Black Panther returned to the big screen with free screenings at nonprofit art house theaters nationwide on Tuesday, November 27. Presented by Film Comment, a publication of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and supported by the Art House Convergence, the event will featured a post-screening Q&A with director Ryan Coogler, taking place at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, CA, streamed live to participating theaters. The one-night-only event offered audiences an opportunity to experience the acclaimed film on the big screen once again with their local communities. Leading up to and during the Q&A, attendees were invited to submit their questions to Ryan Coogler on Twitter with the hashtag #AskBlackPanther. All attendees received a free one-year digital subscription to Film Comment magazine. Coogler, director and co-writer of Black Panther, was featured on the cover of Film Comment’s March-April 2018 issue with a story by Devika Girish. Nicolas Rapold, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, moderated the discussion. Black Panther is director Ryan Coogler’s take on a modern African hero and a utopian vision of what an uncolonized Africa might look like. The film explores the conflict between two powerful men, one African and one African-American, who are mirror images of each other, each grappling with his own history, home, and very identity. When Prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) becomes king of the hidden, technologically advanced kingdom Wakanda, he is forced to defend his throne against rogue mercenary Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). Wakanda is also alive with strong, intelligent women—from Wakanda’s elite all-female security force, led by Okoye (Danai Gurira), to the international spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), to T'Challa’s tech-savvy sister (Letitia Wright) and mother (Angela Bassett)—who are portrayed as equals to the men they protect and advise. Thumbnail photograph by Christopher Markisz. FILM COMMENT Published since 1962, Film Comment magazine features in-depth reviews, critical analysis, and feature coverage of mainstream, art-house, and avant-garde filmmaking from around the world. Today a bimonthly print magazine and a website, the magazine was founded under the editorship of Gordon Hitchens, who was followed by Richard Corliss, Harlan Jacobson, Richard Jameson, Gavin Smith, and Nicolas Rapold. Past and present contributing critics include Paul Arthur, David Bordwell, Richard Combs, Manohla Dargis, Raymond Durgnat, Roger Ebert, Manny Farber, Howard Hampton, Molly Haskell, J. Hoberman, Richard Jameson, Kent Jones, Dave Kehr, Nathan Lee, Todd McCarthy, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Tony Rayns, Frank Rich, Andrew Sarris, Richard Schickel, Elliott Stein, Amy Taubin, David Thomson, Richard Thompson, Amos Vogel, Robin Wood, and many more. ART HOUSE CONVERGENCE The idea of the Art House Convergence was born when a group of exhibitors were brought together at the Sundance Film Festival as part of the Sundance Institute’s Art House Project. For two years, this small group of exhibitors met at the Sundance Film Festival to discuss independent film and independent film exhibition. In 2008, the group expanded and hosted the first Art House Convergence conference with 25 attendees. In 2018, over 640 exhibitors, film festivals, and allied organizations joined for a sold-out Annual Conference in Midway, UT. The Art House Convergence, having grown into a year-round organization, relies on several staff members and a passionate group of volunteers to help coordinate all of its events and programs, always striving to reflect its core intention, community-based, mission-driven. The upcoming 2019 Annual Conference will be held January 21-24 in Midway, UT before the start of the Sundance Film Festival. More info: http://filmcomment.com Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=filmlincdotcom Like: http://facebook.com/filmcommentmagazine Follow: http://twitter.com/filmcomment #BlackPanther #RyanCoogler