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The Art of Living Well: "Who Will Start Another Fire" Plus Director Q&A With Jermaine Manigault, Emily Packer, and Lesley Steele

Tuesday, November 02, 2021 @ 7:00pm



Hopewell Theater
5 S. Greenwood Avenue, Hopewell, NJ 08525

Tuesday, November 2 (with Directors Talk) & Sunday, November 7 (Encore Screening)

Dedza Films is a distribution initiative dedicated to curating and facilitating the distribution of films from the next wave with a focus on underrepresented communities and early works of emerging storytellers.

Dedza aims to treat these stories in a way that is often reserved for features and help filmmakers who were impacted by COVID-19, which affected festival and release plans. Their mission is to curate, community build, and partner with other initiatives and organizations focusing on changing the landscape.

The nine films presented include:

Like Flying 

15 Minutes / USA / 2020

Directed by Peier Tracy Shen

A young Chinese-American girl navigates her childhood through her parents’ broken relationship.

Family Tree 

17 Minutes / Uganda / 2020

Directed by Nicole Amani Magabo Kiggundu

We meet Nagawa, an 8 year old, whose day is almost like any other.  When her mother Margaret picks up Nagawa from school, she doesn’t have the heart to tell her daughter that her beloved father has been in a terrible accident.

Troublemaker 

11 Minutes / Nigeria / 2019

Directed by Olive Nwosu

Obi is hot, bored, and desperate for something to do. When his best friend, Emeka, gives him a packet of firecrackers, the boys decide to have some fun.

Polygraph

20 Minutes / Israel / 2020

Directed by Samira Saraya

Based on a true story, Yasmine, an openly lesbian Arab nurse living in Tel Aviv, finds out that her lover Or, an intelligence officer in the Israeli army, has been reporting on their relationship.

The Lights Are On, No One’s Home 

10 Minutes / USA / 2020

Directed by Faye Ruiz

Mar, a trans woman who left home years ago, returns to her old neighborhood to find her childhood home. Upon her return, she’s confronted with the changes that gentrification has brought to the place she once knew so well.

By Way of Canarsie

14 Minutes / USA / 2020

Directed by Lesley Steele & Emily Packer

A wandering portrait of an oft-neglected shoreline community, By Way of Canarsie imagines possible futures at odds with a peaceful present.

The Rose of Manila

12 Minutes / Philippines / 2020

Directed by Alex Westfall

An imagining of the formative years of Imelda Marcos, who, as one half of the Marcos regime, would become infamous for embezzling billions from the country to sustain her extravagant lifestyle.

Slip 

11 Minutes / USA / 2019

Directed by Nicole Otero

A woman arrives home at the end of a regular day, but as she begins to turn in for the night, she is overcome with a sense of restlessness.

Not Black Enough 

19 Minutes / USA / 2020

Directed by Jermaine Manigault

A young African-American man struggling to find his identity within his community meets a persuasive relic of the past.



This program is a part of Hopewell Theater's ongoing series, The Art of Living Well, featuring inspiring films, speakers and interactive discussions exploring ways of cultivating serenity, meaning and a deeper connection to one’s self and the world.




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EVENT PREVIEWS

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a Spring Season of Jazz with free monthly jazz jams at Clement's Place and two special concert events inside the Victoria Theater. This series, running from September through June, is co-presented by NJPAC's Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers University–Newark's Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS). Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners' minds.



PBS'

PBS' Independent Lens Launches 20th Season of Free Pop-Up Screening Series in Teaneck and Nationwide

(TEANECK, NJ) -- The award-winning PBS documentary series, INDEPENDENT LENS, presents the launch of the upcoming season of Indie Lens Pop-Up in partnership with the Teaneck International Film Festival and the Puffin Cultural Forum. The season kicks-off on February 4, 2026 with The Librarians and continues through May. The series is free for all but sign up is required.



State

State Theatre New Jersey presents The Sound Studio Series 2026

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey proudly presents The Sound Studio Series, an immersive musical experience that places concertgoers at the very heart of the performance. Held in STNJ's intimate Studio space, limited to just 80 attendees, The Sound Studio Series features a dynamic mix of both classical and rock performances. Each concert concludes with an exclusive post-show meet-and-greet with the artists, offering fans a rare opportunity to connect directly with the performers. Tickets for the series are $20-$30.



Morven

Morven Museum & Garden's Grand Homes & Gardens returns with a new series for America's 250th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Morven Museum & Garden's popular speaker series Grand Homes & Gardens returns for 2026. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Freedom at Home: Telling the Full Story of America's Founding Homes and Gardens examines four estates belonging to five signers of the Declaration: William Paca, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Thomas Jefferson, and Arthur Middleton.



October

October Ensemble presents the World Premiere of "Oh Sh*t, Sherlock!"

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- October Ensemble presents the World Premiere of Oh Sh*t, Sherlock! weekends from March 20 to April 12, 2026 at The Jersey Shore Arts Center. The actor playing Sherlock has never seen the script. Hilarity ensues as the rest of the cast tries to keep the mystery on track!












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