Film Director Peter Bogdanovich Opens Henry James Film Festival Gala

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 17, 2011) --

Film director, producer, actor, writer and educator Peter Bogdanovich will be a guest of honor for the gala opening of the University at Albany’s Henry James Film Festival, introducing his film “Daisy Miller,” based on the 1878 James novel. Bogdanovich's introduction will be followed by a complete showing of the film, and an interview and audience discussion with Bogdanovich.

Henry (left) and William James

The screening and discussion will be held at The Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio, on Friday, April 8, 2011, at 7:30 p.m.

Born in Kingston, New York, Bogdanovich's  1971 film “The Last Picture Show” garnered eight Academy Award nominations and won supporting Oscars for Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman. Bogdanovich directed two other hit films, "What's Up, Doc?" (1972), which starred Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal and "Paper Moon" (1973), with Ryan and Tatum O'Neal, with the young O'Neal winning a best-supporting actress Oscar. “Daisy Miller” (1974) starred Cybill Shepherd, Barry Brown, Cloris Leachman, Mildred Natwick, and Eileen Brennan.

The Henry James Film Festival concludes on Saturday, April 9 with a 10 a.m. screening of “Portrait of a Lady” (1996) directed by Jane Campion and starring Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich and Barbara Hershey, and a 1:30 p.m. screening of “Wings of the Dove” (1997) directed by Iain Softley and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Linus Roache and Alison Elliott.

All Henry James Film Festival events take place at The Linda, 339 Central  Ave., Albany. Events are free; however, for the Friday evening gala, reservations are suggested; telephone (518) 465-5233 ext. 158. The Linda Norris concession stand will be open during all events.

The Henry James Film Festival is part of the James Family Celebration, funded by a grant from the New York Council for the Humanities, and supported by the UAlbany's College of Arts and Sciences, UAlbany's Center for Humanities, Arts and TechnoSciences, and The Linda.

Renowned author Henry James and his brother William, a psychology professor and philosopher, had many ties to the Albany area. Their father graduated from the Albany Academy, and their grandfather made his fortune in Albany real estate. Henry James opened his story, “Portrait of  a Lady,” in a brownstone on Albany's State Street. The significant works and pivotal thought of the two brothers  helped shape the 20th Century and more particularly the intellectual, artistic, and philosophical moment now called modernism.

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