In March 2020, during the first days of the Covid pandemic, IndieWire launched an Instagram Live series. The idea was to hold a causal conversation with talent about their creative process and how they spend their free time, a discussion that took on a very different meaning against the uncertain backdrop of the lockdown. IndieWire instinctively turned to Ethan Hawke to launch the series and set the tone; and at a time when most creatives understandably went dark, Hawke was hungry for the conversation.
Later that summer, the actor-writer-director gave a Ted-Ed talk, “Give yourself permission to be creative.” Even if you haven’t watched the nine-minute talk, you’ve seen it: Excerpts, four years later, still flood most social media feeds on a daily basis.
In the most viral clip, Hawke, discussing what happens to people when they suffer a great loss, said, “Did anyone feel like this before? What is happening to me?...
Later that summer, the actor-writer-director gave a Ted-Ed talk, “Give yourself permission to be creative.” Even if you haven’t watched the nine-minute talk, you’ve seen it: Excerpts, four years later, still flood most social media feeds on a daily basis.
In the most viral clip, Hawke, discussing what happens to people when they suffer a great loss, said, “Did anyone feel like this before? What is happening to me?...
- 4/30/2024
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’re highlighting the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
Blaze (Ethan Hawke)
Not unlike its main subject, Ethan Hawke’s Blaze is likeable, long-winded and a little all over the place. Starring musician Ben Dickey as the titular Blaze Foley, this indie biopic feels like a natural follow-up to Hawke’s last directorial effort, Seymour: An Introduction. That documentary examined the life of Seymour Bernstein, a piano teacher with wise life lessons as curated by failure and regret. This film concerns Foley, an Arkansas-born but Texas-raised singer-songwriter who was killed at the young age of 39. Both are ultimately optimistic, though Hawke does well in finding the sour with the sweet. – Dan M. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon,...
Blaze (Ethan Hawke)
Not unlike its main subject, Ethan Hawke’s Blaze is likeable, long-winded and a little all over the place. Starring musician Ben Dickey as the titular Blaze Foley, this indie biopic feels like a natural follow-up to Hawke’s last directorial effort, Seymour: An Introduction. That documentary examined the life of Seymour Bernstein, a piano teacher with wise life lessons as curated by failure and regret. This film concerns Foley, an Arkansas-born but Texas-raised singer-songwriter who was killed at the young age of 39. Both are ultimately optimistic, though Hawke does well in finding the sour with the sweet. – Dan M. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon,...
- 1/25/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
I saw a star being born and it wasn’t Lady Gaga. It happened on a dance floor early on in Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” when Ron Stallworth, an undercover cop who — with the help of a white colleague — infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan, lets loose and starts pulling some fine Soul Train moves with a pretty and smart female head of a black student union. They go to a disco and soon they are both crooning along with the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose’s “It’s Too Late to Turn Back Now.” With his smooth moves, humorous aplomb, sweet smile and warm eyes, John David Washington is going places even if he sports a massive mushroom cloud of an Afro in this breakout role.
It might be a cliché. But sometimes it is an honor just to be nominated for an award, which in and of itself can lead to opportunities.
It might be a cliché. But sometimes it is an honor just to be nominated for an award, which in and of itself can lead to opportunities.
- 1/10/2019
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Ethan Hawke is a notorious multi-tasker. He writes articles, books, and scripts — both “Before Sunset” and “Before Midnight” (with Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater) were nominated for Adapted Screenplay Oscars. He’s a gifted theater director (“A Lie of the Mind”), musician, and songwriter.
His day job has yielded a couple of Supporting Actor Oscar nominations (Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day” and Linklater’s “Boyhood”). He can do everything from action westerns (“The Magnificent Seven” and the upcoming “The Kid”) to heist movies (Robert Budreau’s upcoming “Stockholm”) and sincere romance. And he’s having a good year: He’s in the running for a Best Actor nod for his performance as an angst-ridden priest in the Paul Schrader drama “First Reformed.”
