“Magic Hour” with Filmmaker Jacqueline Christy
Best Bet
Film/Movie
Ojai Art Center
**Events may have been canceled or postponed. Please contact the venue to confirm the event.
Date & Time
Sun, Nov 01 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Address (map)
113 So. Montgomery St.
Venue (website)
Ojai Art Center
Written and directed by Jacqueline Christy in her feature debut, “Magic Hour” follows Harriet (Miriam Shor), a once-promising filmmaker stuck in suburban New Jersey. Her husband is cheating, her teenage daughter wants nothing to do with her, and her ambitions went quiet long ago. Harriet leads a double life as a student filmmaker, loving the grueling work. When she’s fired from her own film and found out by her daughter, she needs to decide whether her life’s ambition is folly or a dream worth saving.
Christy drew on her own experience returning to film school as an adult. “Beginning again is exciting but humbling,” she said. She describes the film as a portrait of a supportive creative community, made “with love, and gentle satire.” It also argues that kindness becomes a form of leadership, even in the film business.
“Magic Hour” premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and since played at some twenty other festivals, collecting 18 audience and jury awards. Reviewers called it “emotional, inspiring, and refreshing” (Film Threat) and praised its “important commentary about male and female approaches to filmmaking” (The Contending).
Miriam Shor won Best Performance at the Berkshire Film Festival and Distinguished Performance at Black Bear for the role. Television viewers know her as Diana Trout on “Younger,” and she earned a 2026 Emmy nomination for her guest role in Apple TV+’s “Pluribus.” She’s joined by Sendhil Ramamurthy (“Heroes,” “Never Have I Ever”) and Josh Stamberg (“WandaVision,” “The Morning Show”), who is no stranger to Ojai from his work with the Ojai Playwrights Conference.
“Magic Hour” screens Sunday, November 1, at 7 p.m. at the Ojai Art Center, 113 South Montgomery Street, Ojai. Writer-director Jacqueline Christy will join in a post-screening conversation with Ojai Film Festival founder Steve Grumette. Tickets are $10 available at the door. No advance tickets! Arrive early to ensure a seat.
