Outside the Box [Office] and A24 invite you and a guest to attend

A Special Theatrical Screening of

TONY

Directed by Matt Johnson
Written by Matt Johnson & Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels & Lou Howe
Produced by Tim White, Trevor White, Matthew Miller, and Matt Johnson

Followed by a Q&A with Todd Bartels and Lou Howe

7:00 P.M. on Monday, November 16th, 2026

The Eileen Norris Cinema Theater at the Frank Sinatra Hall
3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

About Tony

A young Anthony Bourdain stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, in a summer that becomes the origin story of a legend.

Provided courtesy of A24. Rated R. Running time: 106 minutes.

https://a24films.com/films/tony

About the Guests

TODD BARTELS and LOU HOWE (Screenwriters)

Screenwriters Todd Bartels and Lou Howe have been friends for 25 years, starting in high school, through their time at Harvard, and now in LA. They have been writing together for the last five years.

Their latest feature collaboration, TONY, was released this summer by A24, with Star Thrower producing. It tells the true story of a wayward young Anthony Bourdain, as he stumbles into a job washing dishes in the summer of 1975 in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and discovers his life's calling. Dominic Sessa stars as Bourdain, alongside Antonio Banderas, Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall, and Stavros Halkias. Matt Johnson (BLACKBERRY, NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE) directs. 

Todd and Lou are currently adapting the well-known true crime podcast MURDER 101 at Amazon Studios with Jon Watts attached to direct and produce. This true story follows a high school teacher who inspires his students to solve a string of real-life cold case murders. They also recently completed a rewrite on METAL GEAR SOLID for Sony. Additionally, their other projects in development include a feature about the origin of MTV with Davis Entertainment and Live Nation producing and an original feature idea about a young Jacqueline Bouvier and her whirlwind romance with JFK with Anthony Bregman at Likely Story producing. Todd and Lou's screenplays have been voted onto the Blacklist twice: TONY in 2024, as well as their Dolly Parton biopic DUMB BLONDE in 2022.

While at Harvard, Todd studied Buddhism and Hinduism and performed in the Hasty Pudding Show. He received an MFA from the NYU Graduate Acting Program. In addition to screenwriting, Lou is also a director. His debut film, GABRIEL, premiered on the opening night of the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. It was released by Oscilloscope, and earned its star, Rory Culkin, a Gotham Award nomination. Lou was named one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film in 2013. He is a graduate of Harvard and the MFA Directing program at the AFI Conservatory.

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/