Hamptons Friday Night Flicks To Launch With “Straws”

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts will debut a new Friday Night Flicks film series this winter. The screenings will premiere on February 1 with a viewing of Straws – a film by Linda Booker.

“We are thrilled to bring a film series back that incorporates the filmmakers to our line-up as we have in the past,” Tracy Mitchell, Executive Director of Bay Street Theater, shared. “Together with other films from both Hamptons International Film Fest and Hampton DocFest, it provides a broad range of films during these cold winter months.”

Straws, which is narrated by Oscar winner Tim Robbins, documents the devastation that plastic straws cause on those that call the ocean home and other ramifications. As the documentary’s screen time is under 40 minutes, the evening will also encompass a group of shorts entitled 60 MiNueTs Toxic, which revolve around environmental health challenges.

The inaugural screening, presented in coordination with Group for the East End, will feature a talkback with Bob Deluca, President of Group for the East End, Bay Street’s Executive Director, Tracy Mitchell, and Public Interest Media Group President and Sag Harbor resident Susan Lamontagne, who wrote and directed 60 MiNueTs Toxic.

“The success of the environmental movement has always been based on thinking globally, but taking action locally. When it comes to the plague of plastics facing our planet, every single step we can take locally has value, and many small steps will guarantee measurable and positive results over time,” DeLuca reflected. “We are so excited to be working with Bay Street Theater and will do whatever we can to support their leadership in eliminating single-use plastics from our waste stream and our East End environment.”

In addition to Lamontagne, who wrote and directed the series on behalf of the University of California, San Francisco’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, 60 MiNueTs Toxic features several other Sag Harbor-based creative forces, including puppeteer Liz Joyce, videographer Jon Hokanson, and graphic designer Diane Hewett.

“Polluting industries jeopardizing public health through money and politics is no surprise in this administration,” said Tracey J. Woodruff, professor and director of the University of California, San Francisco’s (UCSF) Program on Reproductive Health and co-director of UCSF’s Environmental Health Initiative, said in a press release about the shorts. “But we hope this series will help people understand some of the history behind what they are seeing unfold today at the EPA.”

City Hall will screen in April. (Courtesy Photo)

The evening will also mark the launch of Bay Street’s challenge to Main Street, Sag Harbor businesses to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles and plastic straws.

“While getting rid of straws and other single use plastics is not a new idea, it was one that struck me again during a recent trip to Canada,” Mitchell noted. “While visiting a major tourist area and having forgotten my own reusable water bottle that I normally travel with, I asked to purchase a bottle of water. I was quickly informed that none were sold, and that one could purchase only a metal reusable water bottle and fill it at the refilling station. I must admit, my first reaction was to be a bit annoyed. But that was the ‘aha’ moment. We, all of us, need to do a better job of changing our own habits, and that we need to begin, as always, right in our own backyard.”

Bay Street Theater has plans to replace its current water fountain with a new water fountain that will feature a reusable water bottle refilling station. For those that left theirs at home, reusable bottles will be available for purchase. Paper straws will be available upon request only.

“We’re delighted to partner with Bay Street Theater on raising awareness about the harmful effects of single-use plastics on the East End environment,” Kristina Lange of G4EE added. “We applaud their efforts to dramatically reduce the amount of plastic they use in their offices and in the theater itself. Joint efforts like this start an important conversation and set an example for others thinking about joining the movement.”

Friday Night Flicks will continue with Carnal Knowledge on Friday, February 8 – with a talkback with screenwriter Jules Feiffer. The film, which stars Jack Nicholson as Jonathan and Arthur Garfunkel as Sandy, revolves around two college roommates who take different approaches to romance – one settling down and marrying while the other plays the field. As Sandy’s matrimonial bliss fades, he considers adapting Jonathan’s womanizing ways as Jonathan realizes that he might just be ready for monogamy.

On Friday, April 12, Bay Street will screen City Hall – with a talkback with producer Ken Lipper. The film, which stars Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda, and Danny Aiello, explores the accidental shooting of a boy in New York. The tragic event leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor that results in an unforeseen outcome.

Screenings begin at 8 p.m. and tickets are $12.

Bay Street Theater is located at 1 Bay Street in Sag Harbor. For more information, call 631-725-9500 or visit www.baystreet.org.