July 6th 7:30pm & July 7th 3:15pm

America

2h 7min | NR

Eli (Michael Moshonov) is a former champion swimmer from Israel now giving swimming lessons in Chicago. When he learns his estranged father has died, he dutifully returns to Tel Aviv to sort out his father’s affairs. There he reconnects with his childhood friend and former swimming partner Yotam (Ofri Biterman) who lives with his Ethiopian fiancée Iris (Oshrat Ingadashet). There is a palpable attraction between the two men, an attraction they are loathe to discuss in this lyrical and understated love triangle. Ingedashet’s performance won her the Best Actress award at the 2022 Jerusalem Film Festival.

July 7th 12:15pm

La Strada (1954)

1h 15m | NR

The new 4K restoration of Federico Fellini’s mesmerizing 1954 Italian film La Strada, arrives at New Plaza Cinema on July 7th. This cinematic masterpiece beautifully depicts the poignant tale of Gelsomina, portrayed by the talented Giulietta Masina. Gelsomina, a young and naïve woman, is tragically sold by her impoverished mother to the brutish circus strongman Zampanò, brought to life by the remarkable Anthony Quinn. As they traverse the enchanting Italian countryside, Gelsomina endures her husband’s coldness and abuse with unwavering loyalty. However, their relationship takes a tumultuous turn when Gelsomina discovers a kindred spirit in Il Matto, the carefree circus fool.

Special Fundrasing event July 13th 5pm

New Plaza Cinema Presents: The 40th Anniversary of Risky Business

Join us at New Plaza Cinema for a special fundraising movie event commemorating the 40th anniversary of Risky Business, the summer-time film that graced the big screen. We can hardly believe it has been 40 years since this fun summer film!

Ticket Price: $30

Of every ticket sold, $20 is a direct donation to New Plaza Cinema. These funds will be used to continue bringing community programming to the New Plaza Cinema Screening Room @Macaulay Honors College.

Special Guests: Raphael Sbarge, Curtis Armstrong, and Richard Masur

These actors, who were part of Risky Business at the start of their careers, will engage in a post-film Q&A. They’ll discuss the making of the film, their experiences working with the cast and crew, and the impact this film had on their careers.

Following the Q&A, join us for a Dessert and Beverage reception where you will have the opportunity to mingle with the guests and patrons.

About Our Guests:

Raphael Sbarge: A working actor for more than five decades, Sbarge launched his career at age 4 1/2 on Sesame Street. He has appeared on Broadway five times and in numerous television series and films, including Risky Business, My Science Project & Independence Day. He has also directed, earning multiple Emmy nominations, and his recent feature film, ONLY IN THEATERS played in over 100 theaters nationwide.

Curtis Armstrong: Best known for his roles as Booger in the Revenge of the Nerds films, Herbert Viola on Moonlighting, and Miles Dalby in Risky Business. Armstrong also lent his voice to characters in the animated TV series American Dad! and the animated film Planes: Fire & Rescue. He co-hosted the TBS reality TV competition series King of the Nerds from 2013-2015.

Richard Masur: A familiar face for over three decades, Masur has been an Emmy- and Oscar-nominated character actor, featuring in “Rhoda,” “One Day at a Time,” “The Burning Bed,” and of course, “Risky Business.” He served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild and remains a faithful contributor to his craft.

July 21st 12:15pm

Nights of Cabiria (1957)

1h 17min | NR

Giulietta Masina is remarkable as a chronically unfortunate wretch with an indomitable spirit in Federico Fellini’s unrelentingly bleak — yet ultimately uplifting — odyssey through heartbreak.

The magnificent Giulietta Masina (Fellini’s wife) plays an eternally optimistic Rome streetwalker with a heart of gold and a head of cotton candy in her husband’s Oscar-winning masterpiece. This funny, poignant classic inspired the musical “Sweet Charity” and is a must-see for Fellini fans.

Friday July 26th 7:00 PM

NYC Short Film Showcase

Every other month, our guest curator, Michael Jacobsohn, curates 10 short films created by NYC filmmakers. Our focus is to give NYC filmmakers a platform to share their art with the community. The screening is followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.

As a trusted community of film lovers, New Plaza Cinema is committed to supporting filmmakers in the art of filmmaking to help keep Art Cinema Culture alive in Upper Manhattan.

Michael is an Independent filmmaker focused on artist’s creativity. As a teenager, he made several award winning short, 16mm, films at the Henry Street Settlement’s Movie Club. Several of them are part of the permanent collection of the Lincoln Center Performance Arts Library.

For 30 years, he worked as an editor and instructor at ABC News and Sports. For his editorial work, I received a duPont-Columbia award, a George Polk award, and an Emmy. Since leaving ABC News, he has completed three full length documentaries and several shorts that are focused on the creativity of artists along with curating this series for New Plaza Cinema.

July’s featured artists:

• John Maslowski: “Buffy and the Baloon”: A dog meets a special balloon.
• Jennifer Cox: “Barbara Rachko/ True Grit”: An uplifting story of an accomplished artist who overcame gender barriers and a deep tragic loss, to forge a path that is uniquely her own.
• Lowell Handler: “The Promised Land”: Different opinions about immigration in the USA.
• Yasmin Mistry: “America Heard: Refuge of Hope”: Syracuse, New York is an unlikely home to over 10,000 former refugees now living in the U.S.. Two women at the forefront of this community reflect on what their presidential vote means to those whose only true home is the American town that took them in.
• Jeremy Workman and Robert J. Lyons: “Deciding Vote”: 50 years ago, assemblyman George Michaels cast a single vote on New York’s abortion bill that changed the course of American history but destroyed his political career in the process.
• Yuko Torihara: “New York Cabbage”: A portrait of a cabbage as it is passed from one New Yorker to another across town.
• Christian Schifano: “Hangers In July”: Ryan makes a long journey from Scotland to spend some time with his English cousin Joey. When Joey drags Ryan to a party a dare puts a divide between the two, a meeting with Isabel offers Ryan perspective.
• Nick DeSimmone: “Full Throttle Paradise”: Love – more often than not – is the fuel that rejection runs on. “Full Throttle Paradise” is a dark farce that explores feminism, materialism, and fetishes.
• Jack Huppert: “A Warm Body”: After the death of her boyfriend, GRACE tries to find comfort in all the wrong places.
• Alexandra Berger: “Why Be Kind”: Kids discuss kindness: what it is, why it’s important, the consequences of being unkind, and why kindness is vital for our future.