JOHN WATERS SCREENINGS
ARE JUST THE BEGINNING
A treasure trove of film screams into October at the Academy Museum (programs below). In the meantime, this Saturday, September 30, 2023, the Academy Museum celebrates its two-year anniversary by offering FREE ADMISSION to all guests! Advanced reservations are encouraged, and walk-up tickets will also be available.The anniversary also marks the beginning of a new series of Weekend Shortcuts. Beginning on September 30, on weekend afternoons at 3pm museum visitors can experience Fleischer cartoon shorts screened in the state-of-the-art David Geffen Theater (DGT) with the purchase of a general admission ticket.
On September 17, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opened the exhibition John Waters: Pope of Trash, the first comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the filmmaker’s contributions to cinema, in conjunction with a colorful catalogue celebrating Waters’s film career. Now through October, the museum presents an accompanying retrospective screening series of the same name, featuring Waters’s early works to his most recent film, A Dirty Shame (2004).
In addition to John Waters: Pope of Trash, Sofia Coppola will join us for a book signing and conversation for Archive—the first book that covers her iconic and influential career in film. Continuing this October is our captivating film series Enter the VardaVerse: Afternoons in Paris, tracing Agnès Varda’s cinematic journey through the streets of Paris alongside her contemporaries, and New Italian Cinema / Nuovo Cinema Italiano , a unique window into the last five years of Italian cinema. Beginning in October, the Academy Museum presents Ennio Morricone: Essential Scores from a Movie Maestro , a series providing a comprehensive look at the iconic scores spanning Morricone’s versatile career.Films are shown in 35mm, 70mm, or digital laser projection in our beautiful Ted Mann Theater (TMT) or David Geffen Theater (DGT). In some cases, films have been restored by the Academy Film Archive or another film partner. Select screenings include introductions, Q&As, and/or special guests, so please check our website for updates, download our digital film guide, or follow us @academymuseumscreenings on Instagram.
Education and Public Programs
Drop-In Workshops for Families: Ghostly Prop-Making Inspired by William CastleOct 7 | 12:30pm | Shirley Temple Education StudioOur Drop-In Workshops for Families are inspired by the William Castle films screening in our Family Matinees series in October: The Tingler (1959). This month, families can create their own ghostly props that could be a perfect fit for a haunted house or William Castle gimmick! Drop-In Tours: Latinx on ViewFridays (Ongoing) | 1pm | L2/L3/L4Join museum educators on Friday afternoons to explore the Academy Museum’s ongoing exhibition, Stories of Cinema , which presents diverse narratives of moviemakers and their works. In October, our drop-in tours will spotlight Latinx voices in film. Museum educators will explore films and filmmakers such as documentarian Lourdes Portillo and the scripts of Mosquita y Mari (2012).Be Bold! Be Brave! and Fearless Trailblazers Book Signing and Family WorkshopOct 8 | 12:30pm | LL1/Shirley Temple Education StudioJoin author Naibe Reynoso for a reading of her books Be Bold! Be Brave! and Fearless Trailblazers, which celebrate the accomplishments of Latinos who made US history, including Rita Moreno and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The reading and book signing will be followed by a family workshop in our Shirley Temple Education Studio.Sofia Coppola: Archive Book Signing and ConversationOctober 15 | 11am | Ted Mann TheaterArchive is the first book by Sofia Coppola that covers her iconic and influential career in film. Comprised of Coppola’s personal collection of photos, ephemera, and behind-the-scenes documentation, it gives a view into her world of references and methods for all her films to date. With a keen eye for the teenage experience, Coppola’s films continue to resonate with youth and adult audiences alike. We are excited to have the Academy Museum’s Teen Council in conversation with Coppola after the book signing.Drag Queen Story Hour and Scenes with QueensOct 21 | 12:30pm | Shirley Temple Education StudioThe Academy Museum invites families to join us for Drag Queen Story Hour this fall, hosted by director of Drag Story Hour Los Angeles, Pickle Drag Queen. Story Hour is followed by Scenes with Queens, a family friendly reading of selected scenes from the various films represented in our Stories of Cinema exhibition with members of the audience!Tactile FilmmakingOct 22 | 11am | Shirley Temple Education StudioThe Tactile Filmmaking Workshop offers an interactive session to learn direct-on-film animation techniques. Participants will collaborate to craft dynamic moving-image collages on 16mm film using simple materials, which will be spliced together and screened through a 16mm film projector, bringing together a truly collaborative film!
Academy Museum x Cinephile: Movie Trivia NightOct 22 | 4:30pm | Tea RoomJoin us for a chilling evening of movie trivia with our friends from Cinephile on Sunday, October 22 from 4:30pm to 7pm. Mingle with fellow movie buffs as you enjoy snacks and beverages and show off your knowledge of suspense, thriller, and horror films. Whether you choose to participate as part of a team or take on the challenge solo, all are welcome and encouraged to join the fun. Dress to impress and you could win a special prize during our costume contest!Calm Mornings: The Witches Special Effects Makeup WorkshopOct 28 | 9am | L2/Shirley Temple Education StudioJoin us for sensory-friendly gallery exploration and a family workshop inspired by the film The Witches (1990).
