Rialto Spotlight Series Welcomes Academy Award–Nominated Producer Michael A. Jackman

Westfield resident and producer of Conclave takes audiences inside how a film actually gets made in an intimate October Spotlight conversation.

WESTFIELD, NJ – SEPTEMBER 2026 – The Rialto's Spotlight Series continues this fall with Making Movie Magic: Michael A. Jackman, an evening exploring how a film takes shape from first idea to finished product. The program takes place on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rialto Center for Creativity.

Jackman, a long-time Westfield resident, brings 40 years of experience across all aspects of motion pictures, from development and production through post-production and global distribution. His credits include Gangs of New York, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Arrival, Greyhound, and The Good Nurse. His most recent film, Conclave, won the BAFTA Award for Best Film and Outstanding British Film and earned Jackman an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, while surpassing $100 million at the worldwide box office.

Jackman previously served as Executive Vice President of Physical Production and Post at FilmNation Entertainment, and he sits on the Board of Directors of the New York Production Alliance. He is currently executive producing Three Incestuous Sisters, directed by Alice Rohrwacher and adapted from the best-selling book by Audrey Niffenegger, with a cast that includes Jessie Buckley, Saoirse Ronan, Dakota Johnson, Isabella Rossellini, Josh O'Connor, and Mick Jagger.

Jackman holds a degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

During his Spotlight appearance, Jackman will discuss the collaboration and problem-solving that hold a production together, what a producer actually does across the life of a film, and how a story survives the journey from first idea to final cut. The conversation offers audiences a rare look at the work that audiences never see but every finished film depends on.

Event Details

• Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
• Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
• Location: Rialto Center for Creativity, 250 East Broad Street, Westfield, NJ
• Tickets: Available now via rialtowestfield.org.
• Recording: A digital recording will be available after the event.

Due to high demand and limited seating, attendees are asked to limit ticket purchases to a maximum of four per order. Community members are encouraged to purchase early.
Audience questions may be submitted in advance via Instagram and Facebook for consideration during the conversation.

Spotlight Series: Showcasing the Vision for the New Rialto

The Rialto's Spotlight Series brings the community together for intimate conversations with artists, thinkers, and storytellers connected to Westfield and the surrounding region. Each event highlights creative journeys that shape culture while building momentum for the Rialto Reimagined campaign, supporting the opening of the Rialto Center for Creativity in 2029.

Past Spotlight Series guests have included music photographer Jay Blakesberg, journalist Mike Emanuel, playwright Marc Acito, touring drummer Lucy Ritter, Broadway composer Matthew Sklar, electronic artist DJ_Dave, bestselling editor and author Wendy Loggia, abstract artist Gail Winbury, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige.

About the Rialto Center for Creativity

The Rialto Center for Creativity is transforming Westfield's historic Rialto Theater into a vibrant hub for live performance, hands-on learning, and cultural conversation. Guided by values of creativity, inclusion, and community, the Center will host performances, film screenings, exhibitions, workshops, and classes in a welcoming, flexible space designed to inspire.

In July 2026, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved a $43.4 million tax credit award for the Rialto through its Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion (CAFE) program, the largest public investment to date in the theater's restoration.

The project is part of the Rialto Reimagined campaign, which will fund construction and operations through government support, private donations, and future earned revenue streams, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027 and a grand reopening anticipated in 2029.

Visit www.rialtowestfield.org for more information.