Marwencol

With artist Mark Hogancamp and director Jeff Malmberg in person 

Dir. Jeff Malmberg. 2010, 83 mins. Digital projection. In anticipation of Welcome to Marwen, the new Robert Zemeckis film opening on December 21, the Museum presents the award-winning documentary that inspired it, followed by a discussion with artist and subject Mark Hogancamp (portrayed in the new film by Steve Carell), and Marwencol director Jeff Malmberg.

After being beaten into a coma by five men outside a bar, Mark Hogancamp begins to recover by embarking on an ambitious and therapeutic endeavor. He builds a 1/6th-scale model World War II-era town in his backyard, and populates it with dolls representing his friends and family as well as photographs depicting fictionalized dramas in the town he calls “Marwencol.” But when his photographs draw the attention of a New York gallery, Mark has to reckon with his project being suddenly seen as art, forcing him to choose between the safety of his fantasy life and the real world that he has been avoiding since the attack. “Exactly the sort of mysterious and almost holy experience you hope to get from documentaries and rarely do.” —Michael Atkinson, Village Voice.

SXSW Grand Jury Award-winner for Documentary Feature

Nominated for four Cinema Eye Honors awards; Winner of Best Debut Feature

Tickets: $15 ($11 seniors and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / free for children under 3 and Museum members at the Film Lover and Kids Premium levels and above). Order tickets online. (Members may contact [email protected] with questions regarding online reservations.)

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