Mystics and Monsters at the MuseumOct 28 | Noon | Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby/L1/Netflix LoungeCalling all ghosts and ghouls! Join the Academy Museum for a scary good time. The museum will host a fun-filled day of ghostly tours, tarot card readings, and special effects makeup demonstrations with William Corso, Makeup Artist, Governor Makeup and Hairstylists Branch, Sci-Tech Council, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.ASL Interpreted ToursOct 28 | Noon | Stories of Cinema galleriesAmerican Sign Language (ASL) tours are always offered on the same day as our monthly Calm Mornings program and accommodative Family Matinee film screening. Stories of Cinema galleries will be featured on tours at noon.
FILM PROGRAMS
Enter the VardaVerse: Afternoons in Paris
September 3–October 22
Agnès Varda, the influential grandmother of the French New Wave, left an indelible mark on cinema history. Her prolific career spanned seven decades, during which she directed numerous features and shorts, adapting her style to her evolving interests. Part Three of Enter the VardaVerse explores her presence in the Director’s Inspiration gallery of the Stories of Cinema exhibition. Join us in the fall for weekends of cinematic experiences in Paris, where Varda lived on rue Daguerre. We’ll showcase her rare shorts alongside classics by renowned filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Bresson, Jacques Rivette, and others, offering a unique perspective on Paris through their films.
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New Italian Cinema / Nuovo Cinema Italiano
September 6–October 4
Italy holds the record with 14 Academy Award® wins for Foreign Language Film. Its recognition began with neorealism classics like Shoeshine (1946) and The Bicycle Thief (1948). Italy has garnered nominations or wins in each decade, notably through filmmakers like Federico Fellini. In recent times, globalization led to international co-productions, expanding the reach of Italian cinema. Alongside our Ennio Morricone series, the Academy Museum showcases Italian cinema’s last five years, reflecting our interconnected world.
Futura (2021)
Mon, Oct 2 | 8pm | TMT | DCP
Ennio (2021)
Wed, Oct 4 | 8pm | TMT | DC
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John Waters: Pope of TrashSeptember 17–October 28
Dubbed the “Pope of Trash” by William S. Burroughs in 1986, John Waters, born in 1946, embodies the self-made American iconoclast. From his initial 8mm short in 1964 to A Dirty Shame (2004), Waters—a filmmaker, author, art collector, and fashion figure—defies conventions. His antiestablishment vision, influenced by William Castle, Kroger Babb, and the Kuchar Brothers, among many other filmmakers, is evident across his roles as director, producer, and more. Challenging norms, Waters’s irreverence extends to annual top 10 lists and his one-man show, This Filthy World . The Academy Museum’s retrospective film series, John Waters: Pope of Trash, premiered September 17 with Serial Mom (1994).
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Ennio Morricone: Essential Scores from a Movie Maestro
October 6–November 25
Ennio Morricone developed his ear at a young age as cultivated by his musician father, who encouraged his studies on the trumpet. Morricone is best remembered for his film scores, most specifically his collaborations with Dario Argento, Sergio Leone, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Elio Petri, and Giuseppe Tornatore in his native Italy, and Brian De Palma, Terrence Malick, and Quentin Tarantino in Hollywood. Over a career spanning eight decades, Morricone’s influence on cinema music will be felt for generations to come. This series offers an overview of many iconic scores from across the Maestro’s multifaceted career.
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Family Matinees
Ongoing
Every Saturday, the Academy Museum screens films for families of all ages. All movies in this series are rated G or PG, unless otherwise noted. The final Family Matinee of every month is an accommodative screening* where we offer open captioning, keep the theater dimly lit, and maintain a lower volume for neurodivergent viewers. In September, as a nod to our exhibition John Waters: Pope of Trash , we’re presenting two films from the ultimate showman William Castle, one of Waters’s childhood heroes.
*Accommodative screenings may not always fit the theme for the month’s screenings.
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Branch Selects
Ongoing
Branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences represent distinct disciplines of moviemaking. Working with members of the Academy branches, the Academy Museum presents a weekly series that offers a one-of-a-kind journey through film history. Each week, a different Academy branch selects a movie—from silent film to contemporary cinema—that represents a major achievement in the evolution of moviemaking and its unique disciplines. This months’ films were selected by the Writers, Actors, Visual Effects, Short Films and Feature Animation, and Directors branches.
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Oscar® Sundays
Ongoing
This ongoing series celebrates films that have been honored at the Academy Awards. This October, we’re highlighting maestro Ennio Morricone’s Oscar-nominated and winning scores alongside scores from Oscar-nominated films.
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Spotlights
Ongoing
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####### Available SpaceOngoingAvailable Space is a monthly series showcasing experimental and independent film and media. |
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Early & Late Brakhage: Academy RestorationsMon, Oct 23 | 7:30pm | TMTSince 2004, the Academy Film Archive has been the home of the collection of experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage (1933–2003). With a career that spanned more than fifty years, Brakhage’s influence and legacy as an artist of radical innovation cannot be overstated. For this program, in the year that would have marked his 90th birthday, we are pleased to present a sampling of restoration work of Brakhage’s films by the Academy Film Archive, with a unique focus on films drawn from his earliest years of production alongside films from his last years of activity.
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Images: Still from The Witches (1990); image courtesy of Academy Museum Foundation; still from Full Moon in Paris (Les Nuits de la pleine lune) (1984); still from Ennio (2021); still from Pecker (1998) and Cry-Baby (1990); still from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Il Buono, il brutto, il cattivo) (1966); still from House on Haunted Hill (1958); still from Apollo 13 (1995); still from The Hateful Eight (2015); still from Stand by Me (1986); Early & Late Brakhage: Academy Restorations
