“It's a lovely and loving film.” - Philip French, Guardian
“What a lovely film this is, so gentle and whimsical, so simple and profound.” - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Wednesday, Augusts 27, 6:00 p.m. & Saturday, August 30, 2:00 p.m. | Altman’s warm final film takes place over one night, as the performers and producers of the beloved radio show A Prairie Home Companion record their final broadcast. The Johnson Girls (Meryl Streep and longtime Altman collaborator Lily Tomlin), cowboys Dusty and Lefty (Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly), and the show’s host, GK (Garrison Keillor, creator of the public radio show of the same name) are visited by a ghost (Virginia Madsen), as they reminisce about the good old days and prepare to go on air. Altman was 80 during production-—Paul Thomas Anderson was hired as a backup director to appease studio concern regarding Altman’s health-—and he passed away just months after the film was released. A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION fittingly serves as a farewell from Altman: a tribute to the enduring power of storytelling, and a bittersweet ode to goodbyes.
Awards & Nominations
Nominee - Golden Bear, Berlin Film Festival
Nominee - Best Ensemble Performance, Gotham Awards
Nominee - Best Director, Film Independent Spirit Awards
Robert Altman Centennial | June–August 2025
Robert Altman (1925–2006) is one of the rare directors whose name alone conjures his style. Say a film is “Altmanesque” and you’ll get nods of understanding—most cinephiles know the auteur’s calling cards: large ensemble casts; overlapping dialogue; a roving camera, and a subtle critique of the American Dream. Altman was prolific (a hardworking midwesterner), directing 36 feature films, and well over 100 episodes of television. Nominated for five Best Director Academy Awards, Altman was presented with an Honorary Academy Award in 2006—and he passed away nine months later, at the age of 81. When asked by Playboy Magazine in 1976, “When you look into your future, what do you want to have accomplished?” Altman answered, “All I want is to do what I'm doing. What else would I do?”
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