Saturday, August 22

6–9 PM 

Join us for a summer evening featuring an exclusive 10-minute preview screening of American Diner, an upcoming docuseries about the uncertain fate of the American diner, and one team's ambitions to revive New York City's oldest 24/7 diner for a new era.

The series unfolds as a fun, immersive tale packed with big personalities, kitchen drama, unforgettable New York characters, and the sheer madness of opening and running a restaurant that never shuts its doors. But beneath the chaos, humor, and heart lies a deeper exploration of belonging, sacrifice, and how these spaces, traditionally held together through communities, are changing. 

Following the screening, we'll host a conversation with the film’s director, Ian Moubayed, executive producer Helen Cho, and Artcliff Diner owner and chef Gina Stanley. Guests will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and questions over drinks, delicious diner classics by ArtCliff Diner, and music. The screening contains PG-13 content.

This program is FREE; donations to Stillpoint are welcome.

SCHEDULE

6–6:30 PM — Arrival and Drinks

6:30–6:35 PM — Welcome and Introduction

6:35–6:45 PM — American Diner Preview Screening

6:45–7:15 PM — Conversation with Ian Moubayed, Helen Cho, and Gina Stanley

7:15–9 PM — Dinner and Drinks

About Ian

American Diner director, and director of photography (DOP), Ian Moubayed is a New York-based filmmaker who started his career as a cinematographer, collaborating with Emmy-, Peabody Award-, and Oscar-winning filmmakers. In 2019 he was credited as the DOP on Netflix’s The Great Hack (2019 Oscar shortlist, BAFTA nominated). He also served as DOP on NBC Peacock’s The Sit In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show (2021 Emmy Nominated) and was personally nominated for a 2021 Cinema Eye Award for his work as a series cinematographer for HBO’s The Vow. Over the last five years, he has transitioned to directing more short films for companies, brands, and foundations. His acclaimed short film Keys to The City was featured in The New Yorker and was nominated for best short documentary by the Critics Choice Awards. Most recently, his cinematography for the documentary short I Am Ready, Warden was nominated for an Academy Award. 

About Helen 

American Diner executive producer Helen M. Cho is a Korean-American, two-time Emmy-nominated director, producer, and showrunner from New York City. She is best known for her work on the critically acclaimed series Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown; My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, with David Letterman; and United Shades of America, with W. Kamau Bell. She also served as executive producer and showrunner of Take Out With Lisa Ling, which IndieWire named one of the best docuseries of 2022 and is now streaming on HBO Max. Prior to her work in television, Helen was a digital consultant for Anthony Bourdain, Ecco Press, and Steven Rinella. She holds a BFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and is a member of the Director’s Guild of America, Brown Girls Doc Mafia, and DCTV’s Alumni Creative Council. More importantly, she is the proud daughter of a nail salon worker and USPS letter carrier.

About Gina

Gina Stanley is the chef and longtime owner of the ArtCliff Diner, a beloved Martha’s Vineyard institution that has served Vineyard Haven since 1943. After years cooking professionally in Washington, D.C., she came to the Island in 2000 and took over the ArtCliff, transforming it into one of the Vineyard’s most distinctive gathering places while preserving the character that generations of regulars love. More than two decades later, Gina remains behind the counter and in the kitchen, carrying forward the demanding, deeply communal tradition of the American diner.