Team Deakins returns to the Athenaeum Center

Following an October 2024 series of sold-out programming, Chicago’s not-for-profit Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture (2936 N. Southport Avenue) proudly welcomes back legendary Academy Award®-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins and his longtime collaborator/wife JamesDeakins (aka Team Deakins) for three additional events, including a screening of the cult favorite, No Country for Old Men, and a live broadcast recording of their popular “Team Deakins” podcast, February 25-28, 2025.

Team Deakins’ visits to Chicago support the Athenaeum Center’s presentation of the Roger Deakins Photography Exhibition, showcasing a ‘cinematographer’s travelogue’ of still images shot by Deakins throughout his decades-long career.  Encompassing the same construct of light and dark that is a signature of Deakins’ visual storytelling (exemplified by film classics such as Shawshank Redemption, No Country for Old Men, Fargo, and The Man Who Wasn’t There), the Roger Deakins Photography Exhibition is an expansive, curated selection of 43 portraits and landscapes from Deakins’ personal collection.

Film and photography fans alike are invited to join Roger and James Deakins at the Athenaeum Center for a series of public events in support of the Roger Deakins Photography Exhibition:

• Tuesday, February 25, 6:30-9pm

Dinner with Roger and James Deakins

Q+A hosted by Lawrence Daufenbach, Athenaeum Center Executive Director

This intimate evening provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at Roger Deakins’ photography mindset. A cocktail reception provides a relaxed opportunity to mingle and enjoy the exhibition, before being seated for a gourmet dinner. Team Deakins will share firsthand stories about their creative process, and a live auction will offer the chance to own a limited-edition photograph shot by Deakins in Chicago to benefit the Athenaeum Center. Tickets: $250.00

• Thursday, February 27, 6:30-9:45pm

Film Screening & Conversation: No Country for Old Men

Pre-screening Q+A with host TBA  

No Country for Old Men, directed by the Coen Brothers, is a tense and atmospheric exploration of fate, morality, and violence in the Texas borderlands. Llewellyn Moss, a hunter who comes across $2 million from a botched drug deal, becomes the target of the ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh, whose actions defy conventional notions of justice. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, struggling to make sense of the escalating violence, reflects on the shifting moral landscape of the modern world. With Deakins’ cinematography, the film uses light, shadow, and the vastness of the landscape to underscore its themes, crafting a restrained yet haunting visual narrative. Tickets: 15.00 ($12.00 for students)

VIP Meet & Greet Experience

In advance of the film screening – Thursday, February 27 from 4:30-6:30pm – is a separately ticketed, unique VIP experience including a meet & greet with Roger and James Deakins, a signed copy of the BYWAYS hardback edition, and ticket for that evening’s screening & conversation. Tickets: $75.00.

• Friday, February 28, 6:30-8pm

Team Deakins Podcast – Live Recording

With Special Guest Stefan Nikolov

The Atheneum welcomes audiences for a special live recording of the Team Deakins podcast, an ongoing audio conversation between Roger and James Deakins first launched in 2020. The podcast explores cinematography, the film business, and answers questions from listeners, often leading to unexpected and fascinating conversations. For this live episode, they’ll be joined by Chicago-based location scout Stefan Nikolov, who will share his experience and insights into this lesser-known but crucial aspect of filmmaking, and together with Roger and James, they’ll dive into the challenges and rewards of working in the industry. Tickets: $40.00 ($30.00 for students)

Tickets for all programs are now available by visiting https://athenaeumcenter.org/special-events/team-deakins-february-week/