Like fellow multi-taskers Mark Duplass, David Lowery, Amy Seimetz and Jeff Bridges, Hawke feeds his creative mojo with rich nutrients. That’s why, at age 47, he’s already...
His day job has yielded a couple of Supporting Actor Oscar nominations (Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day” and Linklater’s “Boyhood”). He can do everything from action westerns (“The Magnificent Seven” and the upcoming “The Kid”) to heist movies (Robert Budreau’s upcoming “Stockholm”) and sincere romance. And he’s having a good year: He’s in the running for a Best Actor nod for his performance as an angst-ridden priest in the Paul Schrader drama “First Reformed.”
Like fellow multi-taskers Mark Duplass, David Lowery, Amy Seimetz and Jeff Bridges, Hawke feeds his creative mojo with rich nutrients. That’s why, at age 47, he’s already...
- 8/20/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Not unlike its main subject, Ethan Hawke’s Blaze is likeable, long-winded and a little all over the place. Starring musician Ben Dickey as the titular Blaze Foley, this indie biopic feels like a natural follow-up to Hawke’s last directorial effort, Seymour: An Introduction. That documentary examined the life of Seymour Bernstein, a piano teacher with wise life lessons as curated by failure and regret. This film concerns Foley, an Arkansas-born but Texas-raised singer-songwriter who was killed at the young age of 39. Both are ultimately optimistic, though Hawke does well in finding the sour with the sweet.
Beginning at the end, a radio DJ (Hawke, in a cameo) speaks to Townes Van Zandt (Charlie Sexton) and a fellow friend/musician (Josh Hamilton) about Blaze. From here, the film jumps from moment to moment with a confident fluidity. Never linear, always moving. The core relationship quickly reveals itself to be...
Beginning at the end, a radio DJ (Hawke, in a cameo) speaks to Townes Van Zandt (Charlie Sexton) and a fellow friend/musician (Josh Hamilton) about Blaze. From here, the film jumps from moment to moment with a confident fluidity. Never linear, always moving. The core relationship quickly reveals itself to be...
- 1/26/2018
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
You might assume that music takes center stage given the subject of Seymour, but Ethan Hawke’s look at the reclusive concert pianist is so much more. Composer Seymour Bernstein is the focus of Seymour: An Introduction. Like the title would suggest, we briefly get to know the journey of a man who studied piano, went over-seas to war, composed musical arrangements, and then suddenly stopped performing publicly due to crippling stage fright. But that is what’s so great about Hawke’s documentary debut. Like a classically trained pianist who effortlessly can glide his fingers across keys without a single misstep, Hawke guides the film across multiple subjects, bringing into question music’s true purpose, finding true happiness, and the pros and cons of becoming famous for your art.
Seymour Bernstein may be one of the greatest pianists in the world and yet most of us might not have...
Seymour Bernstein may be one of the greatest pianists in the world and yet most of us might not have...
- 4/10/2015
- by Michael Haffner
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
CinemaNerdz readers have a chance to be one of the first to see the new film Seymour: An Introduction from filmmaker Ethan Hawke.
For your chance to win a run of engagement pass for two to a see Seymour: An Introduction beginning Monday, April 13th at the Maple Theater in Bloomfield, Michigan, just fill out the form below.
There you’ll be asked to provide a valid email address and a mailing address where we can send the tickets if you’re a winner. That’s it. That’s all you have to do to enter. We’ll contact you to let you know if you’ve won. But hurry, because the contest ends at 12:00am on Friday, April 10th!
About The Film
Seymour: An Introduction: Meet Seymour Bernstein: a virtuoso pianist, veteran New Yorker, and true original who gave up a successful concert career to teach music.
For your chance to win a run of engagement pass for two to a see Seymour: An Introduction beginning Monday, April 13th at the Maple Theater in Bloomfield, Michigan, just fill out the form below.
There you’ll be asked to provide a valid email address and a mailing address where we can send the tickets if you’re a winner. That’s it. That’s all you have to do to enter. We’ll contact you to let you know if you’ve won. But hurry, because the contest ends at 12:00am on Friday, April 10th!
About The Film
Seymour: An Introduction: Meet Seymour Bernstein: a virtuoso pianist, veteran New Yorker, and true original who gave up a successful concert career to teach music.
- 4/7/2015
- by Administrator
- CinemaNerdz
On behalf of his 2012 film "The Motel Life," Stephen Dorff will attend the 17th annual Ebertfest this year. Directed by Alan Polsky (a producer on Herzog's "Bad Lieutenant") and Gabe Polsky (director of 2014 doc "Red Army"), this working-class crime drama got a very positive review from Roger Ebert. The film was part of Dorff's career renaissance after getting a boost from Sofia Coppola's meandering "Somewhere." Also revealed is a list of panel discussions taking place at this year's Ebertfest from April 15-19 in Champaign-Urbana. On Sunday, April 19th following a screening of director Ethan Hawke's "Seymour: An Introduction," the film's subject, famed pianist Seymour Bernstein, will conduct an onstage master class with University of Illinois students. This year’s panel discussions, featuring many of the directors, actors, critics and other festival guests, including Heloise Godet, Godfrey Cheshire, Scott Foundas,...
- 4/7/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Meet Seymour Bernstein: a virtuoso pianist, veteran New Yorker, and true original who gave up a successful concert career to teach music.
In this wonderfully warm, witty, and intimate tribute from his friend, Ethan Hawke, Seymour shares unforgettable stories from his remarkable life and eye-opening words of wisdom, as well as insightful reflections on art, creativity, and the search for fulfillment.
A “poignant guide to life” (Indiewire) and an engaging exploration on the dedication, perseverance, and fortitude essential to creating both art and a rewarding life, Seymour: An Introduction will leave audiences uplifted and inspired.
Seymour: An Introduction opens in St. Louis on April 10 at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cine.
Wamg invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of Seymour: An Introduction on Thursday, April 9th at 7Pm in the St. Louis area.
We will contact the winners by email.
In this wonderfully warm, witty, and intimate tribute from his friend, Ethan Hawke, Seymour shares unforgettable stories from his remarkable life and eye-opening words of wisdom, as well as insightful reflections on art, creativity, and the search for fulfillment.
A “poignant guide to life” (Indiewire) and an engaging exploration on the dedication, perseverance, and fortitude essential to creating both art and a rewarding life, Seymour: An Introduction will leave audiences uplifted and inspired.
Seymour: An Introduction opens in St. Louis on April 10 at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cine.
Wamg invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of Seymour: An Introduction on Thursday, April 9th at 7Pm in the St. Louis area.
We will contact the winners by email.
- 3/30/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel in “The End of the Tour”
Champaign, Illinois isn’t quite Cannes or Park City, Utah, but the film festival hosted there annually in Roger Ebert’s name is as charming as they come. Now Ebertfest, in its 17th year, has announced its lineup of films prior to its four day run in April.
It was previously announced that Jean-Luc Godard’s acclaimed Goodbye to Language 3D would be the opening night film. Now Chaz Ebert has penned a touching love letter to her late husband detailing the choices they’ve made for the festival in his absence.
Among them are James Ponsoldt’s The End of the Tour, Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes, Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting On Existence, Céline Sciamma’s Girlhood, and special screenings of A Bronx Tale with Robert De Niro and the 1926 silent film The Son of the Sheik...
Champaign, Illinois isn’t quite Cannes or Park City, Utah, but the film festival hosted there annually in Roger Ebert’s name is as charming as they come. Now Ebertfest, in its 17th year, has announced its lineup of films prior to its four day run in April.
It was previously announced that Jean-Luc Godard’s acclaimed Goodbye to Language 3D would be the opening night film. Now Chaz Ebert has penned a touching love letter to her late husband detailing the choices they’ve made for the festival in his absence.
