Banished from her East Coast family, Josephine Monaghan reinvents herself as a man to survive the American frontier. Inspired by a true story, Maggie Greenwald’s quietly radical Western upends the genre’s conventions, with a remarkable lead performance from Suzy Amis (and a young Ian McKellen in support). 

Following the screening, director Maggie Greenwald joins curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson for a conversation about her film, followed by audience Q&A.

About Maggie Greenwald: Writer-Director

 Award winning writer-director Maggie Greenwald’s film Sophie and the Rising Sun premiered at Sundance in 2016, as the Salt Lake City Gala World Premiere. This was Greenwald’s third film in the festival. Songcatcher won the Award for Ensemble Performance at Sundance 2000. The Kill-Off (1990), was adapted from the Jim Thompson novel. It is described by the British Film Institute as one of the “100 Best American Independent Films.” The film is set to be restored and released by the Kino Lorber in 2026.

 Her ground-breaking film, The Ballad of Little Jo premiered in 1993. In 2024, the film was listed among the top 100 Westerns of All Time by Indiewire (#54). The film was restored and re-released by Kino Lorber in 2023.

 Greenwald’s numerous TV movies include What Makes a Family which received a GLAAD Award, Tempted and the Christmas classic Comfort and Joy for Lifetime. She directed Get a Clue for the Disney Channel and Good Morning, Killer for TNT. Her recent forays into episodic directing include Madam Secretary and Nashville. Greenwald continues to write and develop screenplays for film and television.

 She also teaches screenwriting and directing at Sarah Lawrence College, Columbia University School of the Arts MFA program, and NYU Tisch Graduate Film Program.

About Andrew Patrick Nelson, PhD: Chief Curator at Western Spirit Museum

 Dr. Nelson is a leading authority on Western cinema, art, and culture, and the author and editor of numerous books and essays. His insights have been featured in the New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and on NPR, and he regularly appears as a commentator on the History Chanel and other networks. He also cohosts the popular Western movie podcast How the West Was ‘Cast and is the author of the book Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969 – 1980.

Program Info:

Thursday, October 29, 2026
6:00 p.m.
FREE for Museum Members (Members, log-in first to reserve tickets)
FREE with Museum Admission
$10 for just the program