“A relaxing, uncrowded and smartly-curated night under the stars, with movies that nicely complement the great city views.”—Mekado Murphy, staff movies editor for The New York Times

The Trust for Governors Island and Film at Lincoln Center announced today its lineup of free outdoor movie screenings for the 2019 season. For its second year, Film at Lincoln Center will curate three outdoor screenings throughout the season, inspired by the city we all call home. This year’s outdoor film series will take place on the Island’s historic Parade Ground, an eight-acre lawn with expansive open views of Lower Manhattan. The series will be produced by Rooftop Films.

The films featured in this year’s edition of “Escape in New York” celebrate all the ways in which our city, like cinema itself, provides visitors, new arrivals, and lifelong residents alike with infinite avenues of escape: from the humdrum routines of a straitlaced existence, from the frustrations and indignities of childhood, and from the pain of one’s own past. This season’s series will kick off on June 14 with Richard Linklater’s wildly entertaining School of Rock. Other films to be showcased include Martin Scorsese’s dark comedy classic After Hours and Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, each paired with an independent short film by a local filmmaker selected by Film at Lincoln Center’s programming team.

“In 2018, our inaugural film series presented in partnership with Film at Lincoln Center was a huge success, giving new audiences the opportunity to spend evenings on Governors Island, experiencing in iconic NYC films with the iconic skyline of Lower Manhattan as a backdrop,” said Meredith Johnson, VP of Arts and Culture at the Trust for Governors Island. “We are thrilled to dive into year two of this landmark series, solidifying the Island and the center of New York Harbor as the best place in the city to watch a movie under the stars.”

“As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations in 2019, we are offering a variety of exciting summertime Film at Lincoln Center events, and we’re delighted that our continuing series of outdoor screenings at Governors Island can be part of these celebrations,” said Lesli Klainberg, Executive Director of Film at Lincoln Center. “These free events recall the origins of our organization, when we produced Films in the Parks, outdoor screenings around the city in the 1970s. We’re thrilled to again work with the Governors Island team, and we expect to build upon the excitement we created last year with this new slate of films.”

Screenings will be free and open to the public with pre-show entertainment kicking off at 6pm and the films beginning at dusk. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at each screening, including a beer garden by Threes Brewing, food by Perros y Vainas, People’s Pops, Melt Bakery and more.

During outdoor screenings, evening ferry service will run from Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, located at 10 South Street, departing Lower Manhattan at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30pm. Ferries will return to Lower Manhattan from Soissons Landing at 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00pm.

Full Schedule

June 14: School of Rock (dir. Richard Linklater)*, preceded by Mr. Yellow Sweatshirt (dir. Pacho Velez & Yoni Brook)

July 12: After Hours (Martin Scorsese, 1985, 98m), preceded by Ada (Eleanore Pienta, 2018, 11m)

August 9: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004, 108m), preceded by To the Unknown (Michael Almereyda, 2018, 6m)

*Please note the June 14 screening has been changed from the previously scheduled Men In Black

Governors Island is open every day from May 1 through October 31. On weekdays, the Island is open from 10am to 6pm. On weekends and holidays, the Island is open from 10am to 7pm. On Friday and Saturday evenings between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, the Island will be open until 10pm.

For more information on the lineup, visit govisland.org and filmlinc.org.