The movie, The Magnitude of All Things, will be screened outdoors at Red Lily Vineyards in The Applegate on Tuesday, July 12th at 7:00 pm. Before we get into the movie and its compelling title, a word about Red Lily as a venue:
Viewing a movie at Red Lily is a stand-out experience. They screen their films outdoors on a lush green lawn with a beautiful barn and mountains as the backdrop. While you may not find Twizzlers or Junior Mints, be consoled: Red Lily has food and wine available for purchase! These events are a great spin on the tradition of going-out-to-the-movies (especially in the Covid-era!) and are truly rural nightlife at its finest.
Back to the movie: The Magnitude of All Things fulfills the promise of its grand, poetic title and won too many awards to list here. The film bills itself as “a cinematic exploration of the emotional and psychological dimensions of climate change”– which may sound pretty downbeat—but the movie skillfully weaves in themes of beauty and uncertainty, as well. The filmmaker, Jennifer Abbott, avoids too much abstraction by tethering the narrative of climate change to an intimate and specific story: her sister’s cancer. As her sister faces her own impending death, the filmmaker finds the two tragedies “have everything in common.”
Community member, Lily Myers Kaplan, initiated the screening. She feels like it had a lot of offer people who live in The Applegate. Here, climate change does not feel like an abstract idea; Drought, smoke and wildfire have become sadly commonplace. “I knew I had to show it here. Everyone knows about what’s happening to the land here. It’s impossible to ignore.”
Although the movie has some powerful scenes, it is not didactic. “The movie drives home the point of climate change without focusing on what is causing it, or pointing fingers and blaming,” Kaplan says.
Kaplan emphasized that the film did not leave her feeling heavy, but rather opened up a gentle way to process some of her own grief. “It left me feeling that it’s enough that I love what I love and do whatever small things I can do to care for the earth.”
After the screening, the audience will break into small groups for sharing. “We will not leave isolated,” Kaplan says. “Instead, we will feet witnessed—and that is a big part of the healing process.”
This event is free. It is offered by the Spirit of Resh Foundation and co-sponsored by A Greater Applegate, Friends of the Applegate Library, The Applegater, and Crossroads Death-Care. For more information, call 510-390-1098, or email [email protected]
Don’t forget to bring a blanket and/or chair!
