AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE’S 'BLEAK WEEK: CINEMA OF DESPAIR’ FESTIVAL EXPANDS TO 10 THEATRES IN SEVEN CITIES INCLUDING LONDON’S PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA
First wave of special in-person guests announced include Robert Eggers and Todd Solondz
Los Angeles, CA, April 15, 2025 – American Cinematheque is expanding its popular film festival, ‘Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair,’ beyond Los Angeles to seven additional cities across the US and internationally to London this June. The festival will continue to have its home in Los Angeles at the Aero Theatre, Egyptian Theatre and Los Feliz 3, but this year it will broaden its reach with screenings at renowned venues including the Hollywood Theatre (Portland, OR), Music Box Theatre (Chicago), Texas Theatre (Dallas), Trylon Cinema (Minneapolis), Paris Theater (New York), Coolidge Corner Theatre (Boston) and Prince Charles Cinema (London). In celebration of the festival, Turner Classic Movies will present its own selection of bleak cinema on Monday, June 2 that includes MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW, MAN OF THE WEST, CRIES AND WHISPERS, BREAKING THE WAVES and THE SEVENTH VICTIM with host Dave Karger on hand to introduce the first three films of the evening.
The festival kicks off in Los Angeles and Chicago June 1 to 7, continues in Portland and Minneapolis June 6 to 12, then heads to New York, Boston and Dallas June 8 to 14, before concluding in London June 15 to 21.
Founded in 2022, the American Cinematheque’s ‘Bleak Week’ is an annual weeklong festival that showcases dozens of the greatest films of cinema history from around the world that fearlessly plunge the depths of human despair. Says American Cinematheque Artistic Director, Grant Moninger, “‘Bleak Week’ has deeply resonated with both audiences and filmmakers alike, who have discovered they are not alone in their desire to explore challenging and often sad and uncomfortable truths about the darkest sides of humanity through the projected light of cinema. Over 20,000 people and more than 50 special guests have attended the festival the past two years, and we are proud to take ‘Bleak Week’ beyond Los Angeles and join forces with seven of our favorite movie theatres to co-present a vast program of incredible films to their ardent audiences. We applaud these theatres’ incredible year-round film programming and look forward to seeing each uniquely crafted festival.”
Robert Eggers and Todd Solondz will visit the Prince Charles Cinema and Paris Theater, respectively. The full lineup for all theatres, including other special guests, will be announced over the next month. Previous editions of Bleak Week have featured renowned filmmakers and actors such as Béla Tarr, Lynne Ramsay, Charlie Kaufman, Isabella Rossellini, Kenneth Lonergan, Al Pacino, Kogonada, Colin Farrell, Ari Aster, Gus Van Sant, Karyn Kusama, Paul Dano, Boots Riley, Jerry Schatzberg, Matthew Modine, Chris Pine, Ray Wise, John Hillcoat, J. Smith-Cameron, Allen Hughes, Anna Paquin and more.
Says Paul Vickery, Head of Programming for the Prince Charles Cinema, “I’ve been an admirer of the American Cinematheque for as long as I can remember - their newsletter is a daily dose of envy and inspiration - so the opportunity to work together on the first international instalment of ‘Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair’ is a programmer’s dream come true. The chance to extend our collaborative-reach across the pond is proof that this community of people who are all-consumed by the celebration of the big-screen experience are a global one, and we couldn’t be prouder to be part of it. But most of all, we can’t wait to bring a little piece of what the incredible team at the AC do on a daily basis to our screen in London. You are in for a truly misery-inducing treat!”
Dates & Venues:
American Cinematheque
Aero Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
June 1 - 7, 2025
American Cinematheque
Egyptian Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
June 1 - 7, 2025
American Cinematheque
Los Feliz 3, Los Angeles, CA
June 1 - 7, 2025
Music Box Theatre
Chicago, IL
June 1 - 7, 2025
Hollywood Theatre
Portland, OR
June 6 - 12, 2025
Trylon Cinema
Minneapolis, MN
June 6 - 12, 2025
Paris Theater
New York, NY
June 8 - 14, 2025
Coolidge Corner Theatre
Boston, MA
June 8 - 14, 2025
Texas Theatre
Dallas, TX
June 8 - 14, 2025
Prince Charles Cinema
London, England
June 15 - 21, 2025
ABOUT THE PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA
The Prince Charles Cinema, located in the heart of London's cine-famous ‘West End’, is a single-site independent cinema celebrated for its unique attitude, its vast programme of 150+ different films every month and its dedication to preserving the art of 35mm and 70mm film projection.
Since opening its doors in 1962, the cinema has remained a community hub for film lovers, offering a carefully curated programme that features a broad spectrum of films, from timeless classics and hidden gems to contemporary masterpieces from every corner of the world, providing audiences with a unique opportunity to experience the history of cinema where it was born to be celebrated; on the big screen.
ABOUT THE MUSIC BOX THEATRE
Operating since 1929, the Music Box Theatre has been the premier venue in Chicago for independent and foreign films for more than four decades, playing host to over 200,000 patrons annually. It currently has the largest theater space operated full time in the city. The Theatre is independently owned and operated. Its sister company, Music Box Films, is dedicated to curating a diverse repertoire of films from around the world and distributing them throughout the US.
Regular events produced, presented, and hosted at Music Box Theatre include our 70mm Film Festival; our annual 24-hour horror-movie marathon Music Box of Horrors; and Noir City: Chicago, co-presented by the Film Noir Foundation. The Music Box team is thrilled to be part of Bleak Week this year alongside the American Cinematheque.
ABOUT HOLLYWOOD THEATRE
ABOUT PARIS THEATER
The legendary Paris Theater is the longest-running arthouse cinema in New York City. It is also Manhattan’s only remaining single-screen cinema, and the borough’s largest movie theater, with 535 seats. Built by the French distributor Pathé as a showcase for their films and opened on September 13, 1948, the elegant theater, with its distinctive Arte Moderne style, became a premier venue for the best films from around the world. Over the years, many hits such as A Man and a Woman, Romeo and Juliet, Monsoon Wedding, Metropolitan, A Room With a View, and Belle de Jour were introduced to the United States with a theatrical run at the Paris.
In 2019, Netflix began operating the theater, giving new life to a landmark of New York moviegoing and introducing it to a new generation of film lovers. As the studio’s New York flagship theater, the Paris is the home for exclusive theatrical engagements, premieres, special events, retrospectives, and filmmaker appearances.
ABOUT TRYLON CINEMA
TRYLON is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, whose mission is to cultivate community by screening classic, contemporary, independent, and foreign films at Trylon Cinema in South Minneapolis and other venues throughout the Twin Cities.
They screen six nights a week at the Trylon Cinema, with regular special engagements at the Heights and Riverview theaters.
ABOUT COOLIDGE CORNER THEATER
ABOUT DALLAS THEATRE
ABOUT THE AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE
Established in 1984, the American Cinematheque is a member-supported 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural arts organization dedicated to building an engaged film community through immersive film curation, conversation, and presentation.
The American Cinematheque celebrates the movie-going experience at the core of its mission. Since it first began showing films in theatres in 1985, the American Cinematheque has provided a wide range of film programming, with both new and repertory cinema, hosting screenings, panels and special events with thousands of filmmakers and luminaries.
The Cinematheque showcases over 1,600 films per year; it connects the filmmaker to the audience and film history to its future. Presenting in 35mm, 70mm, rare nitrate, and state-of-the-art digital.
No comments:
Post a Comment