Film society to present ‘Thousand Years’ at screening

Rehoboth Beach Film Society’s monthly screening will feature “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 25, in the upstairs screening room at the Movies at Midway.

In the film, Mr. Shi travels from Beijing to America to visit his estranged daughter, Yilan, after her recent divorce. Troubled by his daughter’s quiet demeanor, he tries several different tactics to become closer to her, quickly making himself a nuisance. Mr. Shi gains insight of how to possibly help his daughter recover from her divorce after meeting Madam, a vivacious Iranian woman.

As Mr. Shi and Madam rendezvous each day in a nearby park, he realizes how easily they communicate with each other despite their language barrier, and he becomes even more determined to become closer with his daughter. But Yilan finds ways to evade his efforts by leaving him home alone while she goes out with friends.

After one such occasion that results in a tense discussion, father and daughter start to share secrets that open a door of communication that has been closed for far too long. [2007, Runtime: 83 min., not rated, with subtitles]

Following the screening, Dr. David Johnson will lead a discussion about the films of “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” director Wayne Wang. Johnson teaches courses in film at Salisbury University.

Monthly screenings are $2 for card-carrying Rehoboth Beach Film Society members and $4 for nonmembers.

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society is supported, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency committed to promoting and supporting the arts in Delaware. For more information visit rehobothfilm.com or call 302-645-9095.