'The Killing Fields' Screening and Q&A at Triplex Cinema

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington is set to host a special fundraising screening of the 1984 film "The Killing Fields" on June 7. 
 
The event will include a post-screening conversation with actor Sam Waterston and filmmaker Matthew Penn.
 
The Triplex Cinema will present a special fundraising screening of Roland Joffe's film "The Killing Fields" on June 7 at 3:00 p.m. The screening will be followed by a conversation with actor Sam Waterston and filmmaker and theatre director Matthew Penn. The film, a biographical drama set in 1973, is based on the experiences of Cambodian journalist Dith Pran and American New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg during the Khmer Rouge regime. The cast includes John Malkovich, Julian Sands, Craig T. Nelson, Spalding Gray, and Athol Fugard.
 
Tickets for the event are available for $60 at www.thetriplexcinema.org.
 
"The Killing Fields" received seven Academy Award nominations in 1985, including Best Picture, and won three Oscars for Best Supporting Actor (Haing S. Ngor), Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. Haing S. Ngor, in his debut role, also received the Best Actor award at the British Academy Awards (BAFTA), where the film also won Best Film.
 
Matthew Penn, a recent addition to the Triplex Cinema Board of Directors, said: "We are delighted to have Sam Waterston join us at the Triplex for a Q & A after the screening of The Killing Fields on June 7th. Sam was nominated for an Oscar for his work in this extraordinary and still timely film. This will be a rare opportunity to hear Sam talk about The Killing Fields and his experience working with Haing S. Ngor during the making of this Oscar winning film."
 
Sam Waterston's career spans over six decades, with notable performances on stage, screen, and television. His theatrical credits include numerous New York stage productions, including Shakespearean plays and his Tony Award-nominated portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln on Broadway. His filmography includes "The Great Gatsby," Woody Allen's films "Interiors," "Hannah and Her Sisters," and "Crimes and Misdemeanors." He also had important roles in "Heaven's Gate," and "Nixon" among many other films. On television, Waterston played Jack McCoy in "Law and Order" from 1994-2010 and 2022-2024. Waterston is also involved in various activist causes.
 
Matthew Penn is an Emmy Award-nominated director with extensive experience in theatre and television. His television directing credits include "Law and Order," "The Sopranos," and "NYPD Blue." Penn has directed theatre productions for Barrington Stage, Shakespeare & Company, Berkshire Theatre Group, and The Great Barrington Public Theatre.
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Lee Breaks Ground on Public Safety Building

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Lee Town Administrator Chris Brittain says the community voted to invest in its future by approving the new $37 million complex. 

LEE, Mass. — Ground was ceremonially broken on the town's new public safety building, something officials see as a gift to the community and future generations. 

When finished, Lee will have a 37,000 square-foot combined public safety facility on Railroad Street where the Airoldi and Department of Public Works buildings once stood. Construction will cost around $24 million, and is planned to be completed in August 2027.

"This is the town of Lee being proactive. This is the town of Lee being thoughtful and considerate and practical and assertive, and this project is not just for us. This project is a gift," Select Board member Bob Jones said. 

"This is a gift to our children, our grandchildren."

State and local officials, including U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, gathered at the site on Friday, clad in hard hats and yellow vests, and shoveled some dirt to kick off the build. 

Town Administrator Chris Brittain explained that officials have planned and reviewed the need for a modern facility for the public safety departments for years, and that the project marks a new chapter, replacing 19th-century infrastructure with a "state-of-the-art" complex.

"The project is not just about concrete and steel, it's a commitment to the safety of our families, the efficiency of our first responders, and the future of our community," he said. 

He said he was grateful to the town's Police, Fire, and Building departments for their dedication while operating out of outdated facilities, and to the Department of Public Works, for coordinating site preparation and relocating its services. 

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