TICKETS $25

Doors 6 p.m.; Event 6:30 p.m.

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THE EXPERIENCE

We are thrilled to welcome Radha Blank for a rare theatrical screening of her film The Forty-Year-Old Version. After the film, Blank will host a conversation questioning: “Is Cinema Dead?”—a conversation about filmmaking, sustainability, racism, and power in the industry. Despite being the second black woman in the history of Sundance to win Best Director in 40 years, Blank still questions what it takes to “make it.” Throughout the conversation, Blank will talk about her experience in the industry, demystifying the budget, behind the scenes, and open it up to an audience Q&A. 

This is a part of our SPECIAL GUEST STARS series—where some of our favorite Tomorrow Theater guests curate special screening series just for our audience! For our Art and Labor series (Julio Torres’ favorite movies about getting lost in the job), Julio Torres has curated Sorry to Bother You, The Match Factory Girl, Being There, and The 40-Year-Old Version. Join us for this special limited series with a video intro by Julio Torres!

ON SCREEN: The Forty-Year-Old Version

2020. Directed by Radha Blank. Runtime: 2hr 9min. Rated R.

Desperate for a breakthrough as she nears the big 4-0, struggling New York City playwright Radha finds inspiration by reinventing herself as a rapper.

The Forty-Year-Old Version is a 2020 American comedy-drama film written, directed, and produced by Radha Blank, in her feature directorial debut. Loosely based on Blank’s own life, the film sees her playing Radha, a playwright and teacher who turns to rapping when she finds herself nearing her 40th birthday.

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020, where Blank won the U.S Dramatic Competition Directing Award.

ON STAGE: Radha Blank

Radha Blank is an American actress, filmmaker, playwright, rapper, and comedian. Born and raised in New York City, Blank is known for writing, directing, producing, and starring in The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020), for which she won the U.S. Dramatic Competition Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival. This made Blank, after Ava DuVernay, only the second Black Woman Director in Sundance’s 40 year history to win the award.

GUEST CURATOR: Julio Torres

Julio Torres is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer, and filmmaker. He was an Emmy-nominated and WGA-winning writer for Saturday Night Live, and his work on SNL has received much acclaim from The New York Times, Vulture, Vanity Fair, and more. Julio has guest starred on HBO’s High Maintenance, Search Party (Max), Shrill (Hulu), and the film Together Together with Ed Helms and Patti Harrison. He has also performed stand-up on Late Night With Seth Meyers as well as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 2017, Julio headlined his first solo hour at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, My Favorite Shapes: By Julio Torres, to rave reviews. My Favorite Shapes became an hour-long HBO comedy special in 2019 produced by Lorne Michaels and A24. Julio starred in the HBO series Los Espookys, which he co-created with Fred Armisen and Ana Fabrega. Los Espookys subsequently garnered a Peabody Award for 2023 Entertainment and a GLAAD award for Outstanding Spanish-Language Scripted Television Series in 2023 and was named one of New York Times “Best Shows of 2022.” Julio’s next television show, Fantasmas premiered in June 2024 on HBO to critical acclaim. On the feature side, his directorial debut Problemista, which he wrote and stars in alongside Tilda Swinton, premiered earlier this year with A24 and Emma Stone’s Fruit Tree Films producing. Julio’s first book, I Want To Be A Vase was also recently released through Simon & Schuster’s Atrium Books. TIME Magazine recently named Julio a 2023 TIME100 Next Artist.