Before each Tuesday showing date of the W. Curtis Montz Film Series, F.M. Kirby Center screens a short documentary from a local filmmaker through WVIA’s VIA Short Takes. Each short takes a deep dive into the people and places that shape NEPA.
The W. Curtis Montz Film Series starts on Tuesday, July 11, at F.M. Kirby Center and runs weekly through the end of August 2023.
WILKES-BARRE– The F.M. Kirby Center announces that in addition to the return of the W. Curtis Montz Film Series for the summer of 2023, the Kirby Center will highlight regional filmmakers by showcasing WVIA’s VIA Short Takes documentaries before each series film screening.
The W. Curtis Montz Film Series celebrates the best in independent, foreign, and documentary films. The series will begin on Tuesday, July 11, and run every Tuesday through August 29. Each show will be preceded by the screening of a VIA Short Takes short documentary made by a regional filmmaker.
The series features two showings of each film, first at 1 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. on the same day. Tickets for matinee films are only $3, while evening films are just $5.
“W. Curtis Montz Film Series” schedule:
- The Sparks Brothers [R]: Tuesday, July 11 – preceded by “Everybody Knows Schpay” by John Mikulak
- MLK/FBI [PG]: Tuesday, July 18 – preceded by “It’s More Than Hair” by Kelly Dessoye
- Another Round [TV-MA]: Tuesday, July 25 – preceded “The Art of Brewing in NEPA” by Jonathan Edwards
- Minari [PG-13]: Tuesday, August 1 – preceded by “Through the Mask of Noh” by Kris Hendrickson
- Marcel the Shell with Shoes On [PG]: Tuesday, August 8 – preceded by “The Real Dunder Mifflin: Pennsylvania Paper & Supply” by Luz Cabrales
- Fire of Love [PG]: Tuesday, August 15 – preceded by “Dan Wowak” by John Corrales
- The Worst Person in the World [R]: Tuesday, August 22 – preceded by “Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre” by Tyler Floryan
- Aftersun [R]: Tuesday, August 29 – preceded by “Leah Frances: Lunch Poems” by John Corrales
Complimentary movie passes included in Kirby Center membership benefits are accepted at these films.
Arts enthusiast, W. Curtis Montz lived a full life in his 101 years. His time at the F.M. Kirby Center was spent as executive director, programmer, arts education planner, and ardent film series supporter. Both in his work and attendance. We are honored year after year to remember his humor, work ethic, friendship, love of chocolate, and passion for the arts.
WVIA’s VIA Short Takes is a documentary series featuring topics ranging from dramatic and edgy to cute, quirky, thrilling and more. It aims to provide an entertaining look at the people and places that make Pennsylvania (and beyond) so unique. More information about the VIA Short Takes series can be found here: https://www.wvia.org/via-short-takes
For more information on the film series or any other Kirby event, visit kirbycenter.org or call 570-826-1100.
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ABOUT THE FILMS:
Tuesday, July 11 — The Sparks Brothers – R
Brothers Ron and Russell Mael formed their band—then named Halfnelson—in 1967. Since then, the pop and rock duo rebranded themselves as Sparks, released 24 albums, and has influenced numerous music genres and artists. The Sparks Brothers is a documentary film by award-winning director Edgar Wright that delves into the incredible career the brothers have had so far, with career-spanning archival material and intimate interviews with the brothers themselves and notable artists such as Beck, Flea, Giorgio Moroder, and Jack Antonoff. 2021, 135 minutes
VIA Short Takes “Everybody Knows Schpay” by John Mikulak
Hard Core rocker Steve “Schpay” Spirko has had a rock ’n’ roll dream since the 1970s – and he’s not about to give up on it! Take a tour of Steve’s wild career and revel in his never say die attitude toward rocking your world!
Tuesday, July 18 — MLK/FBI – PG
A documentary about what a former FBI agent calls the darkest part of their agency’s history, the film features recently declassified files to unearth how the agency-branded and targeted Martin Luther King Jr. as an enemy of the state in the ’60s, at the time when the assassinated reverend was beginning to rise to national fame and influence as a leader of the civil rights movement. 2020, 104 minutes
VIA Short Takes “It’s More Than Hair” by Kelly Dessoye
In the Black community, hair is linked to more than personal style – it’s identity. “It’s More Than Hair” is a celebration of Black hair and how acceptance of hairstyles historically linked to Black culture can foster community in NEPA.
Tuesday, July 25 — Another Round – TV-MA
Four high school teachers launch a drinking experiment: upholding a constant low level of intoxication. Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, Lars Ranthe, and Maria Bonnevie. 2020, 117 minutes
VIA Short Takes “The Art of Brewing in NEPA” by Jonathan Edwards
Visit Benny Brewing, Breaker Brewing, and Susquehanna Brewing and meet the brewmasters behind some of the area’s most beloved breweries, plus learn about their inspirations and techniques. From small-batch ales to experimental sours, we’ll discover the diverse range of flavors and styles that make craft beer such a beloved part of our local culture.
Tuesday, August 1 — Minari – PG-13
A Korean-American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they find the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. 2021, 120 minutes
VIA Short Takes “Through the Mask of Noh” by Kris Hendrickson
International performance company Theatre Nohgaku tells a story of the American Civil War through an ancient Japanese art form called Noh.
Tuesday, August 8 — Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – PG
Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope of finding his long-lost family. 2021, 90 minutes
VIA Short Takes “The Real Dunder Mifflin: Pennsylvania Paper & Supply” by Luz Cabrales
You’ll most likely recognize the iconic Scranton building on the corner of Vine St. and Penn Ave if you’re a fan of the TV Series “The Office.” On this episode of Short Takes, we’re taking you inside the building to meet the folks who operate Pennsylvania Paper & Supply. Explore the history of the organization and see all of the fun ways they have embraced becoming “Real-Life Dunder Mifflin.”
Tuesday, August 15 — Fire of Love – PG
“The greatest lava-fueled love story ever told” – Rolling Stone. National Geographic presents intrepid scientists and lovers Katia and Maurice Krafft died in a volcanic explosion doing the very thing that brought them together: unraveling the mysteries of volcanoes by capturing the most explosive imagery ever recorded. 2022, 98 minutes
VIA Short Takes “Dan Wowak” by John Corrales
From an early age, Dan Wowak was taught important survival skills by his grandfather in the Appalachian Mountains of Schuylkill County. Years later, Dan was laid off from his job in juvenile corrections, but shortly after, he received a chance casting call from the History Channel. A producer invited him to be on the show Alone, and he spent 51 days in the Patagonia region of Argentina.
Tuesday, August 22 — The Worst Person in the World – R
The chronicles of four years in the life of Julie, a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is. 2021, 127 minutes
VIA Short Takes “Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre” by Tyler Floryan
For over 100 years and reaching over two million people, Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre is one of the longest running theatres in the United States and has a strong community keeping it alive to this day and for many years to come. Learn more about this historic place and what it is like to be onstage or part of the audience in this episode of VIA Short Takes.
Tuesday, August 29 — Aftersun – R
Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories real and imagined fill the gaps between miniDV footage as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t. 2022, 98 minutes
VIA Short Takes “Leah Frances: Lunch Poems” by John Corrales
Easton-based photographer Leah Frances delights in the symmetry, design, and golden sun illuminating Pennsylvania diners. “Actively using photography to explore the residue of time and human effort, I create portraits of place, mindful of the individuals who have been there before and may be there again.
