Thursday, December 13th, 2018

Wanda (1970) Directed by Barbara Loden

Doors 7:00 PM / Start 7:30 PM @ The Mini - 1329 Main St.

A man stands before a judge listing his ex-wife’s many supposed deficiencies: “She was a lousy wife. Always bumming around, drinking. Never took care of the kids…” The wife in question is Wanda, title character of Barbara Loden’s little-seen semi-autobiographical film, and the setting is a divorce court in Pennsylvania coal country. Rather than disputing the accusations, Wanda willingly hands over custody of her children before hitting the road. The journey that follows—rendered in closely observed, albeit emotionally oblique, episodes—finds Wanda adrift on the margins of working class America, a male-dominated space of latent despair and sudden, shattering brutality. The film, Loden’s first and last feature, presaged the politically charged dramas of 70s New Hollywood and has become a touchstone for present-day auteurs like the Dardenne brothers and Kelly Reichardt.(103 min)

Free with $5 suggested donation