The 27th Annual Oscars Party
Celebrate the Oscars at the Washington, DC Film Society’s 27th annual “And the Winner Is…” Oscar Night party. You’ll get a whole lot more than just viewing the show: The 91st Academy Awards will be presented LIVE ON THE BIG SCREEN, Sunday, February 24, 2019 at the Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse located at 2903 Columbia Pike in Arlington, VA. Ticket sales at 6:00 p.m. Doors open and the Red Carpet pre-show at 6:30 p.m. Oscars broadcast at 8:00 p.m.
While the Oscars will be hostless this year, our ever-popular DC film critics Tim Gordon and Travis Hopson will be back at the Drafthouse to give you the skinny on who’s up, who’s down, who’s in, and who’s out, as you decide your picks in the “Predict The Winners” contest and place your bids in the Silent Auction (cash/check only). Not to mention the door prizes and promotional goodies from the movie studios!
The Oscars will have a wide open Best Picture race this year. Will it be Black Panther, the first nominee in this category for a superhero film? Or Roma, a foreign language film with an unknown (at least to U.S. audiences) Mexican cast, with 10 nominations? The polarizing Green Book? The sardonic, feminist period piece The Favourite? Will Spike Lee win, after he finally nabbed a long overdue Best Director nomination for BlacKkKlansman?
Three of the Acting categories have clear front runners: Rami Malek will likely take home Best Actor for Bohemian Rhapsody. Glenn Close will finally win her first Best Actress in her storied career for The Wife. Mahershala Ali will get his second Best Supporting Oscar in three years for Green Book. Best Supporting Actress has no favorite. Emma Stone or Rachel Weisz may win their second Oscar for The Favourite, or they could split the vote. Amy Adams could win for Vice, her sixth nomination, or maybe respected industry veteran Regina King for the underrated If Beale Street Could Talk.
DC Film Society members saw 12 of the Award-nominated films first at free screenings held throughout the year.
For a list of additional information and updates, check out our website or e-mail. Tickets are only $20. Purchase tickets on-line, or at the door. As always, this 27th annual event will be held in support of Filmfest DC, DC Film Society’s parent organization.
Calendar of Events
FILMS
American Film Institute Silver Theater
For most of February the AFI shows first-run films. The 23rd Iranian Film Festival is at the AFIf and Freer. Titles in February are The Graveless, Pig, 3 Faces, and A Man of Integrity. See below) for the films at the Freer.
"A Second Look: 2018" (February 16-March 20) is a film series of popular and indie films from 2018. Titles in February are Incredibles 2, BlackkKlansman, Minding the Gap, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, First Reformed, A Star is Born, Suspiria, Roma, and Vox Lux. More in March.
The Capital Irish Film Festival (February 28-March 3) is a series of 13 films from Ireland. The Opening Night film is The Drummer and the Keeper, winner of Best Irish First Feature at the 2017 Galway Film Festival, with an introduction by Michael Lonergan from the Embassy of Ireland, Q&A with director Nick Kelly and a post-screening reception. More in March.
Freer Gallery of Art
A series of Japanese classic films continues at the Freer. On February 6 at 2:00pm is Pale Flower (Masahiro Shinoda, 1964).
The 23rd annual Iranian Film Festival (January 18-February 24) continues in February. On February 8 at 7:00pm is Feast of Sorrow (Pourya Azarbayjan, 2018); on February 10 at 2:00pm is 3 Faces (Jafar Panahi, 2018); on February 10 at 4:30pm is The Graveless (Mostafa Sayar, 2018); on February 15 at 7:00pm is Sly; on February 16 at 2:00pm is Wednesday, May 9 (Vahid Jalilvand, 2015); on February 17 at 2:00pm is Final Whistle (Niki Karimi, 2011) with the filmmaker in person; and on February 24 at 2:00pm is Pig (Mani Haghighi, 2017). See also AFI Silver Theater for more screenings.
National Gallery of Art
"The Films of Gordon Parks" (January 12-February 10) accompanies the exhibition "Gordon Parks: The New Tide, Early Work 1940-1950." On February 2 at 2:00pm is Leadbelly (Gordon Parks, 1976). On February 3 at 4:00pm is Solomon Northup's Odyssey (Gordon Parks, 1984), based on Northup's book Twelve Years a Slave. On February 9 at 2:00pm is Half Past Autumn: The Life and Work of Gordon Parks (Craig Rice, 2000), preceded by the short film The Weapons on Gordon Parks (1967). On February 10 at 4:00pm is Moments without Proper Names (1988) preceded by the short film Martin (1989). The following are re-scheduled from January's shutdown: On February 22 at 12:30pm "Gordon Parks Early Documentaries; on February 27 at 12:30pm is Shaft; and on March 8 at 12:30pm is The Learning Tree.
"Jean Vigo" (February 16) is a two-part program on February 16 of films by French director Jean Vigo. At 2:00pm is A propos de Nice (1930) followed by Jean Taris, champion de France (1931) and Zero de conduite (1933). At 4:00pm is L'Atalante (1934).
"From Vault to Screen: Portugal" (February 23-March 9), restorations of films from the Cinemateca Portuguesa in Lisbon. On February 23 at 2:00pm is Aniki-Bobo (Manoel de Oliveira, 1942), preceded by the short film Douro, Faina Fluvial (Manoel de Olveira, 1931). On February 23 at 4:00pm is The Green Years (Paulo Rocha, 1963). On February 24 at 4:00pm is Revolution in May (Antonio Lopes Ribeiro, 1937). More in March.
Special events in February: on February 17 at 2:00pm is "Hip-Hop's Great Day: Gordon Parks and a Legacy of Photographic Inspiration," with Nelson George, Adrian Loving and Vikki Tobak in person for discussion. On February 17 at 5:00pm is the Washington premiere of the restoration of When You Read This Letter (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1953).
Museum of American History
On February 18 at 1:00pm is Blondie's New York, a documentary about the band and its hit songs.
On February 25 at 1:00pm is Amy Winehouse: One Shining Night, a documentary about the singer.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
On February 9 at 3:00pm is Black Is the Color (2017), a documentary about African American art from 1867 to today. A discussion will follow the film.
Washington Jewish Community Center
The JCC will be renovating its space and programs are shown at other locations. On February 6 at 7:30pm is Blue Note Records: Beyond the Note (Sophie Huber, 2018), a documentary about the American jazz record label Blue Note Records. Shown at Landmark's E Street Cinema. On February 21 at 7:30pm is Transit (Christian Petzold, 2018) from Germany, based on the 1942 novel Transit Visa by Anna Seghers. Shown at Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema.
Goethe Institute
Landmark's West End Cinema hosts a new film series "Wunderbar Films: German Cinema 101" - Film and Discussion with Hester Baer, Associate Professor and Head of Germanic Studies at the University of Maryland. Films will be shown once a month and are divided into four categories: contemporary German film, films of the German Democratic Republic (DEFA Studio), films of the Weimar Republic (1920s), and New German Cinema (1970s). The series began in October and continues on February 11 at 6:30pm with the GDR film The Silent Star (Kurt Maetzig, 1960). Peter Rollberg from George Washington University will introduce the film and a discussion will follow.
National Air and Space Museum
On February 1-7 and 3:55pm is the Oscar-nominated documentary Free Solo (E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin), shown on the IMAX screen.
National Geographic Society
On January 30-February 2 at 7:00pm are programs from the annual Banff Mountain Film Festival.
French Embassy
"Focus on Clouzot" (January 8-February 5) explores the work of the avant-garde thriller master: Henri-Georges Clouzot. On February 5 at 7:00pm is Diabolique (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955) starring Simone Signoret and Vera Clouzot.
The Japan Information and Culture Center
On February 15 at 6:30pm is an anime film Silent Voice (Naoko Yamada, 2016), winner of Best Film and Screenplay at the 2017 Tokyo Anime Awards. On February 20 at 6:30pm is What a Wonderful Family! (Yoji Yamada, 2016), a comedy about a family suddenly thrown into turmoil with the wife wants a divorce.
The Textile Museum at GWU
On February 21 at noon is the documentary Hugo Boss’ Secret Nazi History, Fashion at War (2017).
National Archives
On February 14 at noon is Chisholm ‘72: Unbought and Unbossed (Shola Lynch, 2004), a documentary of Shirley Chisholm's 1972 presidential campaign.
The Archives shows Oscar-nominated documentaries and shorts in its 15th annual Oscar Showcase. Documentary Features: on February 20 at 7:00pm is RBG; on February 21 at 7:00pm is Free Solo; on Friday 22 at 7:00pm is Of Fathers and Sons; on February 23 at 7:00pm is Hale County This Morning, This Evening; and on February 24 at 4:00pm is Minding the Gap. Documentary Short Films are on February 24 at 11:00am; Live Action Short Films are on February 23 at noon and Animated Shorts are on February 23 at 3:30pm.
On February 27 at 7:00pm is NOVA Addiction (Sarah Holt), a documentary about the deadly epidemic of addiction to drugs including OxyContin, fentanyl and heroin. A panel discussion with the film's director and others will follow the screening.
Bethesda Row
"Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series. On February 10 at 10:00am is The Divine Order (Petra Biondina Volpe, 2017), winner of many awards.
Breakfast is at 9:30am, 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." A season pass is available.
National Museum of Natural History
On February 23 at 6:45pm is the documentary The Next Guardian (Dorottya Zurbó and Arun Bhattarai, 2017), about the reluctant next guardians of a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan. Part of the Mother Tongue Film Festival.
