Calendar of Events
FILMS
American Film Institute Silver Theater
The AFI Latin American Film Festival is one of the longest-running film festivals in our area, now celebrating its 27th year. The festival showcases the filmmaking from Latin America and, with the inclusion of films from Spain and Portugal, celebrates Ibero-American cultural connections. Films are winners of international film festival awards, local box office hits and debut works from promising new talent. A few films have already been announced, including The Companion from Cuba, I Promise You Anarchy from Mexico, Land and Shade from Colombia, The Room of Bones from El Salvador, Sealed Cargo from Bolivia, Salsipuedes from Panama, and lots more. Passes are available, see the website.
"John Williams: AFI Life Achievement Award" (July 8-September 11) is a series of films featuring scores composed by John Williams. Titles remaining in September are Goodbye, Mr. Chips, (1969), Lincoln, Shindler's List, Catch Me If You Can, and three "Star Wars" episodes: IV (A New Hope), V (The Empire Strikes Back) and VI (Return of the Jedi).
"Keepin' It Real: 90's Cinema Now" (July 15-September 13) features films from the 1990s. Titles in September include The Double Life of Veronique, The Rocketeer, Point Break (1991), Walking and Talking and Madonna: Truth Or Dare.
"Wim Wenders: Portraits Along the Road" (July 11-September 14) features a number of 4k restorations. Titles in September are Wings of Desire, the director's cut of Until the End of the World and Buena Vista Social Club.
"Ken Adam Remembered" (July 9-September 14) is a tribute to the production designer who died recently at the age of 95. Titles in September are Gideon of Scotland Yard, Night of the Demon, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Last of Sheila, Dr. Strangelove and The Madness of King George.
"Glorious Technicolor" (July 9-September 14) presents Technicolor films from the silent era through the 1960s. Titles in September are A Man for All Seasons, Magnificent Obsession (1954), Written on the Wind and The Harvey Girls. The first Technicolor film made in Hollywood and starring Anna May Wong, Toll of the Sea, is on September 3 and Redskin is on September 4. Both silent films will be accommpanied by Andrew Simpson.
Special events include Evil Dead 2, Aliens, and Grease singalong. On September 18 at 5:00pm is a special show of 2001: A Space Odyssey with actors Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood present for Q&A.
A week of Star Trek movies celebrates the 50th anniversary of the TV series. On September 9-15 is Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
National Gallery of Art
"Shakespeare as Cinematic Experiment 1908-1921" (August 27-September 24) is a series of silent films. On September 10 at 2:30pm is a cine-concert of Hamlet (1921) (German version) with Asta Nielsen as Hamlet. Dennis James provides music accompaniment. On September 17 at 2:30pm is the American version of Asta Nielsen's Hamlet (1920) with Philip Carli in performance. On September 24 at 2:30pm Anthony Guneratne discusses the Vitagraph Company's Shakespeare cycle of 1908-1912 with versions of several play fragments.
"Synchronized Pantomimes/Early Animations" is a combination of performance and discussion on the history and importance of pantomime in early cinema. On September 3 at 2:00pm Gillian Anderson conducts an 11-piece orchestra of Broken Blossoms (D.W. Griffith, 1919), preceded by two short pantomimes "A Modern Garrick" and "Taming of the Shrew." On September 4 at 2:00pm is a lecture by Gillian Anderson, "Synchronized Music: Pantomime's Influence in Moving Pictures." On September 4 at 3:30pm is a cine-concert "The Early Animation of Segundo de Chomon," with Virginia Guastella accompanying with her own composition.
Special events in September include the Washington premiere of The Thoughts That Once We Had (2015), a cine-essay by Thom Andersen on September 11 at 4:00pm. The Washington premiere of "The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger" is a set of four essays by filmmakers Colin MacCabe, Christopher Roth, Bartek Dziadosz and Tilda Swinton on September 18 at 4:00pm. Bela Tarr's Macbeth (1982), filmed in a single take is shown September 25 at 4:00pm and is preceded by the short film The Day Before the End (Lav Diaz, 2016).
National Museum of African Art
On September 17 at 2:00pm is Soul Power (2008), a documentary about the soul music festival that accompanied Mohammad Ali's Rumble in the Jungle.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
On September 10 at 3:00pm is the D.C. Premiere of the documentary Awakening in Taos (Mark Gordon, 2015), about artist and activist Mabel Dodge Luhan and her influence on Georgia O'Keeffe, D.H. Lawrence, and Ansel Adams. The filmmaker and producers will be present for Q&A.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
The Women's Museum takes part in "Women in Film/Mujeres de Cine," on September 25 at 3:00pm with a screening of the award-winning film Traces of Sandalwood (Maria Ripoll), followed by a discussion with actress Aina Clotet.
