Arizona Reporter - Arizona News - 19/10
"Wrestling With Angels" Makes Arizona Premiere Oct. 23


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Venue: Harkins Sedona Six Theatres | Location: 2081 W. Hwy. 89A | Time: 4:00pm
wrestling with angels

City: Sedona, AZ -- The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the exclusive Arizona premiere screening of “Wrestling With Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner” — directed by Academy Award-winner Freida Lee Mock — on Tuesday, Oct. 23. There will be two screenings of the film at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. at Harkins Sedona Six Theatres. The film’s producer, Todd Shotz, will be present at the screening to introduce the film and host a post-film discussion and Q&A. more info: 928.282.1177

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wrestling with angels
”Wrestling With Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner” is a feature documentary film about the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Caroline or Change, Homebody/Kabul, Munich). It tells the story of a relentlessly creative spirit at work and of how Kushner, a Jewish homosexual raised in the Deep South, would become an outspoken activist, a compassionate spokesperson for outsiders, and one of America’s most important playwrights.

At its core the film explores the mystery of creativity, its sources and Kushner’s compelling plays that are set against the moral and political concerns of our times. While it focuses on Kushner as an artist and activist, the film also captures the poignant story of a father and son relationship. Finally, it is the inspiring tale of how a passionately committed person can make a difference for social justice.The film takes place against the backdrop of three tumultuous years in America, from September 11, 2001 to the 2004 Presidential election.

It features acclaimed theater and movie actors in unforgettable, entertaining scenes from Kushner’s works – Marcia Gay Harden, as Laura Bush, emoting in a gut-wrenchingly comic manner in Only We Who Guard the Mystery Shall Be Unhappy; Meryl Streep pleading to God in a moving reading of Kushner’s Prayer on AIDS; and Emma Thompson crashing through the ceiling as the prophetic angel in Angels in America.

The film is structured around three acts that encapsulate the broad themes of Kushner’s work. Act I - As a Citizen of the World displays Kushner’s concern with global issues. Act II – Mama, I’m a Homosexual Mama dramatizes Kushner’s concern with national issues focusing on the AIDS crisis and gay rights through his personal story of “coming out;” through insight into the creative arc of his celebrated epic play Angels in America; and with his candid and humorous talk about Gay Pride at JP Morgan Chase. Act III - Collective Action to Overcome Injustice reveals the influence of Kushner’s Jewish heritage in his passionate concern for social justice, expressed in deeply personal terms.

At its heart, “Wrestling With Angels” explores Kushner’s relentless struggle to find creative expression for deep and fundamental truths, and through the power and intimacy of live theater, vivid characters and rich dialogue, to provide a national dialogue on some of our most pressing concerns — war, race, class, the AIDS pandemic, gay and lesbian rights, genocide and our global responsibility in the Middle East. This film is a testament to the power of an artist and activist to provoke and inspire the best in all of us.

Shotz, production executive with the American Film Foundation, will host the film and post-screening discussion. Melding his professional theatre background and current career as a film & television producer, Shotz consulted with Freida on the film’s content and took much of the still photography. Before moving to Los Angeles, Todd spent six years working on Broadway in company management of New York and touring shows including the Tony Award-winning revivals of Kiss Me Kate and Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing. While working on Broadway, he also had the opportunity to work with such notable stars as Liza Minnelli, Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Rogers as well as playwrights Peter Shaffer, David Henry Hwang and Tom Stoppard. His knowledge of the inner-workings of the Broadway community was integral to the director’s process on this film.

The screening is co-presented by the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley.

The film will be shown at Harkins Sedona Six Theatres on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10, or $8 for Film Sedona members, and will be available at 3:00 p.m. in the Harkins lobby. Cash or checks only. Seats are limited. Film Sedona members can purchase tickets in advance at the Sedona International Film Festival office, 45 Sunset Drive, or by calling 282-1177.

For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.com or call 282-1177.



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