Last April, Greta Gerwig helped launch our signature First Encounters series, watching Blue Velvet for the first time and sharing her experience with the audience. For November, she returns, bringing a dozen movies to share with audiences over nine days. These are films close to her heart, ones that influenced and informed her as the writer and director of the rapturous new comedy/drama Lady Bird (opening November 3 via A24). Her playlist touches on many of her film’s themes: mothers and daughters, childhood memory, friendship, Northern California, first love, and musical theater. It’s a collection of righteous, joyous, bittersweet movies for an angry time.