The Encampments is a groundbreaking documentary that chronicles the Columbia University Gaza Solidarity Encampment and the international wave of student activism it ignited. Executive Produced by Grammy Award-winning artist Macklemore, the film is directed by Kei Pritsker, a journalist and producer at Break Through News, and award-winning filmmaker Michael T. Workman (Meantime).

Through exclusive footage and intimate interviews, The Encampments provides an unprecedented look atone of the most significant student movements in modern history. The film captures the passion, resilience, and challenges faced by students who risked everything to demand justice. The film delves into how universities responded with mass arrests and force rather than engagement and dialogue, and it sheds light on the institutions’ efforts to suppress student activism. In doing so, it offers a deeper understanding of both the power and the costs of grassroots movements.

Don’t miss Scarecrow as part of our ongoing Gene Hackman tribute! This lesser-known gem, directed by Jerry Schatzberg, is a raw, emotional road drama that explores the unlikely friendship between two drifters searching for meaning in their lives.

In Scarecrow, Gene Hackman stars as Max, a tough but tender ex-convict, who teams up with Francis (Al Pacino), a free-spirited, idealistic man just out of prison. Together, they embark on a cross-country journey in hopes of rebuilding their lives, but their partnership is complicated by their personal demons and the harsh realities they face along the way. The film delves deep into themes of loneliness, redemption, and the search for identity, offering a powerful portrayal of two men caught between their pasts and their hopes for a better future.

Hackman and Pacino’s performances are nothing short of stunning, each bringing vulnerability and authenticity to their roles. Hackman’s portrayal of Max is a brilliant mixture of toughness and sensitivity, a role that is often overshadowed by his more famous performances but remains one of his finest.

Up next in our Andrei Tarkovsky Retrospective is Stalker, the director’s gripping philosophical journey into the unknown.

Set in a desolate, mysterious landscape known only as “The Zone,” Stalker follows three men—a writer, a scientist, and the titular guide—who venture into this dangerous, otherworldly place in search of a room that supposedly grants the deepest desires of its visitors.

With its existential questions and eerie atmosphere, Stalker is a masterpiece of science fiction and philosophical cinema, offering a powerful meditation on the human condition and our unyielding search for meaning.