Reel Fun in the Sun: Dietrich Theater’s SummerFest

The Dietrich’s beloved film festivals return with SummerFest. From Friday, July 12 to Thursday, August 1, the festival will showcase an eclectic mix of 21 independent and foreign films over 21 days. Dive into a world of drama, comedy, action, and more, all for the affordable ticket price of $8.50 each, excluding the opening night. SummerFest is sponsored by People Security Bank & Trust.

SummerFest will kick off with a night of celebration at the SummerFest Opening Night on Friday, July 12. The doors will open at 6:00 p.m., welcoming film enthusiasts to an evening filled with entertainment and elegance. Secure your tickets in advance for $25 or at the door for $30, by calling 570-836-1022 x3. The night features a showing of two acclaimed films, light hors d’oeuvres by T&C Grille, freshly popped popcorn, and wine and beer from Nimble Hill. The evening will be topped off with a delightful strawberry shortcake dessert, making it an unforgettable experience. The first movie of the evening will be Thelma. This hilarious story starring June Squibb is about a 93-year-old woman who gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson and what occurs after as she tries to regain what was stolen from her. The second film of the evening will be Wicked Little Letters. This mystery starring Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley follows the inhabitants of an English town as they try to uncover the writer of some wicked letters with amusing profanities. Gather your friends and immerse yourselves in the art of film at this not-to-be-missed event.

Dietrich Theater Film Booker Ronnie Harvey shares “Our Summer Film Festival has some of the hottest tickets in town just in time to come inside from the heat outside. Whip-smart comedies like Thelma and Wicked Little Letters, heartfelt family dramedies like Ezra, Nowhere Special and Ghostlight, fantastical emotional allegories like I Saw the TV Glow, La Chimera and Tuesday, plus inspiring true-life documentaries like Remembering Gene Wilder and Maestra. We always say there is something for everyone but truly like never before- there is something for everyone.”

Don’t miss out on this celebration of film. Mark your calendars for a season of stories that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

The following are synopses and showtimes of the 21 films featured in the Dietrich’s Summerfest:

Back to Black

Show times:

July 16 at 4:30 p.m.

July 20 at 7:00 p.m.

July 23 at 12:00 p.m.

July 27 at 9:15 p.m.

July 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 122 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson

Starring: Marisa Abela, Eddie Marsan, Jack O’Connell The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame and the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black. Told from Amy’s perspective and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film follows the remarkable woman behind the phenomenon and the tumultuous relationship at the center of one of the most legendary albums of all time.

The Dead Don’t Hurt

Show times:

July 18 at 2:15 p.m.

July 19 at 9:30 p.m.

July 23 at 12:00 p.m.

July 26 at 2:30 p.m.

July 29 at 7:00 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 129 minutes

Language: in English, Spanish, French with subtitles

Directed by: Viggo Mortensen

Starring: Vicky Krieps, Viggo Mortensen, Solly McLeod

Starring Viggo Mortensen and Vicky Krieps, The Dead Don’t Hurt is a story of star-crossed lovers on the western U.S. frontier in the 1860s. Vivienne is a fiercely independent woman who embarks on a relationship with a Danish immigrant. The outbreak of the civil war separates them when Olsen makes a fateful decision to fight for the Union. This leaves Vivienne to fend for herself in a place controlled by corruption. When Olsen returns from the war, he and Vivienne must confront and make peace with the person each has become. Both a tragic love story and a nuanced depiction of the conflict between revenge and forgiveness, The Dead Don’t Hurt is a portrait of a passionate woman determined to stand up for herself in an unforgiving world dominated by ruthless men.

Evil Does Not Exist

Show times:

July 15 at 2:30 p.m.

July 23 at 7:00 p.m.

July 26 at 9:30 p.m.

July 28 at 12:00 p.m.

Aug. 1 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 106 minutes

Language: in Japanese with subtitles

Directed by: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

Starring: Hitoshi Omika, Ryô Nishikawa, Ryûji Kosaka

From the award-winning director of Drive My Car, Evil Does Not Exist follows Takumi and his daughter who lead a modest life gathering supplies for their local udon restaurant. Increasingly, the townsfolk become aware of a talent agency’s plan to build an opulent glamping site nearby, offering city residents a comfortable “escape” to the snowy wilderness. When two company representatives arrive and ask for local guidance, Takumi becomes conflicted in his involvement,

as it becomes clear that the project will have a pernicious impact on the community. Evil Does Not Exist is a foreboding fable on humanity’s mysterious, mystical relationship with nature.

Ezra

Show times:

July 15 at 4:30 p.m.

July 19 at 2:30 p.m.

July 21 at 7:00 p.m.

July 25 at 2:30 p.m.

July 28 at 2:15 p.m.

Aug. 1 at 7:00 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 100 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Tony Goldwyn

Starring: Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne

Starring Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne and directed by Tony Goldwyn, Ezra follows a stand-up comedian living with his father, while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra with his ex-wife. When forced to confront difficult decisions about their son’s future, Max and Ezra embark on a cross-country road trip that has a transcendent impact on both their lives. Ezra is an endearing and often funny exploration of a family determined to find their way through life’s complexities with humor, compassion, and heart.

Farewell, Mr. Haffmann

Show times:

July 16 at 2:30 p.m.

July 20 at 12:00 p.m.

July 25 at 12:00 p.m.

July 30 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 115 minutes

Language: in French with subtitles

Directed by: Fred Cavayé

Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Gilles Lellouche, Sara Giraudeau

Farewell, Mr. Haffmann follows Joseph, a talented jeweler, who after the Germans occupy Paris, arranges for his family to flee the city and offers one of his employees the opportunity to take over his store until the conflict subsides. When his attempt to escape is thwarted, he is forced to seek his assistant’s protection, believing that his former employee will hold up his end of the bargain. What follows is a gripping historical drama that will leave you guessing until the very end.

Firebrand

Show times:

July 15 at 12:00 p.m.

July 18 at 4:30 p.m.

July 24 at 2:15 p.m. Rated: not rated

Runtime: 120 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Karim Aïnouz

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Eddie Marsan

Starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law, Firebrand follows twice-married, accomplished, and educated Katherine Parr who reluctantly agrees to become the sixth wife of the tyrannical King Henry VIII. Her consent to marry him carries great personal risk, given that her predecessors are either vanquished, beheaded, or dead. When Henry appoints her as Regent, he lays a dangerous path for her. Katherine finds herself under ever-increasing scrutiny and suspicion. Knowing that even a whisper of scandal might lead to her downfall, Katherine must unleash her own scheme to fight for survival.

Ghostlight

Show times:

July 13 at 4:15 p.m.

July 18 at 12:00 p.m.

July 20 at 9:30 p.m.

July 22 at 7:00 p.m.

July 26 at 2:15 p.m.

July 30 at 4:30 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 110 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Kelly O’Sullivan, Alex Thompson

Starring: Keith Kupferer, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen

Ghostlight is a heartwarming drama about finding the people that help you heal in the most unlikely of places. When a construction worker joins a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life. What follows is an effortless story of the restorative powers of art and community that comes when you least expect it.

I Saw the TV Glow

Show times:

July 13 at 9:30 p.m.

July 18 at 7:00 p.m.

July 20 at 4:30 p.m.

July 24 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 100 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Jane Schoenbrun

Starring: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman

Starring Justice Smith, I Saw the TV Glow follows Owen, a quiet teen who is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show. This TV show depicts a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own and quickly entrances them. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack. I Saw the TV Glow empowers the viewer to look inside while directly confronting what it means to not feel allowed to be who you are.

Janet Planet

Show times:

July 13 at 7:00 p.m.

July 16 at 12:00 p.m.

July 17 at 4:30 p.m.

July 21 at 12:00 p.m.

July 23 at 4:30 p.m.

July 25 at 2:30 p.m.

July 29 at 12:00 p.m.

July 31 at 7:00 p.m.

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 113 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Annie Baker

Starring: Julianne Nicholson, Luke Philip Bosco, June Walker Grossman

Starring Julianne Nicholson, Janet Planet depicts the dog days of summer in rural Western Massachusetts, from the eyes of 11-year-old Lacy who spends the summer of 1991 at home, enthralled by her own imagination and the attention of her mother, Janet. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker captures a child’s experience of time passing, and the ineffability of a daughter falling out of love with her mother, in this sublime feature film debut.

