Folk music is often nothing more than a simple melody used to tell a story. But those stories carry deep meaning—an oral tradition of passing cultural identity from generation to generation, of keeping history alive.
So much of the joy of Oliver Hermanus’ “The History of Sound,” the new film coming to The Triplex this week, comes from the moments when we sit with the characters and let this music wash over us. The story of Lionel and David (Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor)—two young men who meet as students at the New England Conservatory of Music and quickly fall in love—follows the couple as they reunite to travel through rural Maine, recording the folk songs of its people in the years following World War I.
The joy of these moments is interrupted as life, as it tends to do, gets in the way. David keeps Lionel at a distance as he struggles to process his experiences from the war; Lionel attempts to move on, but his relationship with David continues to echo across his life like a song he cannot get out of his head.
Chris Cooper, appearing as an older Lionel toward the end of the film, gives an interview where he describes folk music as “the voices of thousands of people … songs of people, songs my father sung, songs my grandfather knew …” and as a response to “sadness so great they turned to song as if melody could make hardship laughter.”
It is this shared connection—this communion with the past—that makes these songs so stirring. Being a part of this tradition is both a celebratory and humbling act: In the end, Lionel and David are just two more voices carrying these tunes across time, adding the weight of their lives to the harmony of history.
Now Playing
“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere”
After his breakthrough success with albums “Born to Run,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” and “The River,” Bruce Springsteen found himself disconnected from his roots and questioning his place as an artist. What he did next—crafting the stripped-down, intimate album “Nebraska” in his bedroom in New Jersey—is the focus of Director Scott Cooper’s “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” which sees Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”) playing the Boss during this pivotal moment in his career.
“Blue Moon”
The story of legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) bravely facing the future as his professional and private life unravel at the opening-night party for his former partner Richard Roger’s (Andrew Scott) hit show “Oklahoma!,” Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” is a witty look at a creative legend watching the world pass him by. Also featuring Margaret Qualley and Bobby Cannivale, do not miss this love letter to the golden age of Broadway!
“Bugonia”
Emma Stone and director YĂłrgos Lánthimos reunite for the fourth time in “Bugonia,” an out-of-this-world satire made for the age of misinformation. When two conspiracy-obsessed young men (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company (Stone), they set out to prove that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth in this oddball environmental thriller.
The New Hard-Boiled: “The Long Goodbye”
Robert Altman brought Raymond Chandler’s iconic detective Philip Marlowe into the murky morality of the ’70s in “The Long Goodbye,” playing November 5 and 8 as part of our series “The New Hard-Boiled: The Birth of American Neo-Noir.” After helping his friend Terry (Jim Bouton) cross the border to Mexico, Marlowe returns to Los Angeles only to learn that Terry’s wife has been murdered—and that Terry has taken his own life while on the run. When Marlowe takes a new case from a beautiful blond (Nina van Pallandt) who has a past with Terry, he soon realizes things are not as simple as they seem.
Saturday, November 8, at 5 p.m.
BIFF presents: “Wunderkinder”
BIFF celebrates its upcoming 20th anniversary festival with an encore screening of Marcus O. Rosenmüller’s “Wunderkinder”! Co-writer Stephen Glantz will be in attendance for a Q&A following this tale of three exceptionally talented children who develop a deep friendship in Ukraine in 1941, overcoming their different religions and nationalities through their love of music. But when Germany invades the Soviet Union, their world is turned upside down as the insanity of the world imperils their friendship—and their lives.
Sunday, November 9, at 3 p.m.
The New Hard-Boiled: “Chinatown”
Set in the 1940s but filled with the cynicism of the ’70s, “Chinatown” continues our series “The New Hard-Boiled: The Birth of American Neo-Noir” on November 12 and 15. When Los Angeles private eye J.J. Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband’s activities, he believes it is a routine infidelity case. Jake’s investigation soon becomes anything but routine when he meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and realizes he was hired by an imposter. Mr. Mulwray’s sudden death sets Gittes on a tangled trail of corruption, deceit, and sinister family secrets as Evelyn’s father (John Huston) becomes a suspect in the case.
Wednesday, November 12, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 15, at 5 p.m.
