AceShowbiz - To build anticipation for the upcoming release of The Christophers, the art-driven drama directed by Steven Soderbergh, Neon is organizing a series of conversations that bring together the film's creators and notable figures from the art world.

This special event series will be hosted at the Sotheby’s Breuer Building and the WSA in Lower Manhattan. It will include appearances by The Christophers stars Michaela Coel and Ian McKellen, screenwriter Ed Solomon, and director Soderbergh. They will be joined by prominent art figures such as Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jerry Saltz and artist-educator Ajay Kurian, facilitating rich discussions about the intersection of film and contemporary art.

Following these talks, special screenings of The Christophers will be held on April 14 and April 15 across various cities including Austin, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. These screenings will be complemented by conversations featuring local artists and art experts, further exploring themes from the film.

The conversation series kicks off on April 9 with an event titled "The Art of Making The Christophers." This live discussion features the filmmakers alongside Andrew Goldstein, formerly head of Artnet News, focusing on the creative process behind the film and its portrayal of the lives of working artists.

On April 10, the program continues with "Canvas on the Silver Screen," which includes a sequence of three discussions. The first is a one-on-one conversation between Jerry Saltz and Ian McKellen, delving into the film’s artistic elements. This will be followed by a dialogue between Ed Solomon and Ajay Kurian on the screenwriting process of The Christophers. The day concludes with a panel titled "Inside the Artist’s Studio: The Real Dynamics of the Artist-Assistant Relationship," moderated by Kurian and featuring artists such as Jamian Juliano-Villani and Ian Cheng.

The plot of The Christophers centers on estranged relatives, played by Jessica Gunning and James Corden, who enlist the help of a struggling artist portrayed by Michaela Coel to steal and complete the unfinished works of a famous artist, played by Ian McKellen. Neon acquired the film following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Neon will release The Christophers in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on April 10, with a nationwide rollout starting April 17. Interested attendees can find the full schedule of events on the official Neon website.