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Boston Globe
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Nantucket Film Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary
Brabbée said this year's festival feels like both a celebration and reunion as past festivalgoers, talent, staff members, filmmakers, and community members prepare to return to Nantucket. 'We're really excited to have so many people who have been part of the festival's fabric over the years be woven back in,' she said. 'And of course, the audience, we're really excited to just share what we've created for them.' Advertisement For over a year, Brabbée and her team have planned numerous events to celebrate NFF's three decades of storytelling. One of those is this year's seaside garden soiree, ' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Elin Hilderbrand Nantucket Film Festival Brabbée also highlighted an event where journalist Lesley Stahl will lead a discussion with historian Nathaniel Philbrick and filmmaker Ken Burns about Burns's new 12-hour documentary series, ' After a seven-year hiatus, Advertisement The heart of the festival, of course, is film. The week kicks off with a pre-festival screening on June 24 of NFF's centerpiece film, ' The documentary celebrates the film's cultural impact with never-before-seen footage from director Steven Spielberg. It'll be followed by a panel discussion of the film's effects on the industry and the public's perception of sharks. Then on the festival's official first day, NFF has two films lined up. There's the documentary ' from 2017 to 2023 as she navigates national crises and motherhood. For those interested in a more narrative film, there's ' Film still of Jacinda Ardern working from home with her baby from "Prime Minister." Nantucket Film Festival Basil Tsiokos, NFF's senior programmer, said figuring out an opener for a festival can be challenging because it's about getting a sense of what audiences want to see while considering the tone being set for the rest of the festival. 'I think that's one of the reasons why we did two films for opening night, is to kind of capture the complexity of a festival that celebrates not only screenwriting fictional, but also storytelling in the sort of documentary sense,' Tsiokos said. 'So, both of those films are incredibly strong and so we thought it was a great way to kick things off.' Dylan O'Brien and James Sweeney in "Twinless." Nantucket Film Festival Outside of the documentaries and features, Anita Raswant, NFF's lead programmer, highlighted the shorts programming as a great selection that allows audiences to take in strong stories in shorter segments. Advertisement With so many offerings, the NFF team emphasized festivalgoers' ability to personalize their experiences, so they can get the most out of their trips to Nantucket and enjoy the festival community. 'It is important to gather people together to watch film,' Tsiokos said. 'Films open up the world to audiences and, yes, you can get access to films down the line, on streamers and on whatever, which is great, and that's part of the ecosystem as well, but there's something to be said for being in person.' NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL June 25-30. Single screening tickets start at $20. For more information, including films, locations, and screening times, visit
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Federal student aid is on the chopping block. Meet five students at Mass. colleges who depend on it.
Advertisement The 'big, beautiful' budget reconciliation bill that narrowly passed the House last month with Trump's support would threaten part-time students' eligibility for Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'If you're not from a high-income family, there's not a lot to look forward to in terms of college costs going forward, given these policies,' said Phillip Levine, a Wellesley College economics professor who studies college pricing. 'If college access is your goal, this does not do it.' Advertisement With these threats looming large, the Globe spoke to five incoming and current students at Massachusetts colleges who rely on federal financial aid in one form or another. They shared what that money means for the lives they've cultivated — and the futures they hope to build. Here's what they told us. Down to your 'last dollar' The way Tyrie Daniel sees it, he wouldn't be getting his associate's degree next year if it weren't for the Pell Grant. The 34-year-old Cambridge resident first enrolled in Bunker Hill Community College in 2014, but he had to drop out to help his family pay rent. He returned in 2023 to study cybersecurity under Tyrie Daniel returned to Bunker Hill Community College in 2023 to study cybersecurity under the new MassReconnect program, which made his tuition free. Lane Turner/Globe Staff But Massachusetts treats programs like MassReconnect as $655 for the three-credit class he is enrolled in, which he balances with a variety of odd jobs, from cleaning to a side-hustle selling spices. 