Among them are James Ponsoldt’s The End of the Tour, Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes, Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting On Existence, Céline Sciamma’s Girlhood, and special screenings of A Bronx Tale with Robert De Niro and the 1926 silent film The Son of the Sheik...
- 3/26/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Seymour: An Introduction Sundance Selects Reviewed for Shockya by Harvey Karten. Data-based on Rotten Tomatoes. Grade: A- Director: Ethan Hawke Cast: Seymour Bernstein, Kimball Gallagher, Andrew Harvey, Junko Ichikawa, Michael Kimmelman, Joseph Smith, Ethan Hawke Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 2/22/15 Opens: March 13, 2015 When Seymour Bernstein was sent to the front lines in Korea during that awful war in the early 1950s, he asked the officials whether he and a violinist could perform for fellow soldiers. “Classical music?” reported the official. “They’ll never go for that.” Now, these people had never heard classical music. Long story short, the audience would not let the duo off the stage. Music [ Read More ]
The post Seymour: An Introduction Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Seymour: An Introduction Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/20/2015
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Seymour: An Introduction
Directed by Ethan Hawke
USA, 2014
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty of an indifferent universe, virtuoso pianist Seymour Bernstein found order in his music. Ethan Hawke’s new documentary, Seymour: An Introduction, follows the reclusive Bernstein as he prepares for his first live performance in 35 years. Through powerful ruminations on his craft, we glimpse the inner workings of an artist whose love for music permeates every fiber of his being. Hawke gives us a terrific primer on one of classical music’s most talented and confounding figures.
“The real essence of who we are resides in our talent,” Bernstein reflects early in this free-flowing documentary. From an early age, he did everything in his power to nurture that talent; practicing prodigiously and challenging himself to compose new music every day. By his own admission, Bernstein never acclimated to life in the spotlight, as he struggled with stage fright...
Directed by Ethan Hawke
USA, 2014
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty of an indifferent universe, virtuoso pianist Seymour Bernstein found order in his music. Ethan Hawke’s new documentary, Seymour: An Introduction, follows the reclusive Bernstein as he prepares for his first live performance in 35 years. Through powerful ruminations on his craft, we glimpse the inner workings of an artist whose love for music permeates every fiber of his being. Hawke gives us a terrific primer on one of classical music’s most talented and confounding figures.
“The real essence of who we are resides in our talent,” Bernstein reflects early in this free-flowing documentary. From an early age, he did everything in his power to nurture that talent; practicing prodigiously and challenging himself to compose new music every day. By his own admission, Bernstein never acclimated to life in the spotlight, as he struggled with stage fright...
- 3/19/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Back at the 2014 New York Film Festival, the self-effacing musical Yoda at the center of “Seymour: An Introduction” sat down on stage with programmer Kent Jones and admitted that when he first heard the name of his director -- Ethan Hawke -- he said, “Who’s that?” The occasion was a dinner party several years ago to which both the pianist and the actor had been invited, and, in fact, wound up seated next to each other. There, they had a conversation that led to a documentary. Beforehand, however, Seymour Bernstein had had to look Hawke up. “I don’t go to the movies much,” the pianist and teacher rather shyly admitted. The film, which also made friends for itself -- and for Bernstein – at Toronto and Telluride, is an other-than-average musical biography. On one hand, it’s unique in taking as its subject a relatively obscure figure, who is...
- 3/19/2015
- by John Anderson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new music film “Seymour: An Introduction” from writer and director Ethan Hawke on beloved piano teacher Seymour Bernstein!
The film opens in Chicago on March 20, 2015 and is rated “PG”.
To win your free “Seymour: An Introduction” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 7 p.m. in Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
Preferably, use your computer to enter rather than your smartphone.
If you must enter on your smartphone, click “Go to Full Site” at the bottom of the page.
If viewing this page on your computer,...
The film opens in Chicago on March 20, 2015 and is rated “PG”.
