BLINDED BY THE LIGHT:
1 hour 57 minutes
Friday, August 30 – 7 pm
Saturday, August 31 – 4 pm & 7:30 pm /
Sunday, September 1 – 4 pm & 7:30 pm /
Wednesday, September 4 – 7 pm /
Thursday, September 5 – 7 pm
Inspired by a true story, based on Sarfraz Manzoor’s acclaimed memoir, Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N’ Roll, Blinded by the Light tells the story of Javed (Viveik Kalra), a British teen of Pakistani descent growing up in the town of Luton, England, in 1987. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in the powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.
Insider tip: “Combining both the universality and specificity of Springsteen’s music, Blinded by the Light is an exuberant anthem to the importance of music, the need to be seen and the hope of new possibilities” (Ian Freer, Empire). Clint Worthington, Consequence of Sound, adds: “As a crowd-pleasing, emotionally gripping joyride about the ways in which music can change our lives, it’s one to see, and more than once.”