Film
Thousand Pieces of Gold
An underrated gem of 90s American independent filmmaking, Nancy Kelly’s Thousand Pieces of Gold offers a feminist lens on the classic Western tale. Adapted by filmmaker and writer Anne Makepeace from Ruthanne Lum McCunn’s historical 1981 novel, the film tells the story of Lalu, a young Chinese woman (Chao) sold into slavery by her own parents, trafficked to a nefarious saloonkeeper in Idaho's gold country, then won in a poker game by a man who eventually gains her trust (Cooper). Drawing comparisons to John Ford, Kelly, an acclaimed documentarian making her fiction debut, subverts the Western genre’s patriarchal and misogynistic worldview, instead lending a nuanced, emotional, and profoundly empathetic perspective to this story of frontier survival and immigrant isolation.
Presented in a new 4k restoration by Indiecollect
Watch our virtual Q&A with director Nancy Kelly, producer Kenji Yamamoto, actors Rosalind Chao and Chris Cooper, and screenwriter Anne Makepeace on YouTube
Leadership support for BAM Access Programs provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation.
Leadership support for BAM Film provided by the Ford Foundation and The Thompson Family Foundation
Go to the movies just once a month and a BAM membership pays for itself.
As we welcome you back to our theaters, we are committed to making your experience as safe as possible. Check out our BAM Rose Cinemas Reopening FAQ for more information.
New 4K restoration! Channeling the exuberance of the French New Wave, Melvin Van Peebles’ playful, subversive 1968 feature concerns an African-American soldier who finds romance with a white woman in France.
A new documentary charting the remarkable life and 70-year career of the multi-talented Rita Moreno, who defied both her humble upbringing and relentless racism to become a celebrated actor.
Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda offers a vibrant musical portrait of life by the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this tight-knit community.