Meet the Director: Brian Gerston (Hollywood's Mermaid)

Director Brian Gerston will join us for a discussion and Q&A after a screening of his documentary film about Hollywood's most glamorous swimming star - Hollywood's Mermaid: The Esther Williams Story, and a screening of her 1944 classic Bathing Beauty.

Hollywood’s Mermaid: The Esther Williams Story chronicles the remarkable life and work of Esther Williams. Through rarely seen archival footage and interviews we follow Esther from a 16-year-old Olympic hopeful and swimming sensation to a 90-year-old Hollywood icon. But this is not your typical hagiography and Esther was not your average Hollywood starlet: she was a record-breaking championship swimmer; a survivor of sexual assault and gender discrimination; a brilliant, successful, and groundbreaking entrepreneur; a proud mother to 3; and she was the dedicated godmother to the sport of synchronized swimming. By exploring Esther’s dazzling and picture-perfect onscreen persona and contrasting it with her often chaotic life behind closed doors viewers…