U.K., 2022, 89 min, DCP, Dir. Joshua Newton, Not Rated, Moviefarm
Beautiful Blue Eyes
Sunday, April 16
“Scheider, in what would be his final film performance, carries the weight of the world on his shoulders as Joseph.” –Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies
“It's a powerful, captivating and haunting swan song for the legendary Roy Scheider.” –Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
Join us on Sunday, April 16 at 3:00 pm for a special screening and Q&A with the film's writer/director/producer Joshua Newton and actor Alexander Newton. Presented in recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha Shoah).
The story takes place in Germany with flashbacks to Nazi-occupied Poland. It follows the journey of Joseph, a retired NYPD cop, who visits his son Ronnie in Nuremberg and believes that his neighbor is the SS Commander responsible for the massacre of his entire family in a Polish forest during 1941. Throughout the movie, we are taken on a journey with young Joseph, who falls in love with a woman and joins Resistance fighters to escape the Nazis in the Polish forests. The movie explores themes of justice versus vengeance as older Joseph enlists his son's help to kidnap Schrager, and a twist-laden climax makes for a gripping and unforgettable ending.
The movie stars Roy Scheider (The French Connection, All That Jazz, Jaws), a two-time Academy Award nominee who tragically passed away during filming in 2008. The completion of the film was delayed until AI and CG technology advanced enough to overcome technical challenges faced by the filmmakers.
Writer-director Joshua Newton's film presents a compelling and poignant story about the Holocaust, revenge, race and forgiveness. It leaves us asking questions and seeking ways to get along with people of all different backgrounds. Come together at the Coral Gables Art Cinema on the evening before Yom Ha Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, to see this powerful film and engage in a Q&A with the filmmaker, himself the son of Holocaust survivors, as we work to bring our diverse Miami community closer, even while we see Anti-Semitism on the rise and divisions everywhere. This program is a collaboration with different organizations, including Temple Judea, the Anti Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, Jewish Community Services of South Florida, MCCJ, and 3G, who all work towards a more inclusive community.
About the speakers
Joshua Newton is an award-winning British filmmaker and second-generation Holocaust survivor. Both of his parents survived the Holocaust, and his German-born father's revelation of the persecution he and his family endured in Nazi Germany inspired Joshua to create Beautiful Blue Eyes, a film he wrote, directed, and produced that explores the dark days of the Holocaust.
Committed to Holocaust awareness, Joshua is currently working on his next film on the subject, a political thriller that will examine the complex factors and societal shifts that led to the rise of antisemitism in Germany and the mass persecution of Jews. The film will explore how the country that was once known for its cultural and scientific achievements descended into a state of intolerance and bigotry, with catastrophic consequences for millions of innocent people.
Prior to his filmmaking career, Joshua studied law in the UK. Over the years, he has won several awards for his work and is developing a slate of high-end feature films.
Alexander Newton is a London-born tech entrepreneur and artist, and the grandson of Holocaust survivors. He is the son of Joshua Newton, writer-director and producer of Beautiful Blue Eyes, and a third-generation Holocaust survivor.
Alexander's passion for the arts began at school, where he won awards in drama and art. He received screen legend Roy Scheider's blessing to play the younger version of Scheider's character in Beautiful Blue Eyes. Playing a character inspired by his grandfather, who survived the Holocaust, had a profound emotional impact on Alexander, which is reflected in his portrayal of the role. Alexander also wrote and performed the song over the film's end credits.
Despite his artistic talents, Alexander's primary focus in his current ventures is his tech entrepreneurship. He has invented MOVIEKEY, a revolutionary film distribution system that offers true ownership of digital movies using blockchain technology, with Beautiful Blue Eyes as its first release.
TICKETS:
- $5
- $18 with $13 out of every $18 ticket supporting the JCS Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program, which is funded by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and provides comprehensive Care Coordination services to Jewish Nazi victims in Miami-Dade County.
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