'I wanted to go full-time, but I have, you know, four businesses and rent and life,' he said. Under the House bill, students first receiving Pell Grants after July 1, 2026, would not be eligible for money if they were enrolled less than half-time — a threshold that, under the bill, would climb to a minimum of 15 credits per year, or 7.5 credits a semester. That would squeeze state programs such as MassReconnect and could also increase dropout rates for students across the board, the Advertisement 'It's pretty discouraging,' said Daniel of the proposed changes. When the levy breaks For Isabel Crews, getting her acceptance letter into Harvard University was a dream. Seeing her financial aid packet made it come true. The incoming freshman, who grew up in a small, rural town in central Missouri, qualified for a Pell Grant, plus $4,000 from the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, meant for students with 'exceptional financial need.' (Trump proposed slashing these grants in his fiscal year But the majority of her education will be funded by Harvard itself, which promises to cover all tuition, room, and board expenses for students 'If it wasn't for their really comprehensive aid, I would not have been able to attend,' said Crews, who is saving up from her beauty store and waitressing jobs before she heads to Cambridge. 'The uncertainty is always a little bit overwhelming, because at any point in time, you don't know what's going to happen next,' Crews said. 'We obviously didn't expect what has happened up to this point to happen at all.' Advertisement Soldiering on When Dallas teenager Bryan Gonzalez started his college search, his parents, both immigrants from Mexico, encouraged him to look at schools with generous financial aid. Heeding this advice, his high school counselor told him to check out Babson College. When he starts his freshman year there this fall, it will be because of a hard-won patchwork of aid: $64,000 a year from the Wellesley school, the maximum annual Pell Grant of $7,395, $1,000 a year through the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and $9,000 a year from a private scholarship. When Dallas teenager Bryan Gonzalez start his freshman year at Babson College this fall, it will be because of a hard-won patchwork of aid. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff But headlines about cutbacks of the Department of Education have stoked concerns for Gonzalez and his family; they have very little wiggle room if even one portion of his funding were to unravel. So, in part to shore up his financial situation, Gonzalez plans to apply for a scholarship from the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, which can pay for students' tuition as they train for the military. 'That'll be another source of funding that I could rely on, just in case things go south with financial aid,' said Gonzalez, who plans to study finance and entrepreneurship. A grim prognosis Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, when she spent hours at a time engrossed in surgery videos on YouTube, Lydia Du has been laying the groundwork for medical school. Du, who just wrapped up her freshman year at Tufts University studying biology, gets an $81,000 grant from Tufts, plus a Pell Grant, a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and $2,200 a year as a student electrician for Tufts' theatre department through federal work-study. But with the House bill proposing the phase-out of grad PLUS loans — which often Advertisement 'Everyone's kind of sitting there like, 'So, for those of us whose parents don't make $500,000 a year, are we screwed?'' she said. For now, she's just hoping the tide turns by the time she graduates, or that another boon comes through. 'I think I will apply to scholarships until my hands fall off,' she said. A private struggle For many students, cuts to financial aid remain hypothetical anxieties. Not Aiyina Meng. Last year, Meng was accepted into Worcester Polytechnic Institute's newly formed U-RISE@Wπ program — an initiative, funded by the National Institutes of Health, meant to support biomedical students from underrepresented communities. The program was a crucial financial cushion for Meng, carrying a yearly $16,000 scholarship and $14,000 stipend. She already receives a $25,000-a-year scholarship from WPI and has taken out $10,000 in federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans to finance her education, so the U-RISE money was a game-changer. 'It was like my ticket down this road,' said Meng, an incoming junior studying biotechnology and biology. Even with two part-time jobs and her plans to graduate a year early, Worcester Polytechnic Institute student Aiyina Meng still expects to have to take out private loans to get through her final year. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff But in April, Meng was informed that NIH had terminated the $1.6 million grant that supported U-RISE at WPI. The school scraped together enough money to pay Meng's stipend through the summer, and she picked up another part-time job at a family friend's restaurant as an extra source of income. Even with those jobs and her plans to graduate a year early, she still expects to have to take out private loans — which Advertisement 'I just don't see another way,' said Meng. 'I have to get my degree somehow.' Dana Gerber can be reached at
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
What led the Red Sox to trade Rafael Devers? Recapping a tumultuous four months.