To win your free “Seymour: An Introduction” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 7 p.m. in Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
Preferably, use your computer to enter rather than your smartphone.
If you must enter on your smartphone, click “Go to Full Site” at the bottom of the page.
If viewing this page on your computer,...
- 3/13/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Even if you aren’t familiar with classical music, it may be hard not to be stirred by Seymour: An Introduction, a tender, often terrific ode to one of America’s foremost classical pianists and music teachers. In his mid-eighties, Seymour Bernstein lives in the same cozy New York apartment he moved into 57 years ago, just as he was earning his first rave reviews for town hall recitals. There, he is solo and serene, his face relaxed as he plays a complex piece on the piano. He will spend close to half of his waking hours on the piano bench, trying to flex his fingers to reach a higher or lower octave.
Bernstein plays for joy, although director Ethan Hawke (making his third appearance behind the camera) convinces him to go out on a limb for his first public performance in 35 years. As we learn in Seymour: An Introduction, Bernstein...
Bernstein plays for joy, although director Ethan Hawke (making his third appearance behind the camera) convinces him to go out on a limb for his first public performance in 35 years. As we learn in Seymour: An Introduction, Bernstein...
- 3/13/2015
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
Get your mind out the gutter, Kelly Ripa! The set of Live! With Kelly and Michael took a naughty turn early Thursday morning when Oscar-nominee Ethan Hawke stopped by the show and spoke about his documentary, Seymour: An Introduction. Sounds innocent enough, right? Well, that was until the Boyhood star began to share how the subject of his film, Seymour Bernstein, helped him overcome his stage fright, telling hosts Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan, "Of course, the pianists have it worse than anybody. I mean, you want to talk about game day jitters. If I'm doing "Macbeth" at Lincoln Center, that's stressful,...
- 3/12/2015
- E! Online
This weekend, a young woman's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger in Disney's live-action "Cinderella," Liam Neeson's loyalties are split between his estranged son and his longtime friend and mob boss in "Run All Night," and a girl is followed by an unknown force after a sexual confrontation in the horror flick "It Follows."
Also in theaters this weekend: "The Cobbler" stars Adam Sandler as a shoe repairman who stumbles upon a magical heirloom in his New York shop that allows him to step into the lives of his customers. "The Wrecking Crew" is a documentary celebrating a group of session musicians who provided back-up instrumentals for artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to The Beach Boys. The documentary "Seymour: An Introduction" examines the amazing life of beloved pianist and teacher Seymour Bernstein. Ethan Hawke directs this poignant guide to life.
Also in theaters this weekend: "The Cobbler" stars Adam Sandler as a shoe repairman who stumbles upon a magical heirloom in his New York shop that allows him to step into the lives of his customers. "The Wrecking Crew" is a documentary celebrating a group of session musicians who provided back-up instrumentals for artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to The Beach Boys. The documentary "Seymour: An Introduction" examines the amazing life of beloved pianist and teacher Seymour Bernstein. Ethan Hawke directs this poignant guide to life.
- 3/12/2015
- by Jonny Black
- Moviefone
Read More: Telluride Review: Ethan Hawke Discovers a Brilliant Mind in 'Seymour: An Introduction Fresh off of an Oscar nomination, Ethan Hawke is back in the spotlight -- but this time, it's for his work behind the camera. After directing two feature films, Hawke presents his first documentary in "Seymour: An Introduction," a nuanced and detailed chronicle of the life of New York City pianist/composer/teacher Seymour Bernstein. The film premiered to great acclaim at last year's Telluride Film Festival, with the Wall Street Journal's Joe Morgenstern calling it "the best kind of movie experience." After a screening of the film on March 7 at 92Y, Hawke stuck around to discuss process, discovery and his relationship with the film's subject, Mr. Seymour Bernstein. The talk was moderated by Annette Insdorf as a part of the "Reel Pieces" series. As made clear in the video (posted above), he's long been...
- 3/10/2015
- by David Canfield
- Indiewire
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