May 3, 1999 Director Liane Brandon to Speak

Director Liane Brandon will introduce her film "Betty Tells Her Story" Thursday, May 13, at 7 p.m. in the Library of Congress Mary Pickford Theater as part of a continuing series of National Film Registry screenings.

The story Betty tells is, by turns, humorous and painful. She talks about how she was invited to a ball, bought a beautiful dress that she could not afford, modeled it for admiring friends, and then -- by a fluke -- did not get to wear it. Ms. Brandon films Betty retelling the story later in the day, but this time a breezy recounting of thwarted plans becomes an anguished tale of self-doubt and resentment of society's emphasis on physical appearances.

Liane Brandon is an award-winning independent filmmaker and co-founder of New Day Films, the nationally known cooperative that has pioneered distribution of films about women and social change. She is a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

"Betty Tells Her Story" will be shown with "Happy Mother's Day" (Richard Leacock and Joyce Chopra with Nancy Sen, 1964) and "Conversations with Willard Van Dyke" (Amalie R. Rothschild, 1981). After the screening, the audience will have the opportunity to recommend the films for the National Film Registry. The Mary Pickford Theater is on the third floor of the Library of Congress Madison building, and is the public exhibition venue of the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division. Reservations may be made by phone, beginning one week before any given show; call (202) 707-5677. Reserved seats must be claimed at least 10 minutes before showtime, after which standbys will be admitted to unclaimed seats. All programs are free, but seating is limited to 64 seats.