What’s Westchester Watching? November Edition

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

Westchester moviegoers can escape the increasing cold of this November by catching new releases from acclaimed directors Kelly Reichardt, Lynne Ramsay, Chloé Zhao and more. This month also marks the 13^th anniversary of the Yonkers Film Festival, which is currently screening 160 films from over 20 countries.

_{*All screenings are current as of the publishing of this article but are subject to change. Check with the individual venue before attending.}

New Releases

Die My Love

Lynne Ramsay returns with her first feature in eight years, Die My Love which stars Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson and Sissy Spacek. Produced by Martin Scorsese, the film is based on the novel of the same name and follows a writer (Lawrence) grappling with postpartum depression and psychosis. Die My Love opens at Jacob Burns Film Center on November 7.

The Mastermind

Director Kelly Reichardt’s (Showing Up; Certain Women) latest film subverts the conventions of heist movies and sees Josh O’Connor as a suburban dad-turned-crime-organizer who coordinates the robbery of a local art museum. The Mastermind continues screening at Jacob Burns Film Center this month. It begins screening at Bedford Playhouse on November 14 and The Picture House in Pelham and Bronxville on November 15.

It Was Just an Accident

Iranian film It Was Just an Accident won the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, and follows a group of political prisoners who struggle to decide whether to exact revenge on a person who they believe to be their former torturer. It Was Just an Accident opens at Jacob Burns Film Center on November 14 and The Picture House and Bedford Playhouse on December 5.

Peter Hujar’s Day: Preview Screening with Director Ira Sachs

Jacob Burns Film Center hosts a preview screening of Peter Hujar’s Day followed by a Q&A with director Ira Sachs (Passages; Love is Strange). The film is based on rediscovered transcripts from a real-life 1974 interview with photographer Peter Hujar, in which he details the events of the previous day. Hujar is known for his images of New York City’s queer and creative circles in the 1970s and ‘80s. The screening begins at 2pm on November 16.

Sentimental Value

Joachim Trier, director of 2021’s Norwegian breakout hit The Worst Person in the World, returns with Sentimental Value, a family drama starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning. The story focuses on the relationship between an acclaimed director and his estranged daughters. Sentimental Value opens at Jacob Burns Film Center on November 21, Bedford Playhouse on January 16 and The Picture House on January 25.

Wicked: For Good

Part Two of the Wicked film duology is based on the second act of the hit Broadway musical that inspired it. Taking place years after the events of Part One, protagonists Elphaba and Glinda, now known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, must come to terms with the political upheaval of Oz and the arrival of a young girl from Kansas. Wicked: For Good opens at Bedford Playhouse and The Picture House on November 20 and Jacob Burns Film Center on November 21.

Hamnet

Chloé Zhao’s latest feature, Hamnet, imagines the events that inspired Shakespeare’s masterpiece Hamlet. Zhao, who became the second woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director, directs Paul Mescal as a young version of the Bard himself and Jessie Buckley as Shakespeare’s wife Agnes. Hamnet opens at Jacob Burns Film Center on November 26 and The Picture House on November 27.

Special Screenings

Book Talk and Documentary About Joan Didion
Jacob Burns Film Center
November 10

Jacob Burns Film Center hosts director Griffin Dunne (Practical Magic) and author Alissa Wilkinson for a screening of Dunne’s new documentary, Joan Didion: The Center Will Hold in which Dunne, who is Didion’s nephew, uses archival footage to chronicle the different chapters of the landmark American writer’s life. A discussion of Wilkinson’s Didion biography, We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine, and Dunne’s memoir, The Friday Afternoon Club, will follow the screening. At 6pm.

The Wizard of Oz
Tarrytown Music Hall
November 11

Tarrytown Music Hall screens one of cinema’s most beloved films, The Wizard of Oz, which tells the story of Dorothy, a young girl from Kansas, and her dog Toto, who are mysteriously transported to the magical land of Oz. There they encounter witches, fantastical creatures and flying monkeys—oh my! At 7pm.

Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Mamaroneck Cinemas: November 16
Jacob Burns Film Center: December 10

Featuring commentary from leading experts and the artist’s own words, Caravaggio centers “hidden clues” within the works of the Italian Baroque painter as influenced by the stories of his life. The documentary film aims to be the most extensive movie made about the artist. Various times.

The Lion in Winter
Bedford Playhouse
November 18

As part of its “Classic Tuesdays” series, Bedford Playhouse will screen The Lion in Winter, an epic taking place in an English castle and starring acting legends Katharine Hepburn, Peter O’Toole and Anthony Hopkins. King Henry II (O’Toole) and Queen Eleanor (Hepburn) pit their sons against each other while the French king takes advantage of the English crown’s infighting. At 7pm.

Twilight: 20^th Anniversary Party for Teens
Greenburgh Public Library
November 29

In honor of its 20^th anniversary, Greenburgh Public Library is screening cult classic vampire flick Twilight, which follows teenager Bella Swan as she falls in love with a vampire named Edward who has the likeness of a teenage boy. The celebration will feature Twilight trivia, themed crafts, snacks and more. Free reservations required.

Film Festivals

YoFi Fest (Yonkers Film Festival)
Through November 16

Every November, filmmakers and moviegoers flood downtown Yonkers for YoFi Fest. Now in its 13th year, the festival screens films in nearly 15 categories, most in short formats, including animated, dramatic, dance, locally sourced shorts and more – as well as narrative and documentary features. The ten-day festival includes workshops, panels and networking opportunities couched between an opening night red carpet reception and closing night party. Though known for its in-person parties, YoFi Fest will also resume its virtual offerings, which were developed during the pandemic and continue in popularity, including virtual “Meet the Filmmaker” nights, networking events and mixers. Read more about the festival here.

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