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Pelham Picture House Featuring 'The Martians', Talk Of Astronauts

The family-friendly series set for Sunday afternoons pairs current, classic and documentary films with lively presentations and discussions by notable figures in the world of science, technology, medicine, and film.

"The Martians" followed by a film discussion on astronauts is set for April 17 at Pelham Picture House.

"The Martians" followed by a film discussion on astronauts is set for April 17 at Pelham Picture House.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons
PELHAM, N.Y. -- "The Martians" followed by a discussion will open the Science on Screen film series Sunday, April 17 at Pelham Picture House.

The series is an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation from a grant.

"The Martian" recounts the story of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) who during a manned mission to Mars, is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. 

But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit, and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. 

Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring "the Martian" home, while his crew mates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. 

As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney's safe return. After the screening, The Picture House Director of Programming, Clayton Bushong, will moderate a Q&A with Commander Joel of the Lower Hudson Valley Challenger Center.

Commander Joel will discuss the way astronauts would have to prepare to make a mission to Mars, the feasibility of such a mission, as well as the reality of the rescue and other scenes depicted in the film. Samples of freeze dried ice-cream and grapes will be available to enhance the astronaut experience.

Dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission, Challenger Center programs continue the crew’s mission of engaging students in science, math, and technology and foster in them an interest to pursue careers in those fields. 

In June 1994, a Suffern High School project proposed turning a vacant school building into a Challenger Learning Center. The concept lit a fire in the community resulting in approval of the Lower Hudson Valley Challenger Center to become one of the then 30 Challenger Learning Centers in North America and the second in New York State. 

Tickets to the screening of "The Martians" and post-film discussion are $15/general admission, $12/members, $10/seniors and are available at www.thepicturehouse.org or at the box office, 175 WoClick here for more information, email info@thepicturehouse.org, or call (914) 738-3161.

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