What’s Westchester Watching? July Edition

“What’s Westchester Watching?” is ArtsNews’s guide to notable releases and special screenings for Westchester moviegoers.

July’s movie offerings include a new release from indie director Ari Aster, a marathon of Richard Linklater’s beloved The Before Trilogy, a Q&A with the director of the new film Granite Rapids Moon and more.

New Releases

On Swift Horses
In the 1950s, the domestic stability that Muriel (Daisy Edgar Jones) finds with her husband Lee (Will Poulter) after he returns home from Korean War is disrupted by the arrival of Lee’s convention-defying brother (Jacob Elordi). Muriel begins a journey of self-discovery and finds newfound autonomy. On Swift Horses opens at The Picture House’s Pelham location on July 11.

Sorry, Baby
Filmmaker Eva Victor’s directorial debut (which Victor also wrote and stars in) follows Agnes, a young, newly appointed professor at her old grad school. When an former schoolmate comes to visit, Agnes comes to terms with a traumatic incident from her recent past. The film balances serious topics with humorous tonal shifts and is a testament to healing and the power of friendship. Sorry, Baby opens at Jacob Burns Film Center on July 18 and Bedford Playhouse on August 15.

Eddington
Acclaimed indie director Ari Aster returns with Eddington, a modern take on the Western genre. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone and Pedro Pascal, the satirical film tells the story of a warring small-town sheriff and mayor amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Eddington opens at Jacob Burns Film Center on July 18 and Bedford Playhouse on August 22.

Special Screenings

Summertime (1955)
Jacob Burns Film Center
July 15 & 19
Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) hosts screenings of Summertime presented on 35mm film. The drama follows an American spinster, played by iconic actress Katherine Hepburn, who falls for a married Italian man while on vacation in Venice. JBFC remarks: “Hepburn’s sensitive portrayal of the lonely heroine and Jack Hildyard’s glorious Technicolor photography make Summertime an endearing and visually enchanting film.” July 15 at 7pm; July 19 at 4:30pm

Granite Rapids Moon: Screening and Director Q&A
The Picture House Bronxville
July 20
The Picture House’s Bronxville location will screen the new film Granite Rapids Moon, followed by a post-screening Q&A with writer and director Kenneth Cran. The family-friendly drama told through two timelines follows a happily married father of two who leaves his family for a weeklong trek in the Grand Canyon. The film was shot over two 41-mile hikes with only the equipment the cast and crew of eight could carry. At 7:30pm.

Outdoor Screening of Inside Out 2
Kensico Dam Plaza
July 26
Presented by Westchester County Parks and Sharc Creative, Inside Out 2 will show as part of its family-friendly Screenings Under the Stars series of outdoor movies this summer. In the animated film, protagonist Riley—now a teenager—begins to experience new, complex emotions. The personified emotions in her brain’s control room adapt to these changes. Pre-movie entertainment begins at 5pm; movie begins at sundown. Click here to read about more outdoor film screenings in Westchester this summer.

Lost in America
Bedford Playhouse
July 29
Bedford Playhouse will screen Lost in America as part of its Classic Tuesdays series. Albert Brooks’ 1985 comedy follows David Howard (played by Brooks) who is disillusioned after being snubbed by the advertising company he works for. He convinces his wife to quit their jobs and hit the road to traverse the USA. The film will be introduced by Bedford Playhouse’s Artistic Director Dan Friedman. At 7pm.

Before Trilogy Marathon
Jacob Burns Film Center
July 30 & August 2
A screening marathon of Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy, presented on 35mm, will show at Jacob Burns Film Center. The dialogue-driven films follow Jesse and Céline, two strangers who meet on a train in the trilogy’s first installment Before Sunrise. Each film, made nine years apart from one another and filmed on location in different European cities, depicts a different chapter in the protagonists’ lives. Showtimes on July 30 and August 2: Before Sunrise at 2:30pm; Before Sunset at 5pm; Before Midnight at 7pm. Individual screenings of Sunrise and Sunset will also take place on July 28 and 29 at 7pm respectively.

Upcoming Film Festivals

Mount Vernon Film Festival
August 9 & 10
Mount Vernon Film Festival features short works by local filmmakers, with a focus on those from Mount Vernon. Screened films were announced last week. All are under 40 minutes the lineup covers a broad range of genres, including animation, documentary, drama, horror and more. The weekend festival presents film screenings, workshops, panels and an awards ceremony, all at the Mount Vernon Public Library.

Katonah Classic Stage Film Festival
August 9
Katonah Classic Stage Film Festival, presented by Katonah Classic Stage, began with outdoor screenings during the pandemic to bring audiences together and cinema alive. Now in its sixth year, the festival presents films both outdoors and indoors at the Bedford Playhouse. The festival features short films from all around the world, each 25 minutes or less, in categories that include Narrative Drama, Narrative Comedy, Documentary, Animation, Made in Westchester County, NY, and Student (Under 18). Click here to learn more about 2025 film festivals in Westchester.

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• 2025 Film Festivals in Westchester
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• 10 Free & Affordable Outdoor Concert Series in Westchester This Summer

For more arts news and updates, visit artsw.org/artsnews.

^{Photos (top to bottom): Before Sunrise (Sony Pictures) illustration by Julia Herceg; Sorry, Baby (photo courtesy of A24); Grand Rapids Moon (photo source: IMDB.com); Inside Out 2 (photo courtesy of Disney)}