Smithereens

Monday, July 6 - Tuesday, July 7, 2026

SHOWTIMES AT IFC CENTER

A vividly punk mise-en-scène — New York City’s gritty East Village peopled by young rockers and wannabes on the make — Susan Seidelman’s first movie was invited to show in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, making it one of America’s trailblazing indies before the movement kicked into even higher gear at the end of the decade. Wild teen Wren (Susan Berman) trades New Jersey for New York, where she hopes to get famous by littering the city with photocopied pictures of herself, captioned “WHO IS THIS?” She latches onto Eric (played by punk icon Richard Hell) who claims he’s headed to Los Angeles to cut a record. She thinks he’s her ticket, but she’s wrong and she’s left to scrounge again on her own. Dave Kehr, then a critic at the Chicago Reader wrote, “Wren, in her self-delusion, manipulativeness, and superficiality, easily ranks as one of the most obnoxious characters in film history, and she exerts a strange fascination.” Seidelman went on to direct Desperately Seeking Susan (featuring Madonna), a movie that had an even deeper cultural impact. Her films are important — not to mention entertaining — because they center women who are questing for an understanding of themselves and of their place in the world.

Screening as part of our series Declaration of Independents!

See more and save! Get an Independents Pack ($30 for IFC Center members and $45 for non-members). Ticket packs are good for any three screenings in the series.

Previously screened June 2024 with director Susan Seidelman in person

  • Country USA
  • Year 1982
  • Running Time 93 minutes
  • Format DCP
  • Distributor AGFA
  • Director Susan Seidelman
  • Cast Susan Berman, Brad Rijn, Richard Hell, Nada Despotovich, Roger Jett
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.