A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Dir. Dito Montiel. 2006, 98 mins. DCP. With Robert Downey, Jr., Channing Tatum, Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri, Shia LeBeouf, Dianne Wiest. Queens native Montiel’s feature debut is a gritty coming-of-age drama set in Astoria and adapted from the director’s eponymous memoir. Dito (Downey) returns to Queens to see his ailing father (Palminteri), who never forgave him for leaving home. Memories come flooding back as he revisits the old neighborhood and encounters the few childhood friends (the “saints” of the title) who aren’t dead or in prison. Shot on location in Astoria by renowned DP Eric Gautier (Summer Hours, Stars at Noon), and featuring a breakout performance by a young Tatum, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints won prizes at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival for Directing and Ensemble Performance.  

Preceded by

¡QUÈ LINDA ES MI VIDA! (How Beautiful Is My Life)

Dir. Shane Palma. 2023, 18 mins. Since Jairo Palma (aka Harold, aka Pop-Pop) doesn’t like to talk about his life, filmmaker Shane Palma pairs footage of his grandfather’s modest ebullience with revelatory text about his escape from a civil war in Colombia, sacrifices made to emigrate to and survive in America, his career as a bus driver in Queens, and life with his dear partner Barbara. Produced at the Murray Center for Documentary Journalism at the University of Missouri.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / free for MoMI members at the Senior/Student level and above. Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.