The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul and the Capri Theater present the critically acclaimed satirical drama Dear White People at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 6 at the Capri, 2027 West Broadway. Tickets to First Thursday Films @ the Capri are $5; purchase in advance at mspfilm.org or at the door the night of the show.
Winner of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent, Dear White People is about a group of African American college students navigating life on campus at a prestigious, predominantly white college. The movie, which was filmed in Minnesota (primarily at the U of M and Minneapolis Women’s Club), earned writer/director Justin Simien a spot on Variety’s annual “10 Directors to Watch” list.
Dear White People has been described as an “advanced course in diversity,” and “a sharp and provocative satire.” The New York Times reviewer, A. O. Scott, said, “You want to see this movie, and you will want to talk about it afterward, even if the conversation feels a little awkward.” Post-film discussions are a regular feature of First Thursday Films so audience members will have the opportunity for good conversation around Dear White People, as Scott suggests.
First Thursday Films @ the Capri are screened on the first Thursday of every month. All movie-goers are offered a “buy one, get one free” pass to the series. The remaining 2016 schedule includes Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks on November 3, and Daughters of the Dust on December 1. Find a complete schedule of First Thursday Films through March 2017 at mspfilm.org and thecapritheater.org.
This screening of Dear White People is sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation and is part of Black Cinema: Under the Skin, a program of films by Black filmmakers exploring Black culture and experience. Black Cinema: Under the Skin and First Thursday Films @ the Capri are curated by The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul. Both programs are generously supported by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the law firm Grey Plant Mooty. More info at thecapritheater.org and mspfilm.org.