The Wexner Center for the Arts will host a screening of director Jonathan Heinslen’s “Kill the Irishman” on Thursday.
Credit: The Lantern File
Buckeye spirit stretches far beyond the bounds of Ohio State’s campus. In fact, it’s seeped its way into Hollywood.
Film producer and Ohio State alum Tommy Reid will be the subject of an upcoming Q&A held after the screening of his movie, “Kill the Irishman,” at the Wexner Center for the Arts. The 2011 crime film will be screened at 7 p.m. Thursday in the center’s Film/Video Theater, according to its website.
Reid will discuss his time at Ohio State and his experience in the film industry while also answering audience members’ questions. The alum said he is a believer in paying it forward and wants to help develop current students’ abilities to entertain in the future.
“As an alumni, you want to inspire and enlighten the next generation,” Reid said. “It’s important for me to come back to my roots at Ohio State and influence the future of creatives and give back to the university that has given me so much.”
Made possible through a partnership with the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts at Ohio State, Vera Brunner-Sung, an associate professor in the department, said the event will provide an opportunity for students to learn more about the film industry through Reid’s eyes, as well as view a movie on the big screen.
Though admission is free, the deadline to RSVP to the event was Friday. Thus, at the time of publication, students are unable to register for the event.
Brunner-Sung said she thinks the screening and Q&A will be a valuable learning moment for students interested in the arts.
“It is important for us to connect our students with alumni so they can learn from their past and different experiences,” Brunner-Sung said.
Reid said attending a 1995 screening of “Goodfellas” at the Wexner Center, followed by a Q&A with legendary director Martin Scorsese, had a major impact on his career path. He said he hopes to inspire students in a similar way, with the added benefit of being a former Buckeye himself.
“It was such an influential event that it changed my trajectory at Ohio State,” Reid said. “Although I graduated from the Fisher College of Business, I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker after seeing Scorsese talk at the Q&A.”
Moreover, Brunner-Sung said the event is not exclusively for movie buffs or film majors. At the very least, she said this is a unique opportunity to view a movie from the past in a theater once again.
“Any time someone who is involved with the making of a film is present, along with the movie, it completely enriches the experience,” Brunner-Sung said. “Also, watching a movie with an audience is unmatched.”