“The Sting”
Our members have spoken, and our final member appreciation screening of 2025 is “The Sting”! Come celebrate the legacy of the late Robert Redford with this Best Picture-winning comedy about two conmen (Redford and Paul Newman) who team up to pull the grift of a lifetime on a vicious crime boss (Robert Shaw), all while outrunning the feds. Free for Triplex members!
Thursday, November 13, at 7 p.m.
Coming Soon
“Nuremberg”
As the Nuremberg trials are set to begin, a U.S. Army psychiatrist (Rami Malek) gets locked in a dramatic psychological showdown with accused Nazi war criminal Hermann Göring (Russel Crowe). Driven by commanding performances from Malek and Crowe, “Nuremberg” explores a crucial moment in history as the world began to fathom how something as unspeakable as the Holocaust could come to be—and how crucial it was to hold its perpetrators accountable for their actions.
Starts November 14.
“Now You See Me: Now You Don’t”
The Four Horsemen reunite to recruit three skilled illusionists for a high-stakes heist of the world’s largest queen diamond from a powerful family crime syndicate in “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.” Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, and Dave Franco return for a new mission full of mind-melding twists, turns, surprises, and magic unlike anything ever captured on film.
Starts November 14.
“The Mastermind”
Loosely inspired by the 1972 robbery of the Worcester Art Museum, Kelly Reichhardt’s “The Mastermind” follows unemployed family man and amateur art thief J.B Mooney (Josh O’Connor) as he sets out on his first heist. Mooney’s double life begins to catch up with him in unexpected ways as his plans progress in this wry and insightful film from the director of “First Cow” and “Wendy and Lucy.”
Part of our Limited Engagement series, “The Mastermind” plays for one week starting on November 14.
“Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely”
For over 50 years, First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams took on landmark cases—from the Pentagon Papers to Citizens United to Clearview AI—that helped define free speech as it is known today. The new documentary “Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely” explores how Abrams’ career has shaped major changes in law, public discourse, and civic action since the 1960s.
Following the screening, join Fred Rutberg, president of The Berkshire Eagle, as he leads a video interview with Abrams and takes questions from the audience.
November 16, at 11 a.m.
BIFF presents: “Slay”
From the makers of award-winning films “Cowspiracy” and “What The Health,” “Slay” follows filmmaker Rebecca Cappelli’s journey around the world to uncover the dark side of the fashion industry. Rebecca’s investigation into the animal-skins trade unravels a harrowing story of greenwashing, mislabeling, animal cruelty, and cover-ups from some of the world’s major luxury fashion brands.
Part of BIFF’s Environmental Film Focus series, join Festival Programmer Lillian Lennox and Joshua Katcher, the North America Hub strategist at Canopy, an award-winning environmental nonprofit working to protect the world’s forests, species, and climate, for a discussion about his efforts to keep ancient and endangered forests out of fashion and packaging supply chains.
Have any gently used clothing you are looking to get rid of? Bring them to the clothing swap ahead of the movie, with all leftover items donated to area shelters!
November 16, at 3 p.m.
The New Hard-Boiled: “Night Moves”
Our series “The New Hard-Boiled” concludes with a special screening of Arthur Penn’s “Night Moves” on November 19!
Join Penn’s son, filmmaker and Triplex board member Matthew Penn, for a post-screening discussion about his father’s tale of hard-nosed private investigator Harry Moseby (Gene Hackman), who is hired by a B-movie actress (Janet Ward) to find her missing daughter (Melanie Griffith). As his investigation takes him to the Florida Keys, Harry dives deeper into the complicated family dynamics and learns the case is not as simple as it seems.
November 19, at 7 p.m.
Queer Cinema Club: “The Watermelon Woman”
“Queer Cinema Club” returns to The Triplex on November 20 with “The Watermelon Woman,” Cheryl Dunyes’ indie classic about a young lesbian navigating romances and her career as a video store clerk while working on a movie about a forgotten Black film actress from the 1930s.
Join us before the movie as we welcome Queer Soup Night Western Mass for their first southern Berkshire event as local chefs serve special soups to raise money for The People’s Pantry!
November 20, Queer Soup Night begins at 6 p.m.; film begins at 7:30 p.m.
