Relighting ‘Romance & Cigarettes' for 20th Anniversary Special Screening

Grab your popcorn and braces for a blast from the past as 'Romance & Cigarettes', the vintage musical dramedy featuring the brilliant James Gandolfini and ever-dynamic Kate Winslet, gears up to celebrate two decades of enthralling viewers. Next week, the Southampton Playhouse will perform the honors by hosting a special 20-year anniversary screening.

Boasting the offbeat vision of its writer and director, John Turturro, this indie spectacle has kept us hooked for 20 years with its one-of-a-kind blend of classic MGM-style romance and gripping life in the urban lower-middle class backdrop. Southampton will roll out the red carpet for the film on August 21 in a 35mm format - a premiere for the nonprofit theater nestled in the seaside lap of luxury.

Turturro, brimming with excitement, said: "Having 'Romance & Cigarettes' back in the theaters the way it was always intended to be seen is simply thrilling. I was blessed to collaborate with a tremendously talented cast who gave their absolute best. This film was a passion project, an exploration of the imagination of the working class through the evocative lens of music. I can't think of a better way to commemorate its 20th milestone than sharing this labor of love with the audience once more.”

Dubbed a "gritty musical love saga", the film stars the late Gandolfini as an ironworker Nick, locked in a long-standing marriage with Kitty (played by Susan Sarandon), suddenly shaken by a passionate affair with Tula (Winslet), who craves more than a mere tryst. As Nick wrestles with primal instincts and the resolve to protect his family, the high-stakes emotions are amplified by tracks from music legends like James Brown, Janis Joplin, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones, and Bruce Springsteen.

Adding star power to the ensemble are Bobby Cannavale, Steve Buscemi, Amy Sedaris, Christopher Walken, Mary-Louise Parker and Aida Turturro . Post the anniversary screening, viewers will get the chance to interact with both John and Aida Turturro in an intimate Q&A session to mark the memorable occasion.

Turturro, already an Emmy-winning member of the "Severance" ensemble, has a star-studded resume, featuring successes with the acclaimed HBO series "The Night Of", "Barton Fink" and memorable collaborations with the Coen brothers in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Miller's Crossing" and "The Big Lebowski."