By Susan Granger

Chinese-born writer/director Chloe Zhao, who lives in Denver, Colorado, obviously feels a deep affinity for America’s heartland, introducing intriguing, offbeat Native American characters we seldom see on the silver screen in “The Rider.”

Set and filmed on the desolate, poverty-stricken Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, this is the melancholy story of Sioux cowboy Brady Jandreau, playing himself, in a Badlands docudrama.

After a near-death rodeo injury leaves him with a metal plate in his head, neurological seizures in his right hand, and under a doctor’s order never to ride again, stoic Brady must decide what to do with himself after he’s deprived not only of his one true passion but also of the family’s primary source of income.

Living in a rented trailer, Brady’s taciturn, alcoholic/gambler dad (Tim Jandreau) has no money, and his ebullient little sister Lilly (Lilly Jandreau) suffers from a birth defect which has obviously limited her intellectual capabilities. His mom died of cancer years earlier.

Westporter Lauren Weisberger (r), author of The New York Times best seller “The Devil Wears Prada” when it was published 15 years ago, drew a large crowd tonight at the Saugatuck Congregational Church. She was interviewed about her new book, “When Life Gives You Lululemons,” by fellow Westporter Jenn Falik, a beauty and fashion writer, Weisberger’s new book expands on the life of Emily Charlton, a favorite character from Prada, who becomes an image consultant. The event is an alternate venue offering by the Westport Public Library during its transformation project. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from tonight’s Westport Library reception marking the opening of the newly renovated Riverwalk Level and Interim Library. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com and WestportNow.com photo

There was a ribbon cutting ceremony today for the Westport Library’s newly renovated Riverwalk Level and Interim Library. The new space is the first phase of the building to open as part of the organization’s Transformation Project. The library will host a reception at 6:30 p.m. as part of the celebration. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from Saturday night’s Summer Night on the River Project Return benefit at the Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport. J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

Following the opening night Westport Country Playhouse performance tonight of “Flyin’ West” director Seret Scott (c) celebrates a 20-plus years reunion with longtime friend and fellow actor Maya Dillon and her husband Keir Dullea. Scott said she and Dillon first met in the 1990s at the Sundance Playwright Lab in Utah and worked together at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center Playwright Conference in New London shortly thereafter. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The cast takes a bow at the Westport Country Playhouse opening night performance tonight of “Flyin’ West,” a tale of bravery, pride, and sisterhood, written by Pearl Cleage and directed by Seret Scott, playing through June 16. Pictured are: (l-r) Michael Chenvert, Keona Welch, Nikita Mathis, Brenda Presley, Brittany Bradford and Edward O’Blenis. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

With many from Westport’s art community in attendance, as well as First Selectman Jim Marpe and Police Chief Foti Koskinas, the exhibit “#UNLOAD: Guns in the Hands of Artists” opened tonight at the Fairfield University Art Museum, Walsh Gallery at the Quick Center. New Orleans gallerist Jonathan Ferrara’s traveling exhibition, first staged in 1996, invited artists to make art using decommissioned guns. The show, which runs until Oct. 13, seeks to generate dialogue about guns and gun violence. Mary Himes and Helen Klisser During, artistic director emeritus of the Westport Arts Center (and a WestportNow contributing photographer) are co-founders of #UNLOAD, an arts-based initiative that seeks to drive consensus around the topic of gun violence. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo