(United States, 1980, 110 minutes, color)

Directed by John Sayles. Starring Bruce MacDonald, Maggie Renzi, David Strathairn.

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Seven former college activists reunite for a weekend in New Hampshire to mark the 10th anniversary of their arrest while driving from Boston to Washington D.C. to protest the Vietnam War. The reunion forces them to confront changes in their lives, values and relationships. Made on a very small budget, the film is regarded as a landmark of American independent cinema.

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The picture was thought to have inspired "The Big Chill" (1983), which is a more widely known film with a similar storyline. However, writer-director Lawrence Kasdan has denied having seen "Return of the Secaucus" before working on "The Big Chill." In 1997, the film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for its historic merits.

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Meet visionary film director John Sayles, who grew up in Schenectady, at the 6th annual Albany Film Festival on Saturday, March 28. Sayles will talk about his life and work, and his new historical novel, Crucible (2026), about Henry Ford, the ruthless, power-mad “tech bro” of his generation.