Cantankerous, stubborn, booze-addled Woody Grant (Bruce Dern, in an Academy Award–nominated turn) is convinced he has won a million-dollar sweepstakes prize and is bound and determined to travel from Montana to Nebraska to collect the winnings. When he sets off on foot to make the 750-mile journey, Woody’s son David (Will Forte)—despite his insistence that his father is being scammed—agrees to drive him to the Cornhusker State. On their drive, which includes a stop in Woody’s hometown of Hawthorne, Nebraska, family secrets, stories, and strains come to light. A deceptively simple film, shot in crisp black-and-white, NEBRASKA sneaks up on you, a sensitive and lyrical reflection on fathers and sons, and a bittersweet portrait of rural America.

Awards & Nominations

Nominee - Palme d'Or, Cannes Film Festival
Winner - Best Actor (Bruce Dern), Cannes Film Festival
Nominee - Best Film, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Bruce Dern), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (June Squibb), Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Academy Awards

Heartland: Flyover country, the third coast, the rust belt. The American Midwest has plenty of nicknames, and is arguably more difficult to outline on a map than the east or west coasts. Despite its ambiguous footprint, the Midwest is often defined by its people: hard working, sympathetic, and “nice.” With Heartland, we search for the Midwest's cinematic definition—how is middle America defined by big screen style and story, and when the lights go down, do we like what we see of our cinematic selves (however realistic or fantastical) reflected back at us? Read more

The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu