Science on Screen Returns for Another Season to Images Cinema
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Images Cinema is excited to announce another season of Science on Screen.
This year's theme is "Eco-Disaster: How We Imagine Humankind Will Navigate Global Catastrophe" all showing on Wednesdays in January, beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. Tickets are available on a sliding scale, $0-20. Each talk will start at 7pm, with the film immediately following.
Images Cinema is located at 50 Spring Street, Williamstown.
For the 2023-24 season of Science on Screen, Images developed a new format, presenting a series of talks paired with films tackling deep dives into contemporary scientific and societal challenges. For that pilot season, the theme was "Humans and A.I.: How Will We Coexist?", with each film in the series bringing together two or more academics in dialogue.
While each talk will be unique to each film and the academic focuses of each speaker, all will delve into both the actual scientific probability of such disaster occurring — and if it will occur as depicted in the film — and the veracity of the human responses to directly avoid said catastrophe and/or the psychological/sociological effects of the catastrophe coming to pass.
"We're so thrilled to present our second consecutive season of Science on Screen, thanks to the generous support of The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Coolidge Corner Theatre," said Dan Hudson, executive director of Images Cinema. "This season we dove even deeper in pairing compelling speakers who can bring to light unique aspects of lessons to take from these films, and we're excited to include academics from Bennington College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts this year."
Images Cinema will close out the season by participating in the National Evening of Science on Screen on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Film and speaker for that screening will be announced at a later date.
Information about films and speakers for this series:
MELANCHOLIA (2011)
Wednesday 1/8/25 at 7pm
Dir. Lars von Trier
Justine and Michael are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister Claire, and brother-in-law John. Despite Claire's best efforts, the wedding is a fiasco, with family tensions mounting and relationships fraying. Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is heading directly towards Earth…
with Dr. Jeremy A. Cone, Associate Professor of Psychology, Williams College and Dr. Jason E. Young, Visiting Field Memorial Assistant Professor of Astronomy, Williams College
Wednesday 1/15/25 at 7pm
Dir. Mimi Loder
A seven-mile-wide space rock is hurtling toward Earth, threatening to obliterate the planet. Now, it's up to the president of the United States to save the world. He appoints a tough-as-nails veteran astronaut to lead a joint American-Russian crew into space to destroy the comet before impact. Meanwhile, an enterprising reporter uses her smarts to uncover the scoop of the century.
with Dr. Phoebe A. Cohen, Professor of Geosciences, Williams College and Dr. David Bond, Associate Director, Center for the Advancement of Public Action, Bennington College
Wednesday 1/22/25 at 7pm
Dir. Alfonso Cuarón
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
with Dr. Tim J. Lebestky, Associate Professor of Biology, Williams College and Dr. Mohamad Junaid, Associate Professor, Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
SNOWPIERCER (2013)
Wednesday 1/29/25 at 7pm
Dir. Bong Joon-ho
In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
with Dr. Alice C. Bradley, Assistant Professor of Geosciences, Williams College and Dr. Victoria Papa Associate Professor, English, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
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