Join us for a journey back to the quirky, stylish '80s with a screening of the comedy-drama DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN followed by a conversation and book signing with its director and author, Susan Seidelman, hosted by director Katherine Dieckmann.
In collaboration with Golden Notebook, copies of Seidelman’s brand new book Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls will be available for purchase.
Desperately Seeking Something
ABOUT THE BOOK: Seidelmen shares a funny and insightful first-person story of her life from her Twiggy-obsessed girlhood to the Madonna-mania of the 80’s and beyond in her memoir.
“Susan Seidelman has directed and created some of the most iconic and audacious characters of our time—her new book is a dazzling encapsulation of them and of her life’s work. Part time capsule and part memoir—her gritty “I’ll show you” determination will inspire any woman who wants to make her mark on the world. ‘Desperately Seeking Something’ is a super-relatable, unputdownable tour de force. I just love this book!”
ABOUT THE FILM: Bored New Jersey housewife Roberta (Rosanna Arquette) only knows Susan (Madonna) through reading personal ads seeking her—until a bump on the head leads to a bout of amnesia and her taking on Susan’s identity. Roberta quickly finds herself caught up in a plot involving murder, stolen Egyptian earrings, and the mob, as well as a romance with a friend (Aidan Quinn) of the guy who places the classifieds. A spin on Jacques Rivette’s Celine and Julie Go Boating, this screwball romp was mainstream America’s introduction to the ’80s underground Bohemian scene in New York and to the Material Girl herself, and features appearances by Ann Magnuson, John Turturro, Richard Hell, John Lurie, and more.
“A fine slice of ‘80s nostalgia — even for people who weren’t there first time around.”
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER / AUTHOR: A graduate of NYU Grad Film School, began her career in the 1980s when SMITHEREENS became the first American Independent film to be accepted into the Cannes Film Festival. Her next movie, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, starring Madonna and Rosanna Arquette, was a critical and commercial success. She has directed dozens of other films starring actors such as Meryl Streep, Brooke Shields, and Sally Field.