Washington Jewish Community Center
On September 6 at 7:30pm is The Tenth Man (Daniel Burman, 2016), a comedy from Argentina. On September 13 at 7:30pm is The Singing Abortionist (Dara Bratt, 2015), a documentary about Henry Morgentaler, followed by a discussion with the filmmaker. On September 20 at 7:30pm is 5 to 7 (Victor Levin, 2014).
National Air and Space Museum
"Boldly Go 50: A Star Trek Celebration" commemorates the 50th anniversary of Star Trek. On September 8 is the first episode of the original series, showing at 8:00pm, the same time the show premiered in 1966. On September 9 at 7:00pm is a screening of the documentary Building Star Trek and the new documentary from Adam Nimoy For the Love of Spock along with presentations by special guests and a Star Trek costume contest. On September 10 is the "Museum Moonshine: StarTrek in Our Lives" event. See the website for more information. See AFI above for more Star Trek films.
French Embassy
On September 19 at 7:00pm is I Am the People (Anna Roussillon), a documentary about the anti-government demonstrations in Egypt, as seen through the eyes of a family in the rural south.
The Japan Information and Culture Center
On September 21 at 6:30pm is a film TBA.
The Textile Museum at GWU
On September 22 at noon is the documentary Craft in America: Industry (Carol Sauvion, 2014), part of the PBS Craft in America series, featuring quilters, a boat builder and jewelry maker.
Bethesda Row
"Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series. On September 18 at 10:00am is Embrace of the Serpent (Ciro Guerra, 2015) from Colombia, one of the five nominees for Best Foreign Language Film. Breakfast is at 9:30pm, the film is at 10:00am and discussion follows, moderated by Adam Spector, host of the DC Film Society's Cinema Lounge and author of the column "Adam's Rib."
National Museum of Natural History
On September 10 from noon to 9:00pm is "Our Ocean Film Showcase," a day of films, lectures and discussions. Ocean-related documentary films will include panel discussions. See the website for more information.
On September 12 at 6:30pm is America's National Parks at 100, followed by a discussion with the documentary's production team and other National Parks experts.
The Avalon
On September 7 at 8:00pm is Ants on a Shrimp (Maurice Dekkers, 2016), a documentary about a restaurant that relocates to Tokyo for a five-week popup. Part of the "Programmer's Choice" series.
On September 14 at 8:00pm is Life, Animated (Roger Ross Williams, 2016) about autistic Owen Suskind who learned to communicate through classic Disney animated films. Part of the "Films in Focus" sesries with members of the Suskind family present for Q&A.
On September 21 at 8:00pm is Les Cowboys (Thomas Bidegain, 2015), part of the "French Cinematheque" series.
On September 28 at 8:00pm is Encirclements (Lee Gilat, 2014), this month's pick for the "Reel Israel" series.
Library of Congress
The Mary Pickford Theater at the Library of Congress starts a new series of films showcasing the Library's collection and including newly preserved films. On September 15 at 7:00pm is Once in a Lifetime (Russel Mack, 1932), a satire of the film industry and based on the hit Broadway play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. Preceded by the short comedy film Maids a la Mode (Gus Meins, 1933).
Anacostia Community Museum
On September 23 at 11:00am is Bananas Is My Business (1995), a documentary about Carmen Miranda, one of Hollywood's highest paid female stars in the 1940s.
Wolf Trap
On September 2 at 7:30pm is "Disney in Concert," music and film clips from Frozen, Tangled, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Music performed by the Wolf Trap Orchestra.
Atlas Performing Arts
A new Silent Film series begins September 25 at 4:00pm with Show People (King Vidor, 1928), starring Marion Davies, shown with the short Charlie Chaplin film Behind the Screen (1916). Andrew Simpson provides live music accompaniment and will take questions and discuss the films and the music after the screening.
Hill Center
"The Trouble with Hitchcock" is a series of four of Alfred Hitchcock's comedies, hosted by Tom Zaniello. On September 9 at 7:00pm is The Trouble With Harry (1955); on September 16 at 7:00pm is The Lady Vanishes (1938); on September 23 at 7:00pm are three TV episodes "Poison," "The Glass Eye," and "Sorcerer's Apprentice." On September 30 at 7:00pm is The Thirty-Nine Steps (1935).
Reel Affirmations XTra
On September 30 at 7:00pm is Lazy Eye (Tom Kirkman, 2016).
Busboys and Poets
On September 18 at 5:00pm is the documentary The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel's Public Relations War in the United States. At the 5th and K location, with discussion following the documentary.
The Jerusalem Fund
On September 16 at 5:30pm is The Occupation of the American Mind (Loretta Alper and Jeremy Earp) with producer Sut Jhally present to participate in Q&A afterward.
George Mason University
On September 28 at 7:30pm film producer Christine Vachon will discuss her career. Part of the GMU Visiting Filmmakers Series. See the website for ticket information.
FILM FESTIVALS
