If you’ve sensed a particular energy at the Cinematheque lately, you are right. We’ve been deeply gratified by the strong audience response to our January-February program. Looking back, it’s been especially heartening to see so many of you engage with such a diverse range of films. From the quiet beauty of All We Imagine as Light to the generative musings of Eno, the expansive vision of Dersu Uzala to the impactful From Ground Zero, the sheer delight of Animation Show of Shows, the emotional core of I’m Still Here, and of course the surreal mystery of David Lynch’s of Blue Velvet – your enthusiastic participation reflects the breadth of our community’s cinematic curiosity. And as February continues, we’re still anticipating big turnouts for several more screenings. This rich mix of genres, styles, themes, and origins really highlights the Cinematheque as a space for both cinematic discovery and the enjoyment of enduring favorites. We appreciate you making it such a vibrant place.
Looking ahead to March and April, we have a similarly engaging program in store, with a number of special guests to mark in your calendars. We are pleased to welcome director Philip Dolin for Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse on March 6th. Then, on March 15th, we’ll be hosting Mark H. Rapaport with Hippo for what should be a great discussion on independent filmmaking. April brings two more notable visits: join us on April 6th for a discussion with filmmaker Zeinabu irene Davis for Compensation, and on April 25th for a chance to delve into The Monk and the Gun with Pawo Choyning Dorji.
Beyond these individual appearances, our program is enriched by our ongoing collaborations with faculty from CIA, CSU, and CWRU. We are presenting a double feature of White Mane and Red Balloon, a noir exploration with Out of the Past, a music trip with Neon Highway along with the actor and musician Rob Mayes, a timely look at AI with Ravenous Remediation, the military and video game connections in Edge of Tomorrow, and Cuban cinema with Ya No Es Antes. We also have two focused film series planned: “Buddhism Goes to the Movies” (April 11-25) and “Appetite and Its Others” (April 18-20), each offering a thematic lens on cinema with faculty introductions. And keep an eye out for a special screening connected to CIA’s Design Show on April 24th – more details to come.
In other news, we’re delighted to announce an important upgrade behind the scenes. Thanks to the generous support of Janet Rosel Smith and Mark K. Smith, we are installing a new 4K laser projector in our booth. Furthermore, in our continuing effort to improve accessibility, we are adding new Closed Captioning and Assistive Listening devices. To accommodate these installations, the Cinematheque will be temporarily closed on March 13th and 14th. However, we’ll reopen on March 15th with Stanley Kubrick’s magnificent Barry Lyndon, in 4K restoration, celebrating its 50th anniversary. We’re honored that Cinematheque friend, film scholar, and former CIA president Grafton Nunes will be here to introduce this milestone.
For our members, you may have noticed our streamlined membership system since December. No more cards needed – we can now look you up by name. This system also allows us to see who our most frequent members are. So, we thought we’d introduce a bit of friendly fun: the member who attends the most films throughout the 2025 calendar year will have the exciting opportunity to program a film of their choice in our 2026 schedule! Consider it a chance to be a guest curator for the Cinematheque. And just so you know, the consistently dedicated John Ewing is currently in the top 10!
Finally, I want to mention the new Film Club, which had a great first meeting on February 9th. Organized by Cinematheque patrons, it provides a welcoming space to share thoughts and reactions to the films, encourage different perspectives, and build community around a love of cinema. The next meeting will be on March 16th, after the screening of Who By Fire, in the atrium on the second floor. All are welcome to join.
Thank you again for your ongoing support of the Cinematheque as a vital space for impactful and thought-provoking cinema. We look forward to seeing you at the movies in March and April.
Bilgesu Sisman, Director of Cinematheque