Furman Film Series Screens Hot Coffee, The Artist & The Descendants

Furman Film Series will host a screening of Hot Coffee and reaction to special screenings of The Artist & The Descendants.

December 1 brings Hot Coffee, the stunning Sundance Film Festival and HBO documentary by Susan Saladoff about how one infamous lawsuit allowed corporations across the United States to brew a concoction of manipulation intended to protect corporate interests and keep regular citizens out of the courts.

Furman programmer Sean McPhillips concedes the film is now available in multiple formats but the intent of the screening is to end a banner year of top screenings (including Win Win, Bill Cunningham New York, Incendies, Sarah’s Key, Senna, My Afternoons With Margueritte, The Debt, Margin Call, The Artist and The Descendants) in a way that sends audiences out of the theater thinking.

“This film had an effect on me such that I wanted everyone I know to see it. It just happens that I program a film series! I felt I needed to share. We’ve had such a great year of films at Furman and after several of the most entertaining narratives of the year (*see below), I wanted to focus on one documentary that was overlooked by Oscar but that truly matters,” said McPhillips.

The central thesis of Hot Coffee is that the civil justice system has been under heavy attack for over 25 years.

Despite the fact that federal legislation has never been successful, big business interests have won in the hearts and minds of average people. They launched a public relations campaign starting in the mid-80’s and continuing over the last two decades to convince the public that they have out of control juries, too many frivolous lawsuits and a civil justice system that needs reforming. They have used anecdotes, half-truths and sometimes out and out lies in their efforts, for one purpose – to put limits on people’s access to the court system, the one and only place where an average citizen can go toe to toe with those with money and power and still have a shot at justice.

Over the last few years, documentary films and independent film festivals have become a vehicle for alternative ideas to get a public forum. Because almost everyone has heard about the McDonald’s coffee case, and most people believe they know what it’s about (but don’t) this project has a fascination for people.

Director Susan Saladoff spent twenty-five years practicing law in the civil justice system, representing injured victims of individual and corporate negligence. She stopped practicing law in 2009 to make this documentary, her first feature-length film. She began her career as a public interest lawyer with the law firm of Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, now known as Public Justice, an organization that, for the last 25 years, has been at the forefront of keeping Americas courthouse doors open to all. Susan was recognized by her peers as an Oregon Super Lawyer for five consecutive years from 2006 to 2010. She has now received accolades as a film director and support for her film continues. She was most recently seen as a guest on the smartest satire on television, The Colbert Report.

Recently at the Furman Film Series…

On November 10, the Furman Film Series had a treat for subscribers only, a bonus, free screening of the talk of this year’s film community The Artist, from The Weinstein Company. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius, this modern masterpiece takes place in Hollywood between 1927 and 1931 and focuses on a declining male star and a rising actress as silent cinema grows out of fashion and is replaced by the talkies. The Artist is itself a silent film, in black and white with music and English title-cards. Shot in Los Angeles and painstakingly researched, The Artist’s lead, Jean Dujardin won the Best Actor Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival where it premiered. It was also one of the top films at the Toronto Film Festival.

A lively Q&A with an extremely appreciative and engaged audience followed with Time Out New York head film writer Joshua Rothkopf and Mr. McPhillips. Discussion included support for the film and actors’ bids for this year’s Oscar.

On November 17th, The Furman Film Series had a subscribers-only screening of another Academy Award short-lister The Descendants. Directed by Academy Award nominee Alexander Payne (Sideways) and starring fellow nominee George Clooney, this comedy-drama based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings is about a Hawaiian land baron who tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife falls into a coma.

Joshua Rothkopf of Time Out New York returned to engage the audience a second time and discussion included topics from Clooney’s best performance to Payne’s call for a “national cinema.”

December 1 is the last screening of 2011 for the Furman Film Series.

Films begin at 7:30pm. Entry is 7:00pm for subscribers, 7:15 for ticket holders. Each screening has a Q&A with a notable personality after the film.

Tickets to select Gold Coast Furman Film Series are $15 ($20 at the door. $10 for students.) For more information call 516.829.2570 or go to www.greatneckarts.org/Film.htm. The series is held at Clearview Cinemas Great Neck Squire Theater at 115 Middle Neck Road in the heart of Great Neck.

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