Adapted from Ann Brashares’s bestselling novel by screenwriters Delia Ephron and Elizabeth Chandler, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS (2005) follows four high school friends – Bridget (Blake Lively), Carmen (America Ferrera), Lena (Alexis Bledel), and Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) – held together while spending life-changing summer vacations apart by mutual dedication…and by the magical vintage jeans they share as a symbol of their connection. The fanciful premise belies the film’s grounded, clear-eyed evocations of girlhood, as director Ken Kwapis combines vivid locations, insightful writing, and moving performances into something deeply felt, accessible, and affirmative.
At a distance of two decades, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS resonates more widely than ever, both as a collective generational experience and as an evergreen instance of Hollywood studio filmmaking at its most affecting. Like the pants of its title, SISTERHOOD looks good in almost every light, so it’s no surprise Kwapis’s film has proven so versatile on home media. But the accomplished cinematography of John Bailey (MISHIMA, GROUNDHOG DAY) has an exceptional presence on the big screen, as do the starmaking turns of its four leads, making this 35mm screening a rare opportunity to revisit THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS in all its exuberant, tear-inducing splendor, together with old friends and new.
For this special presentation, Block Cinema will welcome director and Northwestern graduate Ken Kwapis for a discussion about the film’s making and 21-year impact.
Presented in partnership with the Master of Science in Leadership for Creative Enterprises (MSLCE), the EPICS program, and the Radio/TV/Film department at Northwestern University.
Cost: Free
Block Museum of Art
(847) 491-4000
Email