The Avalon
On February 6 at 8:00pm is Hale County, This Morning, This Evening (RaMell Ross, 2018), part of "Avalon Docs" and nominated for an Academy Award for Documentary Feature.
On February 13 at 8:00pm is Jan Palach (Robert Sedlacek, 2018), a biopic about student Jan Palach during the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. Part of the "Czech Lions" series, and nominated for six Czech Film Critics' Awards.
On February 9 at 10:00am is The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987), for the "Weekend Family Matinee" series.
On February 17 at 10:30am and February 19 at 10:30am is Young Picasso (Phil Grabsky, 2019), part of the "Exhibition on Screen" series.
On February 20 at 8:00pm is Something Is Happening (Anne Alix, 2018), this month's "French Cinematheque" film.
Italian Cultural Institute
On February 5 at 6:00pm is Stories of Love That Cannot Belong to This World (Francesca Comencini, 2017).
New York University Abramson Family Auditorium
On February 22 at 7:00pm is the documentary Leitis in Waiting (Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson and Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, 2018) part of the Mother Tongue Film Festival.
Library of Congress
The Mary Pickford Theater
at the Library of Congress continues its series of films showcasing the Library's collection and including newly preserved films. On February 12 at 7:00pm is Down in the Delta (Maya Angelou, 1998) starring Alfre Woodard.
The series of music-themed films continues in February with films scored by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. On Febuary 7 at 7:00pm is The Sea Hawk (Michael Curtiz, 1940) starring Errol Flynn. On February 14 at 7:00pm is King's Row (Sam Wood, 1942) starring Ronald Reagan. On February 23 at 12:00 noon is a double feature of Captain Blood (Michael Curtiz, 1935) and The Goonies (not a Korngold score). On February 28 at 7:00pm is The Sea Wolf (Michael Curtiz, 1941).
"Capital Classics" at Landmark's West End Cinema
Classic films are shown at the West End Cinema on Wednesdays at 1:30pm, 4:30pm and 7:30pm. On February 6 is The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Charles Walters, 1964); more TBA.
Kennedy Center
On February 21 at 7:00pm, February 22 at 8:00pm and February 23 at 2:00pm is Star Wars: The Force Awakens (J.J. Abrans, 2015) with John Williams' Oscar-nominated score performed by the National Symphony Orchestra.
Atlas Performing Arts Film Series
On February 23 at 2:15pm is Man on Fire (Joel Fendelman, 2018), a documentary about racism in Grand Saline, Texas. The filmmaker will be present to discuss the film.
On February 24 at 4:00pm is The Adventures of Prince Achmed (Lotte Reiniger, 1926), an animated fairytail film with live, original music by Andrew Simpson.
Alden Theater
"New Disney Classics" is a series of 1990s Disney films, shown every second Wednesday January through June. On February 13 at 12:30pm is Aladdin. "Midday Movies: Foreign-Lanuage Films" is a series of foreign films shown every fourth Wednesday through May. On February 27 is A Separation from Iran.
Angelika Film Center Mosaic
"Black is the New Black" is a series of films on Wednesdays to celebrate Black History Month. On February 6 at 7:00pm is Coming to America (John Landis, 1988); on February 13 at 7:00pm is Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989); on February 20 at 7:00pm is Poetic Justice (John Singleton, 1993); and on February 27 at 7:00pm is The Color Purple (Steven Spielberg, 1985).
Other one-time films in February are The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987) on February 2 at 10:00am in the "Family Flashback" series; and The Day the Earth Stood Still (Robert Wise, 1951) on February 18 at 7:00pm in the Sci-Fest series.
Angelika Popup
"Black is the New Black" is a series of films on Wednesdays to celebrate Black History Month. On February 6 at 7:00pm is Coming to America (John Landis, 1988); on February 13 at 7:00pm is Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989); on February 20 at 7:00pm is Poetic Justice (John Singleton, 1993); and on February 27 at 7:00pm is The Color Purple (Steven Spielberg, 1985).
Reel Affirmations XTra
On February 15 at 7:00pm is Alaska Is a Drag (Shaz Bennett, 2017).
Alliance Francais
On February 8 at 7:00pm is Paris Nous Appartient (Jacques Rivette, 1961). A discussion will follow.
George Mason University
The GMU Visiting Filmmakers Series presents the documentary The Unafraid with Heather Courtney on February 28 at 7:30pm. Made over four years, the film follows students whose lives are complicated by their undocumented status. A Q&A will follow with filmmaker Heather Courtney. Open to the public.
DC Shorts
The DC Shorts Mini Film Festival presents "Shorts and Sweets," a two-day film festival of 30 short films in four separate showcases on February 15 at 7:00pm and 9:00pm and February 16 at 8:00pm and 10:00pm. Comedy, romance, drama, sci-fi, documentaries and thrillers are from ten countries. A pass is available. Location: Miracle Theater.
FILM FESTIVALS
