June is a bustling and busy month at Washington Square Park. On Friday, June 7th and Friday, June 14th, French Films on the Green returns at dusk to Washington Square Park amidst a perfect setting under the Arch.
Presented since 2008 by Cultural Services of the French Embassy with the New York City Parks Department, the theme this year is “‘Women Behind the Camera’ and includes 13 screenings that display the work of female directors.” Films begin around 8:30 p.m. preceded by music from DJ’s from NYU’s radio station, WNYU. June 7th: “Where do we go Now?”, June 14th: “In Safe Hands.” (Film descriptions below.)
Also, on Saturday, June 8th, the annual Hare Krishna Festival (‘Festival of India’) returns to the park with lectures, discussion, areas of reflection, and free vegetarian meals; the festival takes place from 12 noon to 7 p.m.
See my favorite set of photos from the 2014 festival here (I don’t think I could top these) as well as more below.
“Films on the Green” Film descriptions:
Friday, June 7: WHERE DO WE GO NOW? (Et maintenant on va où ?)
Directed by Nadine Labaki, 2011, PG-13, 1h40, France-Lebanon
With Claude Baz Moussawbaa, Layla Hakim, Nadine Labaki, Yvonne Maalouf | Sony Classics
In a remote village in Lebanon, where the church and the mosque stand side by side, the town’s women try to keep their blowhard men from starting a religious war. Women heartsick over sons, husbands, and fathers lost to previous flare-ups unite to distract their men with clever, even comical ruses, from faking a miracle to hiring a troop of Ukrainian strippers.
Friday, June 14: IN SAFE HANDS (Pupille)
Directed by Jeanne Herry, 2018, 1h47, France, Distrib Films US
With Sandrine Kiberlain, Gilles Lellouche, Élodie Bouchez
Abandoned at birth, baby Théo’s uncertain future lies now in the hands of the Child Welfare Services, and officers such as Karine (Kiberlain). She gives Jean (Lellouche) the responsibility of temporarily looking after Théo, while the members of the Adoption Agency have the difficult task of finding him a permanent home. Meanwhile, Alice (Bouchez) has never given up becoming a mother and faces the prospect of this dream finally coming true, although nothing is certain.
You can view the full “Films on the Green” schedule of films at parks across the city here, screenings from now until September 3rd.
Hare Krishna festival EventBrite link here.
Previously at Washington Square Park Blog:
Hare Krishna Festival of India Washington Square Park in Photos (2014)
** More on June events at the park to come. **
Photos: Cathryn