Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair

Presented in partnership with the American Cinematheque, ‘Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair’ is an annual film festival showcasing some of the greatest works of cinema from across the globe that venture into the darkest sides of humanity and the bleakest points in human history.

For the festival’s fifth annual edition in June 2026, Cinematheque at Cleveland Institute of Art is presenting  its own original curated lineup of uncompromising films defined by unpleasant truths and raw empathy.

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