The Public (2018) (Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright; dir. Emilio Estevez)

[Samus Aran]

The Public 2018 First trailer - YouTube

The film follows a group of homeless library patrons, who, after learning that emergency shelters are at capacity during a brutal Midwestern cold front, refuse to leave Cincinnati’s downtown public library at closing time. What begins as a nonviolent occupy sit-in and ragtag act of civil disobedience quickly escalates into a stand-off with local riot police, a no-nonsense crisis negotiator, and a savvy DA with lofty political ambitions.

Starring Alec Baldwin, Emilio Estevez, Jena Malone, Taylor Schilling, Christian Slater, Che "Rhymefest" Smith, Gabrielle Union, Jacob Vargas, Michael Kenneth Williams and Jeffrey Wright.

It's Estevez's first film either behind or in front of the camera since 2010.

This film has been selected to open the Santa Barbara Film Festival, which kicks off January 31.