La Chimera

Show times:

July 15 at 7:00 p.m.

July 18 at 12:00 p.m.

July 22 at 2:15 p.m.

July 25 at 4:30 p.m.

Aug. 1 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 130 minutes

Language: in Italian, English, French with subtitles

Directed by: Alice Rohrwacher

Starring: Josh O’Connor, Carol Duarte, Vincenzo Nemolato

Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods and archaeological wonders, the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur, the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina. To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, and goes inside the earth — in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak. In an adventurous journey between the living and the dead, between forests and cities, between celebrations and solitudes, the intertwined destinies of these characters unfold, all in search of the Chimera.

Maestra

Show times:

July 16 at 12:00 p.m.

July 19 at 12:00 p.m.

July 27 at 4:30 p.m.

July 29 at 12:00 p.m.

July 31 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 88 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Maggie Contreras

Five incredible women from around the world who are boldly breaking glass ceilings in the male-dominated world of orchestral conducting take center stage in Maestra. These women gathered in Paris for ‘La Maestra’, the only competition in the world for female conductors, to show the world the singular talent that unites them and which, for far too long, has been considered the pursuit of only men. Personal stories of survival, passion and perseverance are woven together with the drama and excitement of this one-of-a-kind event. The struggles and triumphs of the gifted artists in Maestra offer a microcosm for the challenges faced by women in every industry and in every walk of life today.

Mr. Hulot’s Holiday (1953)

Show times:

July 16 at 2:30 p.m.

July 19 at 2:30 p.m.

July 22 at 12:00 p.m.

July 27 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 83 minutes

Language: in French, English, German with subtitles

Directed by: Jacques Tati

Starring: Jacques Tati, Nathalie Pascaud, Micheline Rolla

Restored for the big screen for the first time, Mr. Hulot’s Holiday follows hapless Monsieur Hulot who decides to vacation at a beautiful seaside resort, but rest and relaxation don’t last long, given the gangly gent’s penchant for ridiculous antics. While simply out to enjoy himself, the well-meaning Hulot inevitably stumbles into numerous misadventures, including an utterly disastrous attempt at playing tennis, as he encounters fellow French vacationers from various social classes, as well as foreign tourists.

My National Gallery

Show times:

July 14 at 12:00 p.m.

July 19 at 4:30 p.m.

July 23 at 2:30 p.m.

July 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Aug. 1 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 90 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Phil Grabsky, Ali Ray

The National Gallery of London is one of the world’s greatest art galleries. It is full of masterpieces, an endless resource of history and stories. My National Gallery gives voice to those who work at the gallery – from cleaner to curator, security guard to director – who identify the one artwork that means the most to them and why. An assortment of people from all walks of life who have a strong connection to the gallery make surprising choices of both well-known and

lesser-known artworks. These stories are used as a lens through which to explore the 200-year history of the National Gallery and what the future may hold for this spectacular space.

Nowhere Special

Show times:

July 15 at 12:00 p.m.

July 21 at 2:30 p.m.

July 26 at 7:00 p.m.

July 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 96 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Uberto Pasolini

Starring: James Norton, Daniel Lamont, Carol Moore

Starring James Norton and set in Northern Ireland, Nowhere Special follows single father John who is given only a few months left to live. He begins to try to find the perfect family for his young son while shielding the boy from the terrible reality of the situation. As he struggles to find the right answer for the impossible task, he meets a social worker who opens him up to solutions he never would have considered.

The Old Oak

Show times:

July 13 at 2:00 p.m.

July 19 at 7:00 p.m.

July 23 at 2:30 p.m.

July 25 at 12:00 p.m.

July 26 at 4:30 p.m.

July 30 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 113 minutes

Language: in English, Arabic with subtitles

Directed by: Ken Loach

Starring: Dave Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Rodgerson

From legendary director Ken Loach, The Old Oak tells the story of the last pub standing in a once thriving mining village in northern England, a gathering space for a community that has fallen on hard times. There is growing anger, resentment, and a lack of hope among the residents, when a group of Syrian refugees move into the floundering village. A decisive rift fueled by prejudices develops between the community and its newest inhabitants. The formation of an unexpected friendship between the bar owner and a young Syrian woman opens up new possibilities for the divided village in this deeply moving drama about loss, fear, and the difficulty of finding hope.

