Lost & Found at the Movies:
This is Your Brain on Movies

Featuring Dr. Heather Berlin In conversation with John Nein, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival
Tuesday, Jul 9, 2019 | 7:30pm Mark Taper Auditorium-Central Library

Reservations are available here.

If you’re already fascinated by movies from the standpoint of human behavior, consciousness and character motivation, try watching them with a neuroscientist.

With cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Heather Berlin (Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and host of Science Goes to the Movies) we take a journey into the human mind, exploring its relationship to cinema, in terms of complex characters, decision-making, dreams and the unconscious, addiction, artificial intelligence and the creative process itself. We also look at what cognitive science tells us about how we watch movies.

We check in (remotely) with filmmaker Ruben Östlund whose lifelong fascination with social psychology needs no further illustration than his body of work, which includes The Square (winner of the 2017 Cannes Palm D’Or), Force Majeure, Play and Involuntary.

And we pay homage to the glorious history of brains in movies, even the less cerebral ones (that’s you The Brain That Wouldn’t Die).

LFLA Members are invited to enjoy an exclusive reception following the program.

Lost & Found at the Movies is generously supported by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association

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John Nein

John Nein

John Nein is a senior programmer at the Sundance Film Festival and deals primarily with US and international feature films. He also plans the festival’s panels and runs the Institute’s film preservation initiative. John grew up in Europe and the United States, studied history at Carleton College and earned his MFA from UCLA’s Film Directing program, where he made several award-winning shorts and lobbied tirelessly for better coffee in the vending machines.

Dr. Heather Berlin

Dr. Heather Berlin is a cognitive neuroscientist and Professor of Psychiatry at the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Trained in clinical neuropsychology at Weill Cornell Medicine, she is currently a Visiting Scholar at the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. With the aim of developing novel treatments, Dr. Berlin explores the neural basis of impulsive and compulsive psychiatric and neurological disorders. Additional interests include brain basis of consciousness, dynamic unconscious processes, and creativity.

Passionate about science communication and promoting women in STEM, Dr. Berlin has made numerous media appearances including on the BBC, Netflix, and NPR as well as co-hosts the podcast, Startalk All-Stars.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much does Lost & Found at the Movies cost to attend?

    Lost & Found at the Movies is free to attend.

  • Can I attend if I’m not a Member?

    While priority notification is given to LFLA Members, non-Members are welcome to attend if space allows. However, the complimentary reception following the program is limited to Members.

  • Do I have to make a reservation?

    Reservations are recommended, as our programs often fill to capacity. Priority is given to reserved guests.

  • Can I attend even if I don’t have a reservation?

    Yes! We often have space available to accommodate walk-up guests without advanced reservations. Check our stand-by policy for more information.

  • Reservation Policy for Free Programs

    As Lost & Found at the Movies is free of charge, it is our policy to overbook. In the case of a FULL program your free reservation may not guarantee admission. We recommend arriving early. Unclaimed reservations will be released to standby patrons at the start of each program.

  • Standby Policy

    Standby numbers are distributed in person only one hour before the program, on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no advance wait list for full programs. Standby patrons will be admitted based on availability. Most programs will be available via podcast. Become a Member of the Library Foundation to receive priority notification of these programs.

  • Canceling a Reservation

    If you are unable to use your reservation, please email [email protected].

  • Where does Lost & Found at the Movies take place?

    Unless otherwise noted, Lost & Found at the Movies is held at the downtown Central Library’s Mark Taper Auditorium.

  • Where should I park for Lost & Found at the Movies?

    We recommend taking public transportation. Parking for the Central Library is at the Westlawn Garage at 524 S. Flower Street. For more information, visit the Library’s website.

  • Where do I purchase the speaker’s book?

    Occasionally a guest on Lost & Found at the Movies is touring with a book. Books are made available for purchase at programs or can be purchased while making your online reservation. In order to participate in the book signing, you must purchase at least one book.