But as surprising as Devers' exit might be, Sunday was the final development in a season rife with drama and tension between Devers and the Red Sox. Related : Here's a summary of all that transpired between the Red Sox and the former face of their franchise over the last few months. Advertisement Feb. 17, 2025: Bregman's arrival leads to pushback The Red Sox's Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Bregman's arrival expected to give Boston a right-handed power bat with a championship pedigree, and would allow manager Alex Cora to slot a Gold Glove winner at third who could improve the team's porous defense. Despite Devers' production at the plate, his defense had left a lot to be desired over the years — he led the AL in errors at third every season since 2018. His 12 errors in 2024 were his fewest since debuting in 2017, but Devers still finished the year Related : Advertisement Even though playing Bregman at third and shifting Devers to DH would seemingly keep Devers healthy and improve Boston's defense, Devers's first media sit-down during spring training centered around him bristling at the notion of moving out of the field. 'Third base is my position,' Devers told reporters the day Bregman signed. 'It's what I've played. I don't know what their plans are. I know we had a conversation. I made it clear, kind of what my desires were and whatever happens from here, I don't know.' 'They asked me the question about how I feel about DH and, yeah, I gave them the answer I just gave: No,' Devers later said, adding that it was a 'surprise' to be asked to DH if the scenario played out. 'I'm someone that I believe in people's word, and I take it to heart and yeah, it was very surprising that they would suggest that.' When the Red Sox initially signed Devers 'Different people here. There is a different leader here. Chaim is in St. Louis now,' Alex Cora said in reference to any guarantees being made about Devers' position back in January 2023. Feb. 25, 2025: Devers says he's 'not frustrated,' but wants to remain at third A week after Devers's comments after Bregman's signing, Devers said he was not frustrated with the organization. 'I feel like I said everything I needed to say that day,' Advertisement 'My kids are good. I have no reason to be frustrated about anything. I don't listen to what's said. I don't pay attention to what is said. I just know what I'm capable of. I'm happy being this way.' At that point in spring, Cora and the Red Sox had not officially committed to moving Devers off third. Related : Devers said he didn't understand why his initial comments were so notable. 'I really don't know why this is becoming such a big story,' Devers said. 'We're a team and we communicate with each other. I think the most important thing is us to have good chemistry together. Like I've always said since Day 1, the most important thing for me is that we win. That's where I stand.' March 13, 2025: Devers changes his tune Weeks after pushing back about moving off third base, Devers changed his sentiment midway through spring training. 'I just want to help the team win,' March 27 — 29, 2025: Devers entrenched as DH With the season about to get underway, Cora made things official. 'We had conversations throughout spring training and he was very vocal about how he felt and we made a decision. Alex is going to play third. Raffy is going to DH,' 'We all are in the winning business and he understands that. It's like everything. You don't have to agree with it. … He's been working hard not only with his swing but the routine. Of course it's a little bit different.' Advertisement Red Sox manager Alex Cora on the DH position: "(Devers) was very vocal about how he felt, and we made a decision. Alex is going to play third, and Raffy is going to DH. — WEEI Afternoons (@WEEIAfternoons) The next day, Cora also shut down the notion of Devers working at third in a reserve role, especially for off days for Bregman. 'He's the DH of the Boston Red Sox,' The Red Sox slugger was seemingly ready to move on. 'I think that's in the past,' Raffy continues, denying any frustration with moving off 3rd base: "That's in the past... I'm a DH. I feel like you guys need to change the subject because that is over, and I'm the DH." — NESN (@NESN) May 2 — 4, 2025: Casas' injury leads to more tension After a month with little drama regarding Devers's spot on the team, The Red Sox might have had a potential in-house option in place with Devers — even if the longtime third baseman had never played the position in the big leagues. Related : Shortly after Casas' injury, Breslow kept the door open when asked if the Red Sox would consider asking Devers to move back to the infield. 'I think we're all still trying to figure out what the longterm solution looks like,' Breslow said the day after Casa got injured. 'At this point, we're still pretty focused on Triston getting everything he needs and focused on taking care of him.' Craig Breslow on the idea of Roman Anthony/Marcelo Mayer moving to 1B amid the Triston Casas injury 🎙️ "Given the bright futures they have ahead of them in their respective positions [it] doesn't make much sense right now." — NESN (@NESN) Cora, on the other hand, pushed back against talk of putting Devers back into the infield. 'From my end right now? No,' Cora said on May 4, two days after Casas got hurt. 