Today's Film Programs

The PFA Theater is closed today.

Upcoming Film Series

	Dancing with Light: The Cinematography of Agnès Godard June 13 - June 28 The great French cinematographer Agnès Godard spends four evenings at the PFA Theater this June, introducing films and presenting a Behind the Scenes lecture on her art. Godard’s award-winning work with directors such as Wim Wenders, Agnès Varda, Ursula Meier, and Claire Denis has earned rightful acclaim as some of the most riveting, naturalistic, and sensual imagery in world cinema today.
	Castles in the Sky: Masterful Anime from Studio Ghibli June 16 - August 25 Studio Ghibli’s stunning films—marked by exquisite artistry, emotionally resonant themes, and absolutely memorable flights of fantasy—have forever altered the animated feature. This series showcases the full range of the Japanese studio’s output, from films for the youngest viewers, such as the utterly magical My Neighbor Totoro, to darker narratives like Whisper of the Heart, to Ghibli’s newest release, From Up on Poppy Hill, a realistic coming-of-age story. Don’t miss this chance to appreciate the breathtaking beauty of these films on the big screen.
	A Theater Near You June 19 - July 6 Our Theater Near You summer roundup includes digital restorations of Volker Schlöndorff’s The Tin Drum (1979), Luis Buñuel’s Tristana (1970), and Marcel Carné’s Port of Shadows (1938); sci-fi classics The Man Who Fell to Earth (Nicolas Roeg, 1976) and Kuroneko (Kaneto Shindo, 1968); and Lech Majewski’s critically acclaimed The Mill and the Cross (2010), an innovative filmic interpretation of Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s The Way to Calvary.
	From the Archive: Treasures of Eastern European and Soviet Cinema June 21 - July 20 As a tribute to the late George Gund III, who passed away in January, we showcase a selection of 35mm films that he donated to BAM/PFA over the years. These works, from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union, honor Gund’s passion for Eastern European cinema and his great generosity to the Bay Area film community.
	Behind the Scenes: The Art and Craft of Cinema with Editor Sam Pollard June 27 - June 29 Sam Pollard, who for the last forty years has been editing, producing, and directing key films about the African American experience, takes us behind-the-scenes of the art and craft of editing. Pollard discusses his craft in an illustrated talk followed by a screening of Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks and presents Clockers, one of his many collaborations with director Spike Lee. (Pollard’s originally scheduled visit was postponed due to Superstorm Sandy.)
	A Call to Action: The Films of Raoul Walsh July 5 - August 10 Raoul Walsh (1887–1980) was a director’s director, an inspired pro with an unbridled desire to just make movies. And make them he did—nearly one hundred features and shorts between 1913 and 1964. Our fourteen-film retrospective includes selections of Walsh’s Westerns (The Big Trail, Wild Girl, Pursued), comedies (Sailor’s Luck, Me and My Gal), war films (Objective Burma, What Price Glory), and gangster movies (Regeneration, High Sierra, White Heat). New York Times critic Dave Kehr introduces several of the films and joins Bay Area–based film critic Michael Fox in conversation on August 1.
	Dark Nights: Simenon and Cinema July 11 - August 29 A dozen films based on Georges Simenon’s mysteries, thrillers, and melodramas are the perfect companions for your summer vacation. His Inspector Maigret has investigated hundreds of crimes, less obsessed by chasing clues than motivated by Simenon’s own motto, “to understand without condemning.” His lesser known and darker psychological novels detail how ordinary lives derail, whether through weakness or deluded dreams. Read the books, join us to see a rich array of movies, and discover the darkness that lies within. Includes films by Marcel Carné, Bertrand Tavernier, Claude Chabrol, Julien Duvivier, Béla Tarr, and others.
	Tales of Love: The Enchanted World of Jacques Demy July 25 - August 31 This summer, we are delighted to showcase the films of Jacques Demy (1931–1990), one of the most gifted filmmakers to emerge during the French New Wave. Masterfully choreographed camera movements, a penchant for colorful decorative elegance, and a starring role for music (often by Michel LeGrand) are trademarks of Demy’s cinematic style. Our series also includes three films about Demy directed by his wife, Agnès Varda.
	The Hitchcock 9: Rare Silents Restored August 16 - August 31 We are pleased to bring to the East Bay all nine of Hitchcock’s surviving silents, which are touring the U.S. after being digitally restored in the largest project ever undertaken by the British Film Institute. These restorations reveal not only cleaner, crisper images but recover original material that had gone missing from available prints. Presented in conjunction with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, this series offers a chance to discover new dimensions of Hitchcock’s work and observe a master’s style in the making. All films feature live piano accompaniment by Judith Rosenberg.
	Yang Fudong's Cinematic Influences August 22 - November 30 In conjunction with the BAM/PFA exhibition Yang Fudong: Estranged Paradise, Works 1993–2013, we present two films by the artist/filmmaker as well as a range of works that have influenced him.
	Free Outdoor Screening in the BAM/PFA Sculpture Garden August 28 - August 28 Bring a blanket to the BAM/PFA sculpture garden for a free outdoor screening of The Troublemaker, a finger-snappin’ exposé of a bumpkin opening a coffeehouse in Greenwich Village, preceded by a special beat poetry reading by Adam Sussman and other swingin' surprises.