“Midnight Traveler” and “Lucy in the Sky” are opening at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center Oct. 25.
“Midnight Traveler” puts a harrowing personal face on the modern refugee crisis, driving home the heartbreakingly relatable odysseys of the displaced.
When the Taliban puts a bounty on Afghan director Hassan Fazili’s head, he is forced to flee the country with his wife and two young daughters. Capturing the family’s uncertain journey firsthand, Fazili documents their harrowing trek across numerous borders revealing the danger and uncertainty facing refugees seeking asylum juxtaposed with the unbreakable love shared amongst the family on the run.
Natalie Portman and director Noah Hawley try to humanize the high-profile case of disgraced astronaut Lisa Nowak, in “Lucy in the Sky,” revealing the enormous pressures on women in a male-dominated field.
Portman plays Lucy Cola, a strong woman whose determination and drive as an astronaut take her to space, where she’s deeply moved by the transcendent experience of seeing her life from afar. Back home, as Lucy’s world suddenly feels too small, her connection with reality slowly unravels.
“Lucy in the Sky” is rated R for language and some sexual content.
“Midnight Traveler” and “Lucy in the Sky” will run through Oct. 31. Show times are available on the Ross website or by calling the MRRMAC film information line at 402-472-5353.
Both programs are being presented with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.
