The combination of movie and month is, not surprisingly, perfect. Hidden Figures is based on the true story of three African-American women working at NASA as mathematicians in the 1960s. At the height of the Space Race, the trio played a key role in multiple missions, including Project Mercury, the program that made John Glenn the first American to orbit the Earth.
The groundbreaking mathematicians, Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, and Mary Jackson, are played by Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae, respectively. With her portrayal of Dorothy, Spencer earned herself an Oscar nod for best supporting actress. The Ted Melfi-directed film also stars Mahershala Ali, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Kostner.
Hidden Figures has been a box office surprise since it opened on December 25, outperforming its forecasts and reaching more than $144.75 million in ticket sales at the time of this writing. The film’s success hasn’t just been commercial, either. It has also received critical acclaim and is nominated for three Academy Awards, including best picture.
“The storytelling and message that Hidden Figures carries is endearing and inspiring, and based on the remarkable community support this movie has received,” AMC’s Elizabeth Frank said, according to Variey. “We have witnessed firsthand the powerful impact it is having on audiences.”
So far, free screenings are scheduled in Atlanta, Baltimore, the Bronx, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Oakland, St. Louis, Miami, and Washington, D.C. However, Fox and AMC Theatres are also inviting school and community groups as well as nonprofits to apply to hold special screenings. Tickets can be reserved in advance here so you don’t miss out.
