On November 20th 1983, in the midst of a nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union, the made-for-tv movie "The Day After" aired on network television, landing in more than 39 million households (almost half the country!) across the U.S.. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, "The Day After" is a fictional account of nuclear aftermath in a small Kansas town. With little context regarding the "how" or "why," the film focused on the horrific outcome and scared the hell out of the vast majority of the country. So much so that (rumor has it) Ronald Reagan changed his policy on nuclear armament after viewing the film. "Television Event" recounts the story of the improbable anti-nuclear television film, its making and its cultural and political impact, the individuals involved in the film's production and the town in which it was made. So Sidewalk opening night's selection is a film about a film about nuclear war? Yep. After the last 18 months the Sidewalk programming team felt that a film about a shared cultural event, one that united the country and changed national policy, was apropos for Sidewalk's opening night return to downtown Birmingham. Plus, "Television Event" is packed with nostalgia and oddity and even some humor. Join us on opening night for a shared cultural event about a shared cultural event and a reminder that we've lived through scary-as-hell dark times before and made it out the other side. - Rachel Morgan
