MFF Conversation Series is something to talk about

by JAY LUSTIG
RICHARD GERE

MYRNA SUAREZ

RICHARD GERE

“Immersive discussions” with Richard Gere and directors Jonathan Demme and Barbara Kopple will be among the events in the Conversation Series that will be part of this year’s Montclair Film Festival.

The festival takes place May 1-10, and Gere will be part of the first Conversation Series event, discussing his career and his new movie “Time Out of Mind” — which he co-produced and stars in, as a homeless man — with Montclair resident and MFF supporter Stephen Colbert, May 2 at the Wellmont Theater.

Documentary maker Kopple (“Harlan County, USA,” “American Dream,” “Wild Man Blues”) will appear in a discussion at the Montclair Art Museum, May 3 at 3 p.m. Her “Hot Type: 150 Years of The Nation” will be featured at this year’s MFF.

Demme (“The Silence of the Lambs,” “Philadelphia,” “Stop Making Sense”) will discuss his career with Joel Stillerman, executive vice president of original programming for AMC Networks, May 9 at 2 p.m. at Montclair Kimberley Academy (Upper School).

Tickets for all MFF films and events go on sale April 8 for members and sponsors, April 13 for the general public. The full program will be announced on April 2. Visit montclairfilm.org.

Here is the schedule for the Conversation Series:

May 2, 10 a.m.: “Hunger & Homelessness in Montclair: A Community Conversation,” moderated by Steve Adubato, and using “Time Out of Mind” as a platform for dialogue. At Audible Listening Lounge.

May 2, noon: “Black Voices in Film.” Moderated by writer-director Sultan Sharrief, with writer-director Pete Chatmon, programmer Curtis John and director Lacey Schwartz. At Audible Listening Lounge

May 2, 2 p.m. “In Conversation With Richard Gere.” See above.

May 2, 2 p.m.: “In Conversation with Stanley Nelson.” Nelson talks about his career, making documentaries such as “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” “Freedom Summer,” “Jonestown: The Life and Death of the People’s Temple” and “The Murder of Emmett Till.” At Audible Listening Lounge.

May 3, 1 p.m.: “In Conversation with Patrick Wilson and Friends.” At Montclair Art Museum.

BARBARA KOPPLE

BARBARA KOPPLE

May 3, 3 p.m.: “In Conversation with Barbara Kopple.” See above.

May 3, 7:30 p.m.: “In Conversation with Jonathan Alter.” Talking about his career as a writer, television analyst and producer of the Amazon.com series “Alpha House.” At Audible Listening Lounge.

May 3, 7:30 p.m.: “How to Be Amazing” with Michael Ian Black and guest Bobcat Goldthwait. Live taping of an episode of the Audible original audio series. Goldthwait’s documentary about comedian Barry Crimmins, “Call Me Lucky,” will screen at this year’s MFF. At Montclair Art Museum.

May 4, 7:30 p.m.: “In Conversation with John Battsek.” The producer has been involved in documentaries such as “Searching for Sugar man,” “The Imposter” and “Restrepo,” and has two films showing at this year’s MFF. At the Audible Listening Lounge

May 5, 7:30 p.m.: “In Conversation with Montclair Filmmakers.” Featuring Daryl Ferrara, Charles Poekel, John Block and Steve McCarthy. At Audible Listening Lounge

May 6, 7:30 p.m.: “Meant to Be Spoken.” Discussion on audio storytelling with John Scalzi, Barbara Rosenblat and Kat Lambrix. At Audible Listening Lounge

May 9, noon.: “In Conversation with Abigail Disney.” The filmmaker and philanthropist’s directorial debut, “The Armor of Light,” will be shown at the MFF. At Audible Listening Lounge

May 9, 2 p.m.: “In Conversation with The National Lampoon.” Held in conjunction with MFF screenings of Doug Tirola’s “Drunk Stones Brilliant Dead: The National Lampoon Story,” the conversation will feature some of the satirical magazine’s original writers. At Audible Listening Lounge

May 9, 2 p.m.: “In Conversation with Jonathan Demme.” See above.

May 10, 2 p.m.: “Stories in Session.” Featuring storyteller and storytelling coach David Crabb. At Montclair Art Museum.

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