'We asked him [to become the DH] in spring training. In the beginning, he didn't agree with it and now he's very comfortable doing what he's doing. … Advertisement 'We'll talk and we'll see where we're at. But I think Romy [Gonzalez] and [Abraham] Toro, they can do the job. I truly believe that, so we're gonna roll with them.' May 5 — 7, 2025: Cora flip-flops on Devers's future at 1B A day after Cora pushed back against Breslow's comments about opening the door for Devers to play first, Boston's manager once again held firm about refusing to ask his top hitter to change positions for the second time this season. 'No,' Cora said when asked if he had approached Devers about playing first. As for if the Red Sox intend to eventually broach the subject to Devers? 'No,' Cora said. But the following day, May 7, Cora noted on WEEI that the Red Sox would eventually broach the subject with Devers. 'Right now with him, he's very comfortable with his role, right?' May 8, 2025: Devers calls out front office, Breslow Speaking after a 5-0 win over the Rangers at Fenway Park, Advertisement 'They had the conversation with me,' Devers said through translator Daveson Perez. 'I don't think for me personally it's the best decision after they asked me to play a different position and I only have two months of playing this position. To all of a sudden have me try to play another position … from my end, it doesn't seem like a good decision.' 'I know I'm a ballplayer but at the same time, they can't expect me to play every single position out there,' Devers added. 'In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove — that I wasn't going to play any other position but DH. So right now, I just feel like it's not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.' Devers directed his frustration toward Breslow and the rest of Boston's front office for asking him to switch positions once again. 'I don't think they stay true to their word,' Devers said. 'They told me I was going to be playing this position, DH. And now they are going back on that. So yeah, I don't think they stay true to their word.' Even though Devers said he had no issues with his teammates, that same feeling didn't carry over to the likes of the Red Sox's management team. 'Here in the clubhouse thankfully the relationship that I have with my teammates is great,' Devers said. 'I don't understand some of the decisions that the GM makes. Next thing you know someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield. I think I know the kind of player I am. And yeah, that's just where I stand.' May 9, 2025: Henry flies to meet with Devers A day after Devers's blunt comments, team owner John Henry (who also owns the Globe), team president Sam Kennedy, Breslow, and Cora met with Devers in person before Boston's series against the Royals in Kansas City. Henry, Kennedy, and Breslow flew out for the conversation. 'It was a chance for an honest, candid exchange,' Cora added: 'It was a good conversation. He expressed his feelings. John did the same thing. I think the most important thing here is we're trying to accomplish something big here. Obviously, there's changes in the roster, situations that happen. You have to adjust.' Devers did not address reporters in Kansas City, but Rafael Devers had a monster series against the Royals in May. Charlie Riedel/Associated Press May 10 — June 14, 2025: Status quo Even with Bregman landing on the injured list due to a quad injury — leaving Devers's third-base corner up for grabs — Devers remained at DH. Devers was spotted fielding grounders before games over the past week, but Cora dismissed any talk of it being a signal of the team working him back into the infield. 'Part of his conditioning program,' Cora joked before later adding: 'We talk, but he's my DH. Let's leave it at that.' Alex Cora joked pregame that Devers taking reps at short is part of his 'conditioning program.' When asked if he could play the field right now in an emergency, Cora emphatically said 'no.' Asked if the positional convo was still ongoing, Cora said, 'We talk, but he's my DH.'… — Tom Carroll (@yaboiTCfresh) Even with Cora once again shutting down talk of moving Devers back to the infield, Kennedy stressed during the previous week on NESN that the Red Sox were not officially moving on from talking of moving Devers off DH if needed. 'We know that when the time is right and we need him, he'll be there,' June 15, 2025: Devers is traded to San Francisco On Sunday, Devers lifted a solo shot into the first ledge of the Green Monster to help Boston sweep the Yankees via a 2-0 win at Fenway Park. It would be his final game with the Red Sox. It looked as though a Red Sox season rife with drama and underwhelming returns was starting to turn a corner — Sunday's win gave Boston five in a row, and seven victories in the last eight games. Speaking postgame, Devers took an optimistic tone about the state of the ballclub. 'We're playing good baseball and even more when the young kids are here and learning how to play winning baseball,' Devers said. 'That's very good for us.' In the final question posed to him during the media scrum, Devers was asked if the drama from earlier this season was still lingering over him. 'That has passed,' Devers said. Less than two hours later, the Red Sox were bound for a plane to Seattle — and Devers was back in Boston to gather his things before joining his new teammates in San Francisco. Rafael Devers thinks this team can still kick it up a notch 📈 "We're playing good baseball but we still have more." — NESN (@NESN) Conor Ryan can be reached at
