River To River Festival and Downtown Alliance Launch Movie and a Meal Thursday Nights
The River To River Festival, New York City’s largest free summer arts program, begins its free movie nights on the Elevated Acre on Thursday with Woody Allen’s Oscar-nominated Broadway Danny Rose. The Alliance for Downtown New York is serving as the series’ managing partner for the first time.
“With summer river breezes at sunset, and sweeping views of the East River Bridges and New York Harbor from a unique vantage point, the Elevated Acre could be the best place to watch a movie in Manhattan,” said Elizabeth H. Berger, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York. “So grab a blanket and a boxed dinner and come on down to Water Street!”
This week is the first of four summer screenings. It’s a 1984 film starring Woody Allen and Mia Farrow told in flashbacks by a group of comedians over lunch at the Carnegie Deli. Farrow follows hapless talent agent "Broadway" Danny Rose (Allen) as he gets dragged into a love triangle involving the mob. It will be preceded by screenings of short independent films by Alex Kalman and Josh Safdie.
Each Thursday’s feature will be tied to a “Broadway2Battery” theme, and will be preceded by independent shorts by New York City filmmakers exploring their city. All show times are 8 PM. Free tickets are required and will be distributed two per person at the street-level Water Street entrance to the Elevated Acre on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 6 PM on the day of each screening. The Elevated Acre is located at 55 Water Street, between Broad and William Streets.
Attendees can order boxed meals from Swedish café Fika, the Wall Street Burger Shoppe and Zigolini’s, which has a Mediterranean menu. All three are just a short walk from the Acre. For more information, go to www.downtownny.com/r2r2010.
Founded in 2002, the River To Festival was conceived as a unique way to bring people back to Lower Manhattan. American Express is the Festival’s founding title sponsor. In addition to the Downtown Alliance, programming is provided by arts>World Financial Center, The Battery Park City Authority, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and South Street Seaport.
The Festival also depends, in part, on donations. So if you’ve enjoyed a free River To River concert or movie night over the years at one of our distinctive Lower Manhattan venues, please consider donating. With your help, the Festival will grow and flourish for another nine years and beyond. To donate, go to http://www.nycharities.org/app/r2r/.
The River To River Festival—which runs through August 19 at a variety of public venues south of Chambers Street from river to river—has made a powerful artistic and economic impact on Lower Manhattan. The Elevated Acre movie series began in 2006.
Upcoming Downtown Alliance-sponsored movie nights at the Elevated Acre:
August 5 at 8 PM
Auntie Mame
Broadway2Battery
Movie Nights on the Elevated Ace—Classic New York Features Paired with Independent Shorts
Presented by the Alliance for Downtown New York
Based on the Broadway production and nominated for six Academy Awards, this beloved 1958 classic stars Rosalind Russell as Mame, an exuberant and unconventional socialite in the roaring 20s.
Preceded by a short film by filmmaker Cheryl Dunn:
Come Mute (2006, 11:23 minutes) Come Mute is an autobiographical fable about a young New Jersey girl as she tries to figure out how to bring creativity to her working class existence.
TICKETS ARE REQUIRED and will be available, two per person, at the street-level Water Street entrance to the Elevated Acre on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 6:00 pm on the day of the screening. Free, 8pm,The Elevated Acre at 55 Water Street, between Broad and William Streets.
August 12 at 8 PM
The Country Girl Broadway2Battery
Movie Nights on the Elevated Ace—Classic New York Features Paired with Independent Shorts
Presented by the Alliance for Downtown New York
Adapted from the Clifford Odets play and starring Grace Kelly, William Holden and Bing Crosby in his greatest performance, this 1954 Oscar-winning drama tells the story of an alcoholic, has-been Broadway actor struggling with the one last chance he's been given to resurrect his career.
Preceded by short films by Alexandra Lerman:
A Man is Not a Piece of Fruit! (2006, 3 minutes) A fantasy about the stock market, the object of which is an atypical Wall Street type whose life is guided by fortune telling.
Opera (2007, 3 minutes) Singing in a subway station.
TICKETS ARE REQUIRED and will be available, two per person, at the street-level Water Street entrance to the Elevated Acre on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 6:00 pm on the day of the screening. Free, 8pm,The Elevated Acre at 55 Water Street, between Broad and William Streets.
August 19 at 8 PM
The Muppets Take Manhattan
Broadway2Battery
Movie Nights on the Elevated Ace—Classic New York Features Paired with Independent Shorts
Presented by the Alliance for Downtown New York
Frank Oz directs this 1984 ode to Broadway in which the Muppets travel to New York intent on finding a producer for their musical, Manhattan Melodies.
Preceded by a short film by Jay Hufford:
Henry the Otter (2007, 18 minutes) Discovered on the beach at Coney Island, Henry becomes the toast of the town in this homage to ragtime era New York City.
TICKETS ARE REQUIRED and will be available, two per person, at the street-level Water Street entrance to the Elevated Acre on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 6:00 pm on the day of the screening. Free, 8pm,The Elevated Acre at 55 Water Street, between Broad and William Streets.