Did you know that Boyhood wasn’t always called Boyhood? Richard Linklater’s experimental film about the maturation of a young boy in Texas (Ellar Coltrane) was originally just known as The 12 Year Project, reflecting the planned length of filming time. As Linklater told the Chronicle, “There are really four main characters.” So while the current title focuses the audience’s attention on young Mason, it’s a story that’s just as much about his stressed mom (Patricia Arquette), his sister yearning to leave the home (Lorelei Linklater), and his semi-absentee dad (Ethan Hawke). Reappraise your own perspective on the Oscar-winning masterpiece with these retrospective screenings, complete with a pre-recorded director and cast Q&A, taped at AFS Cinema earlier this year. – Richard Whittaker
