This Tuesday, the Film Society of Lincoln Center is proud to have Academy Award winning filmmaker Errol Morris on hand for a Q&A following a screening of his debut documentary, Gates of Heaven. The film, which Roger Ebert calls one of the 10 best movies of all time, had its world premiere at the 16th New York Film Festival in 1978.
On the surface, the documentary follows the struggles of two pet cemetaries and the lengths that pet owners go for their closest friends. Of course, this film offers so much more than just that, though. In ways only Morris can pull off, the film is a unique exploration of the quirks of American culture, as well as life and what lies beyond. The film helped launch Morris's career, which includes an Oscar win for his 2003 documentary The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara. His 1988 film The Thin Blue Line was so well-received that it caused a bit of controversy when it wasn't nominated for the Academy Award. His signature style of unnarrated, interview-only documentaries have helped him become one of the most respected filmmakers working today. If you haven't seen his films—and trust us when we say you owe it to yourself to do so—you've surely seen at least one of his commercials, including work with Apple, Nike, Adidas, and many more. His debut film never received wide distribution, so don't miss your chance to see Morris's first picture on the big screen at one of the places where his career began.
Our series “50 Years of the New York Film Festival” continues Saturday, February 18 with a screening of Carroll Ballard's adaptation of the classic children's book The Black Stallion, which screened at NYFF '79. This family matinee features a special $6 ticket price for kids!
Below is a full list of all the films that played alongside Gates of Heaven at the NYFF in 1978:
A Wedding
Robert Altman, USA, 1978.
Spies (Spione)
Fritz Lang, Germany, 1928.
Skip Tracer
Zale R. Dalen, Canada, 1977.
Shown with Bruce & His Things, Mike Haller, USA.
The Green Room (La chambre verte)
François Truffaut, France, 1968.
Shown with Going Out Of Business, Christopher Gamboni, USA.
Camouflage (Barwy ochronne)
Krzysztof Zanussi, Poland, 1977.
Shown with Discipline Of De, Gus Vant Sant, USA.
Bloodbrothers
Robert Mulligan, USA,1978.
They Are Their Own Gifts
Lucille Rhodes and Margaret Murphy, USA, 1978.
CIA: Case Officer
Saul Landau, USA,1978.
Babies And Banners: Story Of The Women’s Emergency Brigade
Lorraine Gray, USA, 1978.
Newsfront
Phillip Noyce, Australia, 1978.
The Apple Game (Hra o jablko)
Vĕra Chytilová, Czechoslavakia, 1976.
Shown with Eggs, Ruth C. Hayes, USA.
Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (Preparez vos mouchoirs)
Bertrand Blier, France/ Belgium, 1978.
The Left-Handed Woman (Die linkshändige frau)
Peter Handke, West Germany, 1978.
Dossier 51
Michel Deville, France/West Germany, 1978.
Shown with Duane Michals (1939-1997), Ed Howard, Theodore Haimes, USA.
Despair
Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany/France, 1978.
Like A Turtle On Its Back (La tortue sur de los)
Luc BĂ©raud and Hubert Niogret, France/USA.
Gate Of Heaven
Errol Morris, USA, 1978.
Shown with Manimals, Robin Lehman, USA.
Also, The Dogs, Aviva Slesin, USA.
Elective Affinities (Le affinitĂ elettive)
Gianni Amico, Italy, 1978.
The Shout
Jerzy Skolimowski, Great Britain, 1978.
Shown with Valse Triste, Bruce Conner, USA.
Also Sea Travels, Anita Thacher, USA.
Perceval (Perceval le gallois)
Eric Rohmer, France, 1978.
American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince
Martin Scorsese, USA.
Shown with Movies Are My Life: A Profile of Martin Scorsese, Peter Hayden, Great Britain.
The Miracle Of The Wolves (Le miracle des loups)
Raymond Bernard, France, 1924.
Violette (Violette nozière)
Claude Chabrol, France/Canada, 1978.
