The Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) in Astoria, New York, will present Eddington City Limits, a five-film series co-programmed with acclaimed filmmaker Ari Aster, from August 15 to 31, 2025. The series celebrates the release of Aster’s new film Eddington and explores themes of escalating tension, conspiracy, and fractured communities, which resonate throughout the selected films.
Ari Aster will attend two screenings for post-film conversations with MoMI Senior Curator of Film Michael Koresky: Robert Altman’s Nashville on August 17 and Oliver Stone’s JFK on August 23. The series opens with Lars von Trier’s Dogville, a polarizing drama about small-town American life starring Nicole Kidman. Other highlights include Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch screened in 35mm, and Steven Spielberg’s satirical war comedy 1941.
The series was announced by Koresky during a special advance screening of Eddington on July 16 at the museum, attended by Aster. Set in May 2020, Eddington depicts a New Mexico town spiraling into violent conflict, focusing on a sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and a mayor (Pedro Pascal) who embody the deep divisions in contemporary America. The film combines dark humor with intense drama, showcasing Aster’s signature storytelling style and visual mastery. The film opened in theaters on July 18 through A24.
Michael Koresky noted, “These selections elucidate and expand on the themes of [Aster’s] brilliant and rattling 2020-set American western, which, like all his films, puts its viewers in a productively uncomfortable position.” He added that the films in the series explore the breakdown of community, conspiracy theories, and cult mentalities—themes central to Eddington.
The screening schedule includes:
- Dogville (Aug 15), Lars von Trier’s stark portrayal of corruption in a small Rocky Mountain town.
- Nashville (Aug 17), Altman’s sprawling look at American life set in the country music capital.
- JFK (Aug 23 and 31), Oliver Stone’s provocative film on conspiracy and American history.
- The Wild Bunch (Aug 29 and 31), Peckinpah’s violent revisionist western.
- 1941 (Aug 30), Spielberg’s comedic take on wartime paranoia.
All screenings will be held at MoMI’s Sumner M. Redstone Theater and Bartos Screening Room. Tickets and full details are available at movingimage.org/series/eddington-city-limits.
MoMI, founded in 1985, is dedicated to celebrating the history, art, and technology of the moving image through exhibitions, screenings, and education programs.