Arts Circle and Film Lover Members, you and a guest are invited to join us for a special screening of A Compassionate Spy, followed by an in-person conversation with director Steve James, moderated by Josh Welsh (President, Film Independent).

Beverages will be served prior to the screening, starting at 6:30 pm PT.

Recruited in 1944 as an 18-year-old Harvard undergraduate to be the youngest physicist on the Manhattan Project, Ted Hall didn’t share his colleagues’ elation after the successful detonation of the world’s first atomic bomb. Increasingly concerned during 1944 – with Germany clearly losing the war – that a U.S. post-war monopoly on such a powerful weapon could lead to nuclear catastrophe, he decided, beginning that October, to start passing key information about the bomb’s construction to the Soviet Union. After the war, at the University of Chicago, he met and married Joan, a fellow student with whom he shared a passion for classical music and socialist causes — and the explosive secret of his espionage. Living under a cloud of suspicion and years of FBI surveillance and intimidation, the pair raised a family while Ted refocused his scientific brilliance on groundbreaking biophysics research. A Compassionate Spy, two-time Oscar® nominee Steve James’ nuanced documentary, reveals the twists and turns of this real-life spy story, its profound impact on nuclear history, and the couple’s remarkable love and life together during more than 50 years of marriage.

The film was an official selection of the 2022 Venice Film Festival and the 2022 Telluride Film Festival.

From Magnolia Pictures, A Compassionate Spy will be available everywhere August 4.

 
2023, 101 minutes, color | Directed by Steve James | Featuring Ted Hall, Joan Hall, Ruth London, Sara Hall, Sarah Sax, Boria Sax, Joseph Albright, Marcia Kunstel, Daniel Axelrod | Produced by Mark Mitten p.g.a., Dave Lindorff, Steve James | Executive Produced by Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Tim Horsburgh, Gordon Quinn
 

Registration Information

For information about Arts Circle, learn more, or contact Jennifer Murby at jmurby@filmindependent.org.

Arts Circle and Film Lover Members can register for this event starting at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 12. | Registration is free; one registration per Membership. | Proof of Member status is required to complete registration.
 

Tickets/Parking

On the day of the event, registered Members may pick up tickets as early as one hour prior to the scheduled start time – look for Film Independent signage. Tickets are nontransferable and for general, unreserved theater seating only (except for Arts Circle Members). Attendees must be in their seat(s) at least 15 minutes prior to the advertised start time or seat(s) may be released. Entry/seating will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests may not enter the venue without the Member who registered them present. Registration does not guarantee entry, even with a ticket in hand.

Masks are recommended, but not required. This is subject to change as we continue to monitor public health guidance.

Complimentary parking provided with validation. Garage entrance on Masselin.
 

Accessibility

Film Independent is committed to hosting events that are accessible. For inquiries regarding accessibility, or to request an accommodation, please contact us at accessibility@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9305.
 

Screening Policies

Availability window and registration capacity may vary; always register as early as possible. Limit one registration per Membership, per event.

Members are required to follow all rules and guidelines as laid out by Film Independent and/or its partners. If a guest has been registered for an event by a Member, these policies shall apply to that guest. Violation of policies may result in suspension or termination of Membership.

Event details and guest participation are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.