The Last Picture Shows
“Spare and beguiling…the movie’s lyrical and elegiac tone makes it truly resonant.”
New York Times Critic’s Pick
“At once a cautionary tale and a love letter to an era before it becomes bygone. ”
3.5 out of 4 stars/Roger Ebert.com
“A disarming and heartfelt ode to small-town, Main Street movie theaters…personal filmmaking at its best.”
Leonard Maltin
A film by Rustin Thompson
Executive Producer, Rachel Price, Foghorn Features
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Click on Poster for Trailer
“There’s a poignant sadness in the film…but hope beams throughout,
like the light from a projector.”
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times
Publicity, FALCO INK, Contact: Danielle Villanella/DanielleVillanella@falcoink.com
Booking Agent: Jessica Prosner/jessicaprosner@gmail.com
Sales Agent: Gary Rubin/gary@garyrubinfilmsales.com
Writer-Director: Rustin Thompson/Film Inquiries: rustindt58@gmail.com
Ten states. 10,825 miles. 123 theaters.
An elegy for small-town cinemas.
Filmmaker Rustin Thompson journeys into the American West on a search for traces of what was once a center of small-town life: the movie theater. On the trip, he finds long abandoned and forgotten cinemas; movie houses that have fallen into disrepair; theaters recently closed, theaters struggling to hold on, and theaters that—thanks to their thoughtful caretakers—are not only surviving but thriving. Between the stops along the way, Rustin poetically intersperses excerpts from Peter Bogdanovich’s 1971 classic film The Last Picture Show, as well as reflections on past and present hardships facing the film exhibition industry. The Last Picture Shows is not only a timely portrait of an industry in crisis, one facing the headwinds of consolidation, streaming, and the diminishing theatrical experience, but it also reminds viewers that even in vast cinema deserts, there are oases of community and gathering that remain, where the movie house continues to be a place of wonder, contemplation, and connection.
Upcoming Play Dates
Cincinnati, OH, Esquire, Aug. 27-Sept. 3, Buy tickets
Los Angeles, Laemmle Glendale, August 29-30, Buy Tickets
Hudson, NY, Time and Space Limited, August 29 & 30, Buy tickets
Birmingham, Alabama, Sidewalk Film Festival, August 30. Buy tickets.
Edmonds, WA, The Edmonds, Aug. 28-August 30 and Sept.1 Buy Tickets
North Bend, WA, North Bend Theater, Sept.1 Buy tickets
St. Helena, CA, the Cameo, Sept.1-3 Buy tickets
Seattle, Tasveer Film Center, Sept.2 (Second Encore Screening) Buy Tickets
Moscow, ID, Kenworthy Performing Arts Center, Sept. 3 Buy tickets
Lexington, MA, Lexington Cinema, Sept.3 and Sept. 19 Buy tickets
New Orleans, Zeitgeist Theatre and Lounge, Sept. 4-10 Buy tickets
Cincinnati, Mariemont, Sept. 5 Buy tickets
Chelan, WA, The Ruby, Sept. 6, 9, 10. Buy tickets
Hudson, Quebec, Hudson Village Theater, Sept. 7
Dayton, WA., The Liberty, Sept. 10 Buy tickets
Baker City, OR., The Eltrym, Sept. 11-17 Buy tickets
London, Screen on the Green, Islington, Sept. 10 Buy tickets
Maitland, FLA, The Enzian, Sept.13 Members Only Screening
Billings, MT, Art House Cinema & Pub, Sept.13
Missoula, MT, Roxy Cinema, Sept.14, Buy tickets
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City Film Society, Sept. 16
Montgomery, ALA, The Capri, Sept. 18-21
Susanville, CA, Sierra Theatre, Sept-18-24, Coming soon
Santa Fe, NM, Center For Contemporary Art, Sept. 18-24
San Francisco, Balboa, Sept. 20-21
Staunton, VA, Visulite, Sept. 21
Sebastopol, CA, Rialto, Sept. 22
Berkeley, CA. Rialto Elmwood, Sept.23
San Rafael, CA, Smith Rafael Film Center, Sept.24
Crete, NE, Isis Theatre, Sept. 24 & 26
Modesto, CA, The State Theatre, Sept.25
Gig Harbor , WA, Gig Harbor Film Festival, Sept 25 & 26 Buy tickets
Vancouver, Canada, TBA Sept. 27
Ann Arbor, The Michigan Theater, Oct.4th
Chicago, Music Box, Oct. 10
Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee Film, Oct.11
Minneapolis, the Heights, Oct. 12
Tallahassee, FLA, Tallahassee Film Society, Oct. 10 & 18
La Grande, OR, Eastern Oregon Film Festival, Oct. 14-17
Santa Cruz Film Festival, Oct. 14-17
Friday Harbor Film Festival Oct.23-25
Palm Springs, Desert Film Society, Oct. 24
Ipswich, Suffolk, England, Nov. 1
El Cerrito, CA, Rialto Cinemas, Nov. 9
Concord, NH Nov. 20
Bedford, NY Dec. 1 Buy Tickets
More to come!!
Past Play Dates
Carsey-Wolf Center, UC Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara International Film Festival (World Premiere)
Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (Nominee for Best Documentary)
Oxford Film Festival (Honorable Mention)
Ashland Film Festival (Benefit Screening)
Spokane International Film Festival (Closing Night film)
Credo Film Festival, Los Angeles (Finalist)
Thin Line Film Festival. Denton, Texas (Best Film and Artistic Vision Nominee)
Ethnografilm Festival, Paris.
Desertscape Film Festival. St. George, Utah (Best Film Nominee)
Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival (CA)
Arizona International Film Festival, Tucson (Special Jury Award for Cultural & Historical Filmmaking)
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival (Best Documentary Honorable Mention)
Benefit Screening for the River Oaks Theater. Houston, TX.
Gallup International Film Festival
deadCenter Film Festival, Oklahoma City
Winthrop, WA, The Barnyard Cinema, Benefit screening
Kingston, WA, Firehouse Theater
Tacoma, Grand Cinemas
Seattle, Tasveer Cinema
Bellingham, WA, The Pickford
Camas, WA, Liberty Theater,
Portland, OR, Hollywood Theater
Corvallis, OR, Darkside Cinema,
Seattle, Tasveer Film Center
Bainbridge Island, WA, Lynwood Theater
Bremerton, WA, Westsound Film Festival (Best Feature Documentary)
New York, Village East Cinema
Huntington, Long Island, Cinema Arts
Bronxville, NY, Picturehouse
Chatham, NY, Crandell Theater
New York City, New Plaza Cinema
Three Oaks, MI, Vickers Theater,
Somerville, MA, Somerville Theater
Worcester, MA, Cinema Worcester
Springfield, MO, Moxie Cinema
Santa Ana, CA, The Frida
Los Angeles, Laemmle Royal Theater
Tulsa, Circle Cinema