First Cow

Friday, March 12 - Thursday, March 18, 2021

Kelly Reichardt one again trains her perceptive and patient eye on the Pacific Northwest, this time evoking an authentically hardscrabble early nineteenth century way of life. A taciturn loner and skilled cook (John Magaro) has traveled west and joined a group of fur trappers in Oregon Territory, though he only finds true connection with a Chinese immigrant (Orion Lee) also seeking his fortune; soon the two collaborate on a successful business, although its longevity is reliant upon the cladestine participation of a nearby wealthy landownder’s prized milking cow. From this simple premise Reichardt constructs an interrogation of foundational Americna that recalls her earlier triumph Old Joy in its sensitive depiction of male friendship, yet is driven by a mounting suspense all its own. Reichardt again shows her distinct talent for depicting the peculiar rhythms of daily living and ability to capture the immense, unsettling quietude of rural America.

All screenings of FIRST COW feature an exclusive video introduction from filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, recorded to welcome back audiences to IFC Center for our reopening. Watch a compilation of highlights from all the filmmaker intros we received here.

• Country USA
• Running Time 121 minutes
• Distributor A24
• Director Kelly Reichardt
• Writer Jonathan Raymond, Kelly Reichardt
• Producer Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani
• Editor Kelly Reichardt
• Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt
• Cast John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones, Ewen Bremner, Scott Shepherd, Gary Farmer, Lily Gladstone

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.