Acclaimed actor Matthew Modine (Oppenheimer, Full Metal Jacket, Stranger Things) is coming to The Westport Library on Thursday, April 11, for a screening of his new documentary, Downwind, followed by a conversation and Q&A with Modine and his longtime producing partner Adam Rackoff.
The event starts at 6:30 pm in the Trefz Forum. The film and talkback are free of charge; registration is strongly encouraged.
“Even in the face of outrageous book banning at our public schools and public libraries, we are simultaneously witnessing a renaissance of attendance and curiosity about these vital communal institutions,” Modine said. “Perhaps people are coming back to libraries because we were kept apart and quarantined during the pandemic? Maybe it’s because of the detrimental effects and isolation associated with social media? Who knows?!
“For so many of us, going to the library has never been more wonderful and cool! That’s why, on Thursday, April 11, my producing partner Adam Rackoff and I are thrilled to be sharing our new documentary film Downwind at The Westport Library. This is our first public library screening for local residents. After the screening there will be a hearty question-and-answer discussion. I’m sure many people will be asking ‘Is Papa (from Stranger Things) really dead?’ Haha. Well, I won’t be at the Library to answer that, but I appreciate the question!”
Downwind tells the story of what happened after the events depicted in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, with a focus on Mercury, Nevada, which served as the testing site for 928 large-scale nuclear weapons from 1951 to 1992. Featuring members of the Shoshone Nation and the many people affected by the radioactive fallout from those tests, Downwind is, as the film’s trailer notes, “a harrowing documentary film … which uncovers the U.S. Government's disregard for everyone and everything living ‘Downwind.’”
Directed by Douglas Brian Miller and Mark Shapiro, Downwind is narrated by Martin Sheen and stars Michael Douglas, Mary Dickson, Patrick Wayne (son of legendary John Wayne), and comedian Lewis Black. Modine and Rackoff are the film’s executive producers.
Downwind premiered last year at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, to high acclaim. It currently holds a perfect 100% score on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.
“Documentaries like Downwind have an opportunity to educate people on our country’s mistakes and, hopefully, prevent them from making them again in the future,” said Rackoff. “The Westport Library is a great venue for local residents to see a free film and participate in an educational discussion afterwards.”
Throughout their careers, Modine and Rackoff have teamed up to develop narrative films, short films, documentaries, animation projects, apps, and environmental initiatives. In addition to Downwind, their many projects include The Flying House, Merry Xmas, The Brainwashing of My Dad, Heaven on Earth, Trump Bites, Matthew Modine’s Ripple Effect, My Love Affair with Marriage, Accidental Truth: UFO Revelations, and The Fuse.
Modine recently appeared in the critically acclaimed Oppenheimer, portraying American electrical engineer and administrator Vanneyar Bush. The film received 13 Academy Award nominations and took home seven awards, including for best picture and best director. In addition to his roles in Stranger Things and Full Metal Jacket, Modine has appeared in an array of movies including Vision Quest, Gross Anatomy, Memphis Belle, And the Band Played On, Short Cuts, Cutthroat Island, Bye Bye Love, Any Given Sunday, and The Dark Knight Rises. He has also directed multiple projects and served as an executive director on scores more.
Rackoff has produced upwards of 40 projects in his burgeoning career, including Jesus Was a Commie, Bill Plympton’s Cheatin’, Ralph Bakshi’s Last Days of Coney Island, Cool for You, I Am What You Imagine, and the upcoming documentary short, Sludge: A PFAS Uprising.
