The ingenious "adverts" of British TV continue to dazzle and delight audiences. These commercials are annually recognized with the prestigious British Arrows awards (formerly the British Television Advertising Awards). The winners are compiled into a celebratory collection that has become a cult favorite in cinemas worldwide, including the DIA.

The compact storytelling possible in these short films—often just a minute or two long—allows creators to stretch their imaginations. The quirky inventiveness, playfulness, and power of these British ads are designed to present a product, service, or public service message with sincerity and off-center wit. Each ad is infused with a satisfying, eccentric, and distinctly British flair.

Previously a door-busting phenomenon at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, where more than 20,000 people attend sold-out shows annually, the British Arrows have now become an annual December tradition at the DIA as well. (Approximately 80 minutes)

(France/Italy/1969—directed by Jean-Pierre Melville)

Resistance fighter Lino Ventura, joined by Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and Simone Signoret, goes underground during the German Occupation. The cost of heroism is high and often unimaginable. Master director Jean-Pierre Melville (Le Samouraï) adapted Joseph Kessel’s 1943 novel in the white heat of immediacy, realizing a dream 25 years in the making.

Melville’s film, Army of Shadows, considered one of his masterpieces, wasn’t seen in the U.S. until 2006. Despite its age, it dominated that year’s Ten Best lists, was named Best Picture by the New York Times, and won the New York Film Critics Circle’s Best Foreign Film award, 37 years after its completion. This stunning new 4K restoration may be this year’s most important cinematic revelation. In French with English subtitles. (145 minutes)

“A rare work of art that thrills the senses and the mind. A masterpiece.” –Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

Jim Moore, the legendary creative director of Gentlemen's Quarterly for more than 40 years, will discuss his creative influence and sharp eye, which have helped develop the magazine's signature style and taught generations of men to dress with style. 

Free with registration. 

(USA/1996—directed by Julian Schnabel)

Oscar® nominee Jeffrey Wright delivers an incandescent, breakthrough performance as Jean-Michel Basquiat, the towering Brooklyn-born artist immersed in 1980s New York’s celebrity frenzy. This remarkable 1996 debut feature by painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel has been visually reconceived for its theatrical re-release. The new monochromatic palette enhances the indelible performances of an exceptional ensemble cast, including Willem Dafoe, Benicio Del Toro, and David Bowie. Co-starring Willem Dafoe, Benicio Del Toro, Parker Posey, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, Elina Löwensohn, Dennis Hopper, Courtney Love, Michael Wincott, Tatum O’Neal, and David Bowie as Andy Warhol. (107 minutes)

“Remarkable… Basquiat is the confident, poetic filmmaking debut of the painter Julian Schnabel, who was a friend of Basquiat’s.” –Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, 1996

Detroit-based textile artist Najma Ma’at Wilson will demonstrate how to create stitched collages. Participants will use basic stitching techniques with needles, thread, and fabrics, with all materials provided. Guests will also have the opportunity to contribute to a collaborative stitched collage installation, which will be displayed in the Learning Center hallway later this winter.

Ma’at’s passion for fiber arts was inspired by her mother. She holds a degree in fiber design from the Center for Creative Studies and a master’s degree in education from Boston College. With 20 years of teaching experience, she has taught locally at Cass Technical High School and internationally in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa.

Please join us on September 9th for the 2024 Job Fair at the DIA. Enter through the John R doors for the event. Onsite interviews will take place from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM.

All applicants should apply beforehand through the DIA Career Center. The Job Fair is focused on recruiting for positions in Protection Services and Environmental Services to support The Art of Dining Exhibition. We have both full-time and part-time roles available, as well as temporary positions that will last through January.

Germany/1924—directed by F.W. Murnau | 90 min.

The splendidly uniformed, aging doorman at a grand Berlin hotel, portrayed by the legendary Emil Jannings, is devastated by his demotion to washroom attendant. His shame is so profound that he cannot bring himself to tell his family or neighbors. He even goes so far as to steal his old uniform to wear to his daughter’s wedding.

Made during Germany’s “Golden Age” of filmmaking, F.W. Murnau’s The Last Laugh introduced innovative camera techniques that enhanced the power of visual storytelling. The film was hailed as state-of-the-art cinema during the silent era.

The unexpected ending, as suggested by the title, remains as richly satisfying as ever. The film is shown in a new 2K restoration, accompanied by an original live score performed by Little Bang Theory.

“A masterpiece of the German silent cinema… it has never looked as dazzling.” –Dave Kehr, The New York Times

Rooted in the African American experience, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is a culturally diverse modern/contemporary dance company committed to reaching the broadest audience through exceptional performances and arts-integrated education. DCDC is a company of bold, electrifying, and innovative dance artists steeped in the spirit of Sankofa – retrieving from a rich past while venturing forward. The program will include American Mo’ a celebration of the exquisite pride and love – of self, of humanity, of the nation we built – that accompanied the marches of the Civil Rights era; and Nourishing Routes, a love letter to the ancestors who left breadcrumbs of wisdom for future generations to find, ingest and employ in the long march to justice.

(90 min.) 

Heritage Works presents Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Moving Justice.

Shara Nova, a classically trained vocalist and self-taught multi-instrumentalist who has recorded dazzling, shapeshifting music as My Brightest Diamond. Over the course of four groundbreaking albums she resisted the conventions of genre, blending elements of rock, art pop, and chamber music into a sound totally her own. 

While fiercely independent, she like everyone else, still desires connectedness. This tension is at the core of her new projects - an album A Million And One, and Under the Snow, an opera for all ages written for puppet theater. Free with museum admission.

Navajo pianist and composer Connor Chee is known for combining his classical piano training with his Native American heritage. With an accessible, sophisticated, and groundbreaking sound, in 2020 Chee was commissioned to write a set of piano pieces for pianist Joel Schoenhals. The result was Soundpainting for Piano, now recorded and performed throughout the United States by Schoenhals. The composition reflects both the visuals of Navajo sandpainting and contains cultural references that Schoenhals will explore with the composer. Free with museum admission.