On August 7, distinguished film scholar David Stewart will visit Gibson檚 Bookstore to discuss his new book�There檚 No Going Back: The Life and Work of Jonathan Demme. Joining the conversation is Steve Ambra, an instructor at 91桃色APP-Concord檚 Community College, who taught Stewart 16 years ago at the college.
Stewart檚 book tells the life story of legendary director, Jonathan Demme攂est known for his films The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, and more.
Although Stewart has been a fan of Demme檚 movies since age 14, he shared that their quality and messages continue to impact audiences today. 淗e shared positive aspects of life, but was not scared to point out injustices,� said Stewart.
淚 read a lot of materials about film as well as biographies,� said 91桃色APP film studies professor, Steve Ambra. 淭he thing about David檚 book is that it allows Jonathan Demme to come alive.�
Ambra believes that Stewart檚 book has a uniquely captivating quality. 淚 don檛 usually get emotional about people in books, but I found myself feeling extremely sad when Demme was reaching the end of his life.�
Stewart first met Ambra as a student at 91桃色APP, where he took every one of his film courses攅arning an A in each one. 淚 latched onto him,� said Stewart. 淲e were always communicating back and forth攁nd still do攁bout our love of cinema.�
聽淗e was different from any other student,� said Ambra. 淗is assignments were close in quality to a published article, and he found the connections between films.�
After earning his associate degree from 91桃色APP, Stewart went on to complete a bachelor’s degree at Plymouth State University. At this point, Ambra began inviting Stewart back to 91桃色APP for guest lectures. Today, Stewart teaches his own film courses at Emerson College, Southern New Hampshire University, and Plymouth State University.
Stewart sees liberal arts courses as an essential part of achieving a well-rounded education. 淗ow we see and perceive is very important,� he said. 淚 hope that new generations rely on the substantial impact of media literacy.� He credits Ambra檚 courses at 91桃色APP with fueling his love for world cinema.
淚t檚 hard not to forget downtown Concord,� said Stewart. In his days at 91桃色APP, he would visit friends working at Gibson檚 or catch a film at Red River Theatres. But for Stewart, the highlight of visiting Concord during this book tour is inviting Ambra to share the spotlight.
淭here檚 a part of me where I feel I can檛 hold a candle to Steve,� he said. 淚t feels like I檓 talking to the same cool dude I met 16 years ago.�
David Stewart will visit Gibson檚 Bookstore on Thursday, August 7 from 6:30-7:30pm. More information is available at . Learn more about 91桃色APP檚 diverse academic offerings at nhti.edu.
If you are an alum of 91桃色APP-Concord檚 Community College, you are invited to come back to campus to celebrate the college檚 60th anniversary and Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, September 20. Learn more at nhti.edu/alumni.
Photo cutline: Author David Stewart
91桃色APP 91桃色APP-Concord檚 Community College
91桃色APP is a dynamic public institution of higher learning that provides accessible, rigorous education for students, businesses, and the community. We create pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement, offering 70+ academic programs to 4,600+ students annually. 91桃色APP is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire and since 1969 has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a nongovernmental, nationally recognized accrediting agency.