Newtown Theatre Hosts Special Screening Of 'Family Recipe'

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA — The Newtown Theatre will host a special screening of the Thanksgiving-themed indie film "The Family Recipe" on Sunday, Nov. 15, beginning at 7 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session with filmmaker Karl Ryan Erikson.

"The Family Recipe" is about family, tradition, and the chaos that unfolds when several generations gather under one roof for the Thanksgiving holiday.

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The ensemble comedy was independently produced and filmed entirely in New Jersey over 18 days in November 2024. The production was self-financed by Erikson and his wife, Caroline Erikson, and brought together a cast and crew from New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York.

"The Family Recipe" has since won Best Feature Film at the Long Island International Film Expo and the Rutherford Film Festival.

Erikson has also been building an audience through festival appearances and event-style screenings. About 150 people attended an outdoor presentation at Norz Hill Farm, while roughly 140 people attended a Thursday-night screening at Reading Cinemas Manville. That screening was followed by a cast and filmmaker Q&A.

A scene from the movie.

A scene from the movie.

Erikson is a New Jersey writer, director, and editor who earned a BFA in filmmaking from Montclair State University, where he received the Excellence in Filmmaking Award. He later founded Lucky Elephant Films and has written multiple award-winning screenplays and produced narrative projects.

His World War II short film "Addle Strife" reached more than two million viewers online and screened internationally in Carentan, France. It also received the Audience Choice Award at the Monmouth Film Festival and played at Newtown Theatre in 2017.

"The Family Recipe" is Erikson's feature-film directorial debut. He wrote, directed, and edited the movie and set out to create a warm ensemble comedy that could be enjoyed by multiple generations together. The Nov. 15 screening also marks a return to Newtown Theatre, where his short film was shown in 2017.

Tickets are $12 and are available through the theatre's website.