MFA Boston Hosts Free "September Nights" Series of Outdoor Films and Livestreamed Concerts
BOSTON (August 20, 2020)—The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), has announced a lineup of free programs taking place throughout September, including in-person film screenings co-presented with Roxbury International Film Festival and Boston Latino International Film Festival and concert livestreams showcasing favorites from Boston’s music scene. The outdoor film screenings—a 20th-anniversary presentation of Remember the Titans on September 3 and Selena on September 17—will take place in the Museum’s Fenway parking lot and adhere to strict social distancing guidelines. Two co-billed concerts—featuring Anjimile and Oompa on September 11 and Miranda Rae and Naomi Westwater on September 25—will be streamed from the MFA’s Calderwood Courtyard to audiences on the Museum’s website and Facebook and YouTube channels.
September Nights are sponsored by Chase. The Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Film Program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is funded by the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation. The Elaine and Jerome Rosenfeld Concerts in the Courtyard are supported by Elaine and Jerome Rosenfeld.
“We’re excited to offer our spaces—both on the MFA’s campus and on our digital platforms—for Bostonians to enjoy the art of film and music together,” said Makeeba McCreary, Patti and Jonathan Kraft Chief of Learning and Community Engagement. “We’re proud to continue our partnerships with the Roxbury International Film Festival and Boston Latino International Film Festival and to support local musicians at a time when there are so few opportunities to enjoy live performances.”
Advance reservations for the film screenings are required, with free tickets—a maximum of two per order—available on mfa.org at 10 am on the Monday before each Thursday event. All audience members will be required to wear a mask and asked to maintain distance from others by staying in their designated seating areas during the program. Audience members may bring their own blankets, low chairs (maximum three feet high), a picnic supper and nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy during the films. Handwashing and hand sanitizing stations will be available on-site.
The outdoor film screenings will be followed later in the month by a virtual presentation of the 22nd annual Roxbury International Film Festival, hosted on the MFA’s website from September 30 through October 5. This year’s selections include a variety of narrative, short, documentary and student films.
“As we prepare for the 22nd annual Roxbury International Film Festival (ROXFILM) we are excited to continue our partnership with the MFA starting with an outdoor screening of the classic Remember the Titans,” said Lisa Simmons, Artistic Director of the Roxbury International Film Festival. “Twenty years later, the film's message is just as relevant today and can provide an opportunity for dialogue and conversation like the over 60 powerful and inspiring films we will be screening at ROXFILM this fall.”
The programs are taking place as preparations continue for reopening the Museum’s building to members and the general public, currently targeted for early fall. The most up-to-date information regarding the MFA’s temporary closure can be found on mfa.org.
“As establishments start to safety open in up in Massachusetts, Chase is delighted to be there in support of the MFA, which is such an integral part of the Greater Boston community. We are so happy to partner with the MFA to bring back the Museum’s free outdoor movie nights and livestreamed concerts, which is sure to be a welcome treat for many Boston families,” said Ryann Kilgore, Market Director US Wealth Management.
September Nights Lineup
Remember the Titans, presented in partnership with Roxbury International Film Festival
Thursday, September 3 (Rain Date: Friday, September 4)
7:30–9:30 pm, Fenway Lot
Free tickets required, available at 10 am on Monday, August 31
Directed by Boaz Yakin (USA, 2000, 113 min.). Digital. English with open captions.
This stirring true story stars Academy Award winner Denzel Washington as Herman Boone, the newly appointed football coach at T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1971, Boone made history as the leader of the first racially integrated high school football team to win a state championship, becoming a symbol of unity and progress for the community along the way. Told from the team’s perspective, Remember the Titans highlights the resiliency and power of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Anjimile and Oompa
Friday, September 11
7:30 pm, streaming on the MFA’s Facebook and YouTube (@mfaboston) and mfa.org
Anjimile is a Boston-based queer and trans singer-songwriter whose music draws on their early experiences with racism and homophobia while growing up in a suburb outside Dallas, Texas. They were named a Music Artist to Watch by NPR in 2019, and their debut album, Giver Taker, is available starting September 18.
Oompa is a poet, rapper, and educator, whose work reflects her experiences growing up queer and Black in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood. She was a finalist at the 2016 National Poetry Slam and received the Unsigned Artist of the Year award at the 2018 Boston Music Awards. Her second full-length album, Cleo, was released in 2019.
Selena, presented in partnership with Roxbury International Film Festival and Boston Latino International Film Festival
Thursday, September 17 (Rain Date: Friday, September 18)
7:30–9:30 pm, Fenway Lot
Free tickets required, available at 10 am on Monday, September 14
Directed by Gregory Nava (USA, 1997, 127 min.). English and Spanish with open captions in English.
This biographical drama recounts the life of recording artist Selena Quintanilla. Played by fellow Latin pop star Jennifer Lopez, Selena was a Texas native who showed musical talent at an early age and went on to become a chart-topping Tejano superstar and Latin-American icon, all before her tragic murder at the age of 23.
Miranda Rae and Naomi Westwater
Friday, September 25
7:30 pm, streaming on the MFA’s Facebook and YouTube (@mfaboston) and mfa.org
Cambridge-born Miranda Rae is a self-taught R&B vocalist. Growing up in South Florida, she took inspiration from artists such as Sade, Jill Scott, Adele, India.Arie, and Erykah Badu to create a sound all her own. Her second EP, Excuse My Baggage, is available for streaming on all major platforms.
Naomi Westwater is a Jamaica Plain–based singer-songwriter and producer whose work combines Americana and electronic indie music. As a queer woman of color and modern-day mystic, Naomi incorporates empowerment, nature, and magic into her music. She is currently at work on a new EP about race, endometriosis and climate change in America.