Remembering Gene Wilder

Show times:

July 16 at 7:15 p.m.

July 22 at 12:00 p.m.

July 28 at 4:30 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 92 minutes Language: in English Directed by: Ron Frank

This loving tribute to Gene Wilder celebrates his life and legacy as the comic genius behind an extraordinary string of film roles, from his first collaboration with Mel Brooks in The Producers, to the enigmatic title role in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, to his inspired on-screen partnership with Richard Pryor in movies like Silver Streak. It is illustrated by a bevy of touching and hilarious clips and outtakes, never-before-seen home movies, and interviews with a roster of brilliant friends and collaborators like Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, and Carol Kane. Remembering Gene Wilder shines a light on an essential performer, writer, director, and all-around great of stage and screen.

Songs of Earth

Show times:

July 14 at 7:00 p.m.

July 17 at 2:30 p.m.

July 22 at 2:30 p.m.

July 26 at 12:00 p.m.

July 29 at 2:15 p.m.

July 31 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 90 minutes

Language: in Norwegian with subtitles

Directed by: Margreth Olin

Experiencing Norway’s adventurous valley, Songs of Earth is a mesmerizing and poignant documentary that portrays the director’s existential journey with her own aging parent against the backdrop of mountainous landscapes of Norway for a year. It is a cinematic work about life, death, nature and about simply being present in the world. Olin’s parents’ love and lifelong loyalty bear quiet witness to how surroundings and inner space resonate with each other.

Thelma

Show times:

July 12 - Opening Night

July 14 at 4:15 p.m.

July 17 at 7:00 p.m.

July 20 at 2:30 p.m.

July 22 at 4:30 p.m.

July 26 at 12:00 p.m.

July 27 at 7:00 p.m.

July 29 at 4:30 p.m.

Aug. 1 at 4:30 p.m.

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 97 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Josh Margolin

Starring: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree

Inspired by a real-life experience of the director’s own grandmother and starring June Squibb in her first leading role, Thelma follows a 93-year-old woman who gets duped by a phone scammer

pretending to be her grandson. What follows is a treacherous but hilarious quest to reclaim what was stolen from her and regain her dignity and independence in the process. Thelma demonstrates that she is more than capable of taking care of business — despite what her daughter or grandson might believe.

Tuesday

Show times:

July 15 at 2:30 p.m.

July 19 at 12:00 p.m.

July 24 at 4:30 p.m.

July 27 at 2:15 p.m.

July 30 at 7:00 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 111 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Daina Oniunas-Pusic

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Arinzé Kene, Lola Petticrew

Starring television royalty Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tuesday follows a mother and her teenage daughter who must confront Death when it arrives in the form of an astonishing talking bird. From debut filmmaker Daina O. Pusić, Tuesday is a heart-rending fairy tale about the echoes of loss and finding resilience in the unexpected.

Who Is Stan Smith?

Show times:

July 13 at 12:00 p.m.

July 18 at 2:30 p.m.

July 25 at 7:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 95 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Danny Lee

Who Is Stan Smith? charts the extraordinary life of Stan Smith, the tennis champion turned fashion icon and humanitarian. From his early days in Southern California, through Stan’s historic, collegiate and professional tennis career, this in-depth story peels back the layers to show the true colors of a thoughtful, empathetic leader off the court, all-the-while becoming an unsuspecting fashionista for thousands of artists, celebrities and shoe-lovers around the world.

Wicked Little Letters

Show times:

July 12 - Opening Night

July 14 at 2:00 p.m.

July 17 at 12:00 p.m.

July 21 at 4:30 p.m.

July 24 at 7:00 p.m.

July 29 at 2:30 p.m.

July 31 at 4:30 p.m.

Aug. 1 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 100 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Thea Sharrock

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Olivia Colman, Timothy Spall

Starring Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley and based on a true story, Wicked Little Letters follows the inhabitants of an English seaside town that bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy. When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, foul-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. The anonymous letters prompt a national uproar, and a trial ensues. However, as the town’s women begin to investigate the crime themselves, they suspect that something is amiss, and Rose may not be the culprit after all.