First film of 2026 is a 1940s-set Broadway ballad
River Valley Film Circuit is set to kick off a new season of acclaimed movies with a showing of the Richard Linklater film Blue Moon at Atlantic Cinemas on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 4 p.m.
Blue Moon stars Ethan Hawke as American lyricist and Broadway legend Lorenz Hart as he watches former creative partner Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) celebrate the debut of his musical hit Oklahoma! Also starring are Bob Canavale and Margaret Qualley. Blue Moon has a 90 per cent average rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and scored Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy (Hawke).
The movie has been singled out as one of the best of 2025 by CBC, Time, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal, among other media outlets. Hawke has been awarded best-actor prizes by film critics in Toronto, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.
“Despite the wistful tone, it’s a bitingly funny viewing experience,” said David Sims of The Atlantic. “Shrunken to Hart’s height and given his balding pate, Hawke is transfixing in the role.”
The season will continue with Oscar contender Sentimental Value on Sunday, Feb. 15, and first-time filmmaker Scarlett Johansson’s Eleanor the Great on Sunday, March 15. Both screenings will be held at Atlantic Cinemas at 4 p.m.
The film circuit will close the season at Second Wind Music Centre in Florenceville-Bristol with a screening of the Canadian film Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband) on Sunday, April 19, at 4 p.m. The film, from Inuk filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk (Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner), screened at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was named best Canadian film of the year.
Regular admission is $12 at the door or by e-transfer to rvfilmcircuit@gmail.com. Season passes are available for $40. For more information on River Valley Film Circuit and future screenings, check out our Facebook page. River Valley Film Circuit is part of the TIFF Film Circuit, which focuses on bringing Canadian, documentary and international films to communities across the country.
