,000 viewers. — an announcement from the Alliance Française of Greenwich

The “hybrid” slate will feature a Thursday, April 25 OPENING NIGHT SCREENING of the U.S. Premiere of Rachel’s Game (Les Rois de la piste) at the Avon Theatre in Stamford, featuring the French actress Fanny Ardant followed by a Q & A with Director Thierry Klifa and FFC Director of Programming Joe Meyers. In addition, FFC 2024 will welcome back documentary film maker and producer, Luc Hardy, for the Monday, April 29th U.S. Premiere CENTERPIECE SCREENING of “Alter Ego: Cloning the age of reason?”accompanied by experts in the field. The PRE-CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING will feature the Thursday, May 2 U.S. premiere of Just a Couple of Days (Quelques jours pas plus) followed by a Q & A with a panel from IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services).

Issues confronting kids in the Digital Age, including cyberbullying, suicidal ideation and online predators, are the subject of a documentary, “Childhood 2.0,” followed by a question-and-answer session this Tuesday, April 22 at Darien Library. The event is jointly sponsored by the library, OK To Delay Darien, Darien Depot and Thriving Youth Darien this Tuesday evening, April 22. — an announcement from Darien Library
6 to 7:45 p.m. — Watch the documentary
The film, just under 90 minutes long, will be shown in the Community Room. If you are unable to attend the screening, you can watch the film ahead of time (see links, below) and attend the Q&A portion. The library’s announcement says “‘Childhood 2.0’ is required viewing for anyone who wants to better understand the world their children are navigating as they grow up in the digital age.

The Darien Arts Center will host the one-night Short Cuts Film Festival, a collection of award-winning short narrative and documentary films curated from the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. — an announcement from Darien Arts Center

Screenings will take place at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2 in the DAC Weatherstone Studio, followed by a live, in-person conversation between Jacob Krupnick, director of one of the featured films, and Nancy Diamond, producer and host of Short Cuts. Krupnick, an award-winning filmmaker based in New York, focuses on creating stories from unexpected points of view, using dance and movement to expand the idea of what an adventure, a love story or a social commentary looks like. His featured film, Then Comes the Body, follows what happens when a video of kids dancing in the rain goes viral.

An opening night party at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 19, at 314 Beer Garden in South Norwalk, will celebrate the Norwalk Film Festival’s community of filmmakers and film aficionados. — an announcement from the Norwalk Film Festival
On Saturday and Sunday, NFF will feature 60 films, curated from nearly 200 submissions, to be shown at the Wall Street Theater and the Norwalk Public Library. Please visit NFF’s website (www.norwalkfilmfestival.org) for specific category screening times to plan your weekend. Tickets may be purchased HERE, and NFF has generously offered a discount code for TNAS followers.

Darien Library’s Monday Night Movie series continues with “Broker,” an award winning South Korean drama. — an announcement from Darien Library

“The film follows two brokers who sell orphaned infants, circumventing the bureaucracy of legal adoption, to affluent couples who can’t have children of their own. After an infant’s mother surprises the duo by returning to ensure her child finds a good home, the three embark on a journey to find the right couple, building an unlikely family of their own.” — Neon

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda

Year: 2022

Who’s in it: Song Kang-ho as Ha Sang-hyeon, Gang Dong-won as Dong-soo, Lee Ji-eun as Moon So-young

This movie is two hours and 9 minutes and is rated R (strong language and brief violence). Learn more about the movie on: Rotten Tomatoes | IMDb | Metacritic | Wikipedia

Poster for Rio: The 4D Experience short movie

A new 4D experience is bringing the sights and sounds of Rio de Janeiro to Connecticut. Audiences can join Blu and Jewel, the last blue macaws on Earth, on an animated journey in “Rio: The 4D Experience” now playing at The Maritime Aquarium. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
In this 12-minute adaptation of the film, the unexpected duo is captured by bird smugglers and must work together despite Blu’s inability to fly. As they try to escape the claws of an evil cockatoo they must dodge beach balls, umbrellas, carnival floats, and beach-goers – finding courage, friendship and love along the way. “Rio: The 4D Experience” will play in the Aquarium’s 4D Theater along with BBC Earth’s “OCTOPUS: Blue Planet II 4D Experience,” which explores dynamic oceanic landscapes and one of the most captivating creatures that dwells there.

Oscar nominee for best picture, “The Fabelmans,” an Oscar-nominated movie for best picture, will be shown from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, March 27 at Darien Library. —an announcement from Darien Library

The movie is part of the library’s “Monday Night at the Movies” series in the Community Room. “A deeply personal portrait of 20th-century American childhood, Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” is a coming-of-age story about a young man’s discovery of a shattering family secret and an exploration of the power of movies to help us see the truth about each other and ourselves.” — Universal Pictures

Director: Steven Spielberg

Year: 2022

Who’s in it: Michelle Williams as Mitzi Schildkraut-Fabelman, Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman, Seth Rogen as Bennie Loewy

This movie is two hours and 31 minutes and is rated PG-13 (some strong language, drug use, and brief violence).

Follow Mumble the dancing penguin in amazing 3D while also feeling the polar wind, falling snow and icy spray in “Happy Feet 4D Experience,” the newest cinematic family adventure at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium

Opening today, Jan. 3, this 13-minute film is based on Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ Academy Award-winning film “Happy Feet.”

Combining the excitement of digital 3D projection with 4D multi-sensory effects, “Happy Feet 4D Experience” brings a young penguin’s adventure to life and includes such in-theater effects as snow, wind, bubbles, scents and more. “Happy Feet 4D Experience” takes audiences to Antarctica to meet a lively colony of Emperor Penguins faced with a diminishing food supply.

In the spirit of encouraging the entire community to stay safe, the Avon Theatre in Stamford is offering a limited special offer to anyone getting a COVID-19 vaccine in August or who already has been vaccinated in the month of August. — an announcement from Avon Theater in Stamford

Anyone stepping up to get a Covid-19 shot between August 1 and August 31 will be eligible for these perks:

Moviegoers presenting proof of August vaccination at the Avon Box Office will receive a FREE MEMBERSHIP for one person (Individual/Student/Senior) for one year. Current Avon Members who present proof of an August vaccine will receive a FREE MEDIUM POPCORN with each movie ticket they purchase throughout the month of August. The benefits of Avon membership include discounts on movie tickets all year, one free movie admission ticket upon joining, as well as invitations to members-only screenings. To take advantage of this special offer, please visit the box office.

Do you love movies? Join us for a month long exploration of film! During this series you will learn the basics about film-making from page to screen and get hands on experience in video production. From writing a script to acting in the final product, work together to create a movie masterpiece! This online “For Teens, By Teens: Intro to Filmmaking” class is for 12- to 18-year-olds.

With Oscar season upon us, the Avon Theatre in Stamford will be presenting multiple screenings of all three categories of the 2021 Oscar-Nominated Short Films beginning on Friday, April 2. — an announcement from Avon Theatre

Each program of shorts (live action, animated, and documentary) requires a separate ticket. Showtimes will be announced later this week. Patrons can visit AvonTheatre.org for showtimes and to purchase their tickets. LIVE ACTION

FEELING THROUGH
USA, 19 minutes
A late-night encounter on a New York City street leads to a profound connection between a teen-in-need and a deaf blind man.

Avon Theatre, a nonprofit film center in downtown Stamford, is now offering first-run, independent films online in partnership with Magnolia Pictures. The new service not only lets you watch while stay safe at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, but supports the Avon for the same price most people would spend on a ticket. Avon is calling the new service AVON ONLINE. Tickets are $12, No Discounts
You can see descriptions of the five current offerings below, along with trailers and links to purchase $12 tickets. The Avon “is grateful that every film rental helps support the Avon through these challenging times,” the organization said on its website.

Barrett Bookstore invites you to watch and listen to William McKeever, author of “Emperors of the Deep” (and producer of a documentary of the same name) about sharks, in an online discussion. The event takes place this Thursday, April 2, starting at 5 p.m. on Zoom, an app which you’ll need to download before the event. From the Barrett Bookstore announcement:

We’re starting to get into the rhythm of this new normal and while it’s not perfect, we’re getting along. We miss you. To that end, we’re working on coming together for some virtual events, the first of which will take place THIS Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m. with William McKeever.

« October 2025 »

You’re invited to the U.S. premiere of the documentary Judi Dench: My Passion for Trees on Wednesday, March 4, at the Avon Theatre in Stamford. Come see Dench in an intimate and fascinating BBC production on the secret lives of trees. Dame Judi Dench is one of Britain’s best-loved actresses, but few people know that she holds another great passion, a deep love for trees. Filmed over the course of a year, Dench joins tree scientists and historians to discover how trees feel, communicate, fight off invading armies and manage in extreme weather. The event at the Avon, at 272 Bedford St.