In August 2011, celebrations of the 100th birthday of the late great cineaste Nicholas Ray (August 7, 1911-June 16, 1979) opened at the Venice Mostra with the world premiere of the restored/reconstructed version of Ray’s groundbreaking last film, We Can't Go Home Again, accompanied by Susan Ray's full-length companion piece, Don't Expect Too Much.
Called by some a visionary masterpiece, and by others a fool’s errand, We Can't Go Home Again embodies Ray’s last explorations in the medium that he called “the cathedral of the arts.” Along with its technical innovations unequaled even today, over 40 years after it was made, the film explores the face of a community at a critical moment in our cultural-political history and offers a searing portrait of the filmmaker’s soul.
The film’s restoration was accomplished through the collaboration of The Nicholas Ray Foundation, the The EYE Film Institute of the Netherlands and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Archive. Additional support was provided by the Venice Mostra; RAI Cinema; The Film Foundation; Gucci; La Cinematheque Francaise, The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, The Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino; and gracious private contributors.
Accompanying the release of We Can't Go Home Again will be several other projects reflecting the depth and breadth of Ray’s talent and interests, his unique contributions to the medium of moving pictures, and his significance as an artist, visionary, and teacher.
These will include:
