In his recent Substack article, “A Curator’s Mission Is Discovering the Classics of Tomorrow,” Richard Lorber—Chairman and CEO of Kino Lorber and a film distribution pioneer with over forty-five years of experience—reflects on the alchemy of curation. Beyond the vital elements of taste, knowledge, and judgment, he notes how “happy curatorial incidents” are as important in building a bold curatorial brand that champions the adventurous and opens the path for new classics.
He recalls one such moment at the founding of Kino Lorber, when he and his partner Don Krim overcame economic worry and took a chance on “a title in Cannes by an unknown director that left each of us in a state of perplexed exhilaration,” a crazy Greek new wave film: Yorgos Lanthimos’s 2009 feature Dogtooth. The film, perplexing and exhilarating in equal measure, helped establish Kino Lorber’s identity and later garnered an Oscar nomination, becoming one of the defining films in their catalog. We recently screened its 20th anniversary 4K restoration, a reminder of how essential risk-taking can be in discovering the cinema that will endure.
This example raises a question close to my heart: how do we nurture an appetite for the unknown in our audiences? Good curation—the search for pearls in the vast sea of available films—is only part of the equation. The other part rests with you, the audience, who trust the programmer enough to take risks on films without familiar names, known source material, or award buzz. It is in that shared leap of faith—curators and audiences together—that cinema as an art form continues to grow.
At the Cinematheque, our mission is not only to present the enduring works of world cinema, but also to foster those exhilarating “happy accidents” that turn today’s unknowns into tomorrow’s classics. We hope you will join us this season in taking those leaps together. Therefore, I invite you to a friendly challenge: see a film from our calendar that you would not otherwise see. I’m curious to hear about your experience afterwards.
With regards to what’s (theatrically) new, the highlight of the November-December calendar is undoubtably Twin Peaks: The Return, David Lynch’s monumental series of singular vision, coming to theaters for the first time since its release. Passes are available if you’d like to (re-)watch it in our auditorium in its entirety. If you cannot join us for the full experience, do not miss Part 8 on November 21—a work of avant-garde audacity that must be seen on the big screen.
As for sticking with the familiar, I’m equally excited about the Modern Loves: Leos Carax series, particularly for Mauvais Sang, a film among my own personal favorites, so much so that it was part of the list of films I sent to John Ewing for my introductory screening. This early film by Carax is mesmerizing, carried by the remarkable Denis Lavant (the actor par excellence for Carax) who you won’t be able to take your eyes from. A former circus performer, Lavant brings an intense, unparalleled physicality to the screen, particularly in the electric “Modern Love” sequence here, and he was able to show the versatility of this presence later in Carax’s Lovers on the Bridge and Holy Motors, as well as in Claire Denis’ Beau Travail.
Lastly, we invite all our members to the Member Appreciation screening of William Wyler’s The Collector, celebrating its 80th anniversary, on December 3. Purchase or renew your membership now to reserve your spot. More information coming soon!
Bilgesu Sisman, Director of Cinematheque