This special event features screenings of Jim Sikora’s cult favorite The Earl (2007) and Michael Shannon’s acclaimed feature directorial debut Eric LaRue (2023), followed by an in-depth conversation moderated by Michael Phillips, exploring the journey from stage to screen, the artists’ decades-long creative collaborations, and the enduring influence of Chicago’s independent theater and film communities.

Although separated by nearly two decades, The Earl and Eric LaRue reveal the remarkable range of Neveu’s writing – from darkly comic, absurdist violence to emotionally devastating drama. Together, the two films offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience how one playwright’s work has inspired two distinct cinematic visions from longtime collaborators working at the forefront of independent American theater and film.

VIP MIXER

Before the event officially begins, VIP ticket holders get special access to join our special guests at the VIP MIXER held in The Studio at FACETS. Complementary bites and drinks will be provided.

THE EARL

Directed by Jim Sikora and adapted from Brett Neveu’s one-act play, THE EARL is a darkly comic and confrontational portrait of violence, masculinity, and fractured loyalty. This violent farce takes place at night in an empty factory, where three brothers take turns bashing each other with a crowbar in a game whose convoluted rules are known only to them.

Jim Sikora, 2007, 73 mins, USA

ERIC LARUE

Michael Shannon’s feature directorial debut, ERIC LARUE is adapted from Brett Neveu’s acclaimed play of the same name. The film follows the mother of a teenage boy who carried out a school shooting as she struggles with grief, isolation, and the possibility of reconciliation.

Michael Shannon, 2023, 119 mins, USA

LIVE CONVERSATION

The night concludes with a conversation featuring Michael Shannon, Brett Neveu, and Jim Sikora, moderated by Michael Phillips, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look at adapting theater for the screen, sustaining artistic collaborations over decades, and creating uncompromising work within Chicago’s independent arts community.