Tampa Theatre to host screening of Oscar-nominated "Nickel Boys," Q&A

• "Nickel Boys" had a limited theatrical run last year and was nominated this month for Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Zoom in: The film tells the story of Elwood Curtis, a Black teenager from Jim Crow-era Tallahassee, and his friend Turner as they navigate Nickel, an abusive reform school in Florida.

Flashback: The Tampa Bay Times series, "For Their Own Good," written by Montgomery and former Times reporter Waveney Ann Moore, inspired Whitehead's novel.

• For 109 years, Florida sent wayward boys from across the state to Dozier — and the series chronicled the men who survived the school and demanded acknowledgment, resolution and reparation.
• Dozier closed in 2011, and soon after, researchers from USF found the remains of children in unmarked graves at the school.

The big picture: Attendees will have the chance to hear from the filmmaker, along with the reporter and researcher who helped uncover the real story.

• The Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science (IFAAS) at USF partnered with Orion Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios for the special screening.
• The event is free, and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.