The Apprentice: Reading & Short Film Screening (ONLINE)

"My stories often begin in memory and end in dreams." — Stuart Dybek

Join us for a premiere screening of the short film The Apprentice, a haunting and unusual coming-of-age story set in Chicago directed by Mary Livoni, based on the original story by Stuart Dybek. Both Livoni and Dybek will be in attendance, with Dybek reading from his original story and Livoni presenting the film.

This is the livestream of an in person program at the American Writers Museum. When you register for this event, you will receive access to the livestream link. If you would like to .

More about The Apprentice:

Having escaped the horrors of civil war in another country, a nameless boy and his aging, unusual uncle share a deep bond, living in peaceful isolation at the city's edges. A childhood spent finding roadkill and learning taxidermy suddenly ends when a mysterious omen appears, compelling them to abandon their home and begin a nomadic journey. Fleeing in a car filled with Uncle's talismans and taxidermy creations, they travel into the heart of the city, following the river and exploring the bridges in search of a mysterious offering. As the uncle descends into delusion, driving the streets searching for coded signs, the boy understands the final lesson of his apprenticeship from a dangerous, transformative perspective.

STUART DYBEK is an internationally recognized author and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation. His fiction, poetry, and nonfiction have appeared widely in journals such as Harper's, Poetry, Tin House, the Atlantic, and the New Yorker.

MARY LIVONI is a Chicago artist and filmmaker. Based in Chicago, she has exhibited drawings, paintings, and, more recently, photography and video that directly draw inspiration from literature and poetry. Her artwork has been widely exhibited and included in private and corporate collections. The Apprentice is her first short feature.

With thanks to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame for their support and sponsorship of the film.

This project was made possible and is partially funded with a grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago.

Host or Publisher American Writers Museum