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Documentary 'Some Kind of Heaven' Explores the Pursuit of Happiness at the Virtual KCET Cinema Series on Jan. 11

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Q&A immediately following with director Lance Oppenheim.

A documentary film about happiness and the meaning of one’s life as told through four people living in the world’s largest retirement community, The Villages, Florida. While most residents have bought into the community's packaged, isolated happiness, married couple Anne and Reggie wrestle with his deteriorating grip on reality and drug use; Barbara, a widow, seeks second love; and Dennis, an 82-year-old bachelor living out of a van, searches for a wealthy woman to take care of him for his remaining years. Directed by Lance Oppenheim, in his debut as a feature film director.

Taking advantage of The Villages’ perfectly manicured yards and public spaces modeled on ’50s suburban Americana, "Some Kind of Heaven" is a film about “real people dealing with real problems in an unreal place,” Oppenheim said. “We wanted to cinematically convey the marketing fantasy that the community promises, and strip it back to reveal the people on the margins of the community struggling to realize the dream. By documenting the experiences of those who didn’t fit into the community’s advertised way-of-life, I was able to explore something more honest, open, and universal about how the human struggle – no matter how much you try to evade it – continues throughout the rest of life.”

Immediately following the screening, Deadline’s chief film critic Pete Hammond, who can also be seen on KCET’s Must See Movies, will moderate a Q&A with director Lance Oppenheim.

The film screens on Monday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. PST. Only $10 per viewing link. Limited space available.

To sign up, click here.

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