Boston Globe
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Five things to do around Boston, June 16-22
Tuesday Buddy's Blues Watch Buddy Guy perform live at Medford's Chevalier Theatre on his Damn Right Encore tour. The multiple-Grammy-winning musician and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee is one of the most influential blues artists of all time. From his childhood in Louisiana, where he crafted his own guitars, to his decades of music-making in Chicago and his recent guest-star appearance in Sinners, Guy is leaving a mark. 8 p.m. Find tickets, starting at $60, at Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Thursday Advertisement Freedom, Framed Enjoy Free Juneteenth admission to Boston's three premier art museums: the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. In addition to free entry from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., both the MFA and the Gardner will host a day of festivities, including gallery talks, performances, and more, celebrating Black history and culture. ICA tickets must be reserved in advance, beginning the day before at 10 a.m. Day-of entry to the Gardner will be limited. Friday Night at the Museum Celebrate the official start of summer — and the longest day of the year — at Summer Solstice 2025: Night at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., spend the evening exploring the university's museums — from ancient Egyptian artifacts in the Museum of the Ancient Near East to the thousands of glass flowers at the Museum of Natural History. Outside, create your own flower crowns, enjoy music, and play lawn games. Food and drinks available for purchase. Free. Advertisement Saturday Arlington Acoustics Be a part of one of Massachusetts' most charming music festivals at Arlington Porchfest and Garage Band. At the annual Porchfest celebration, held from noon to 6 p.m., local musicians will perform on porches around the city. See artists spanning dozens of genres — from folk to classical to R&B. Then, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., listen to the Squeeze Box Stompers at the Garage Band afterparty — a family-friendly celebration with dancing, crafts, printmaking, drinks, and more — at the Global Service Station. Free. Share your event news. Send information on Boston-area happenings at least three weeks in advance to week@ Adelaide Parker can be reached at
Boston Globe
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Belmont at Saratoga is a draw, but keeping the Triple Crown relevant remains a concern
Racetracks like Saratoga have attempted to make the weekend a spectacle, with bands and activities throughout the races in hopes of showing the greatness of horse racing and what a day at the track looks like. Advertisement 'It's a great day out, lots of excitement,' said Michael Banahan of Godolphin, who owns Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The outreach extends beyond the track. Places like America's Best Racing are working to educate casual fans about everything from betting to how well horses are taken care of and what to expect on race day. It has connected with celebrities and influencers to get them involved in horse racing. That most recently included TikTok star Griffin Johnson, who was given a small ownership stake in Derby and Preakness horse Sandman. Advertisement Johnson showed himself getting ready for the races, bathing Sandman and showing what the colt does on his off day. Through this, the combined accounts of ABR and Johnson totaled 268 million-plus impressions and 111 million views. 'It's great to have another young horse racing fan in the room,' said ABR's director of digital marketing, Rachel Miller. 'But, obviously, the same formula isn't going to work forever. It's going to reach a point where maybe Griffin's involvement in racing may stall out or Sandman's not racing anymore. There are just so many unknown variables, especially in this sport, and that's one of the harder sells.' There's another option to draw more viewers, but it's controversial. Kentucky Derby champion Sovereignty gets in some work Thursday in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Seth Wenig/Associated Press Ever since Banahan believes spacing out the legs for more rest could attract higher-caliber horses, with more of a chance of the Kentucky Derby winner running, raising interest. 'I'm not too sure if that'll be the case or not,' Banahan said. 'I think the quality of racing is probably what draws people in. I think if we get better horses in all those races, I think they'll get the casual to tune into those as well. Good competition, good horses in there, that happens by having a little more time between to rest. That'll be good for us.' Not everyone agrees that extending the time in between races would increase viewership. Trainer Chad Brown, who has Hill Road in the Belmont, thinks extending the time in between races actually will hurt the Triple Crown. Advertisement 'I think if you start spreading it out, you run the risk of losing everyone's attention, too,' Brown said. 'That's a long time for everyone to be invested in watching how this turns out. I think that the average sports fan moves on from sport to sport throughout the year. 'I think we have to be happy that we have some of them just for the Triple Crown, even if we can't get them all the way through the bigger stuff. I think extending events runs risks for that.'
