KINGSTON — The warm, funny comedy drama “Blinded by the Light,” about a Pakistani Muslim teenager in England who feels validated and liberated after discovering Bruce Springsteen’s music, is the next Movies With Spirit screening, at 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church, 30 Pine Grove Ave. in Kingston.
The screening will be outdoors, weather permitting.
Inspired by a true story, the film is about Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra), a Muslim Pakistani British teen in 1987 living and going to high school in a town near London.
He writes poetry to escape a crushing combination of anti-Pakistani prejudice, anti-Muslim attacks and economic turmoil during the administration of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher — made all the worse for Javed by the dominance of his tradition-bound father (Kulvinder Ghir).
But when a classmate turns Javed on to the heartland rock music of Springsteen, Javed immediately falls in love with it, seeing identifiable parallels with his own life’s struggles.
He even gathers enough strength to overcome his fear of rejection to tell non-Muslim white classmate Eliza (Nell Williams) that he likes her.
One day in his school writing class, his teacher tells Javed one of his Springsteen essays won him tickets to a lecture about Springsteen at Monmouth College in New Jersey, near where Springsteen grew up.
Javed is thrilled but scared. His father tells him that if he goes, he will not be allowed to return home.
The 2010 film runs 1 hour 54 minutes and is rated PG–13. Its awards include the Truly Moving Picture Award at the Heartland International Film Festival in Indianapolis.
The screening will be followed by a facilitated discussion. Refreshments will be served.
Attendees over age 12 are asked to contribute $10 a person.
Movies With Spirit screenings comply with all federal, state and local health and safety protocols, including those of the screening venues.
The films are screened in diverse places of worship and reverence across Ulster and Dutchess counties at 7 p.m. on the third Saturday of every month. Movies With Spirit has no religious affiliation.
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