Sunday, March 15, 2026 @ 3 PM
Rated: R. Run Time: 1h 48m
Location: Media Center, Hopewell Valley Central High School
259 Pennington Titusville Rd, Pennington, NJ 08534
Registration: https://BTPeternalsunshinefilmdiscussion.eventbrite.com
If you could delete your greatest regret, would you?
When Joel Barish discovers his ex-girlfriend has undergone an experimental procedure to erase him from her memory, he decides to do the same. But as his memories begin to dissolve, Joel finds himself sprinting through the crumbling architecture of his own mind to save the very heartbreak he was trying to forget.
Join us for a screening followed by a deep-dive discussion on the ethics of memory and the messy beauty of love.
Part of our Beyond The Page series of films & shows related to AI, technology, and memory.
About Our Discussion Leaders:
Jacob Hoefer has acclimated to central New Jersey like a tomato to acidic soil. A Rutgers-trained full-stack engineer who found an unexpected calling running Dungeons & Dragons games in Lawrenceville, Jacob is a lover of art history, musical soundtracks, and genre fiction (which he wishes we’d take both more and less seriously). When he isn’t wishing he had more time for ASL practice or studying Kanji for an upcoming trip to Japan he’s showing off his five Ursula K. Le Guin tattoos. He is a firm believer that community-centered library programs are what keep his feet on the ground.
Diane Zompa earned a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (Cognition) from the University of Rochester. She dedicated over four decades to public service in New Jersey and NYC government focused on quality & efficiency of service delivery. She has a keen interest in the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) as a model for understanding human memory, thinking, and language development; as a tool to expand human capacity in speech and facial recognition; and as an adjunct to cognitive and behavioral therapy. In retirement, she stays active as a volunteer at the Pennington Library, as a Master Gardener, and as a quilter for Quilt-for-Kids. Diane also spends as much time as she can paddling her canoe in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
This event is part of our 2026 Beyond the Page – an initiative designed to broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The featured book Exhalation contains nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, where author Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions, along with new quandaries only he could imagine. Please visit PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondThePage for a full calendar of events and more information.