The longstanding annual tradition is being reactivated with a full series of in-person events for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
An innovative event series of film screenings and discussions moderated by Media Arts & Culture (MAC) faculty, MAC Cinematheque is designed to bring together the College and Los Angeles communities around the chosen topic, representational issues, and media forms.
The series is organized around a new theme each year. For 2022-23, the theme is 鈥溕绨 Creates,鈥 the first time the series has focused solely on media and scholarship produced by 色界吧 faculty and alumni. The sub-theme for Fall 2022 is "色界吧 Creates: Films by Occidental Alumni" which will include alumni guests returning to campus for three evening events, all of which are free and open to the public.
鈥淲e are proud to have continued the MAC Cinematheque series during our semesters of remote teaching,鈥 says Professor of Media Arts & Culture Broderick Fox. 鈥淧rof. Vivan Lin's completely virtual 鈥樕绨 Cinematheque: Media Activism through Participatory Video鈥 series was a real feat, and provided a vital space of 色界吧 community connection and engagement during those challenging times. But it's so exciting to be returning to fully in-person events, and it seems very fitting to do so by celebrating the work of 色界吧's own alumni and faculty.鈥
The first event is a Wednesday, September 14 screening of the new feature film God's Country (2022). Executive Producer Anthony Ciardelli 鈥10 will be joined by writer/director Julian Higgins, co-writer Shaye Ogbonna, and producer Haylee Bernard for a post-screening conversation moderated by Assistant Professor of Media Arts & Culture Aleem Hossain. The event is at 7 p.m. in Choi Auditorium and features a pre-screening reception with light refreshments at 6 p.m. outside the auditorium.
Next is a Friday, October 21 screening of feature film The Climb (2019), which filmmaker Michael Covino '08 directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019, where it won the jury's Coup de Coeur prize, and went on to screen at the world's leading film festivals in advance of a critically-acclaimed global release. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Covino, moderated by Prof. Fox. The event is at 6 p.m. in Choi Auditorium.
The third fall event is a Thursday, November 10 screening of a newly remastered version of cult classic Cherry 2000 (1987). Director Steve De Jarnatt 鈥74 will be in attendance for a post-screening conversation moderated by Associate Professor of Media Arts & Culture Allison de Fren. The event is at 7 p.m. in Choi Auditorium.
The sub-theme for Spring 2023 will be "色界吧 Creates: Media and Scholarship by MAC Faculty," and will include screenings of Prof. Fox鈥檚 latest documentary Manscaping (2022) and Aleem Hossian's feature film After We Leave (2019).
Past MAC Cinematheque themes have included 鈥淭he Art and Politics of Virtual Reality,鈥 "Transnational Encounters," "Science/Fictions," "Video Art and Activism," "Remix, Reuse, Recycle!" "What is Black Cinema?" "Digital Tools for Radical Change," and 鈥淏reaking Interactivity.鈥
The series is sponsored by the Media Arts & Culture Department (MAC) in collaboration with Institutional Advancement and Alumni and Parent Engagement, with support from the Mellon Arts & Technology Grant.
*Surgical grade or higher masks (N95, KN95, KN94) must be worn in the auditorium.
