Classic Film Screening: “Good Will Hunting”

Popular 1997 film to kick off CIFF 2025 Classic Series

When organizers of Coronado Island Film Festival’s monthly film series announced from the theatre stage last month that the first film selection of the 2025 classic series would be the 1997 favorite, “Good Will Hunting” on January 29, the audience erupted in applause.

And no wonder.  It was the breakout film of two cute young unknown guys who grew up in Boston named Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Close friends since childhood, they co-wrote the script of GWH and, against all odds in an industry partial to proven winners, secured the services of a top director (Gus Van Sant), a first-rate cast (Robin Williams, Stellan Scarsgärd, and Minnie Driver among others), and garnered nine 1998 Academy Award nominations. It won two, including Best Screenplay for Affleck and Damon, the two youngest recipients ever to win that award (25 and 27, respectively). The screenplay began as a 40-page one-act play written by Matt Damon while a student at Harvard.

Both Damon and Affleck also starred in the film. It was the first and only Oscar for Robin Williams, who was named Best Actor in a Supporting Role. When Damon was asked in an interview years later years later about working with Robin Williams, his response was, “Robin. Wow. He was a very deep, deep river.”

Additional Oscar nominations were Best Picture (Lawrence Bender, producer), Best Actor (Damon), Best Supporting Actress in a Supporting Role (Minnie Driver), Best Director (Van Sant), Best Film Editing (Pietro Scalia), Best Original Song (Elliot Smith), and Best Original Dramatic Score (Danny Elfan).

“Good Will Hunting” will screen at Coronado’s Village Theatre, 820 Orange Avenue on Wednesday, January 29 at 5:30 p.m. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for a complementary “Meet and Greet Happy Hour” (and best seat selection). Tickets are $15, available now, and may be purchased at coronadofilmfest.com.

So come enjoy “Good Will Hunting” for what it is, a “timeless little opus that managed to make South Boston look romantic and happened to make Ben Affleck and Matt Damon some of the most deserving superstars in recent memory.” [IMDB user review}

Next month, on Wed., Feb 26, CIFF will present “What Women Want,” starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt: a film by a favorite filmmaker of ours, Nancy Myers (i.e. “The Holiday,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “It’s Complicated,” “The Parent Trap”).

We’re still awaiting final approval of our complete 2025 film lineup. It’s one of our most exciting and we can’t wait to tell you about it!