Mar 24
Phantom Thread— Thread Carefully: Navigating Edible and Poisonous Fungi in Iowa
Program Description
The world of fungi is often shrouded in "mycophobia," an irrational fear of mushrooms often rooted in cultural tradition rather than scientific reality. Amanda Flaata of the Prairie States Mushroom Club will explore common myths that have led to such misunderstandings and establish best practices for the safe foraging of mushrooms in Iowa.
This event is part of the National Evening of Science on Screen. Learn more.
Film Synopsis
Set in 1950s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.
Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the center of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock. Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma (Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love. With his latest film, Paul Thomas Anderson paints an illuminating portrait both of an artist on a creative journey, and the women who keep his world running. Phantom Thread is Paul Thomas Anderson’s eighth movie, and his second collaboration with Daniel Day-Lewis.
Photo credit: Focus Features
About the Speaker
Amanda Flaata is Chair of the Arts Committee with the Prairie States Mushroom Club and outdoor enthusiast dedicated to environmental education and community engagement. Her deep fascination with fungi drives her practice of foraging, identifying, teaching, and writing about the fungal kingdom—work she approaches with both scientific curiosity and artistic sensibility. Holding a Ph.D. in art history, Amanda brings an interdisciplinary lens to biodiversity, often channeling her engagement with the natural world into photography and drawing. She is also an Iowa Master Naturalist, Taproot Nature Experience teacher, and member of the Experiential Education Collaborative.