(USA/2024—directed by Alexis Manya Spraic)

Songwriter and artist Allee Willis began filming her life as a child in 1950s Detroit and never stopped. Her recordings of herself, her family, and her career form the backbone of this vibrant, entertaining documentary portrait. Brilliant and tireless, Willis fed her curiosity about music by sitting outside Motown Studios on Grand Blvd and listening to recording sessions through the walls.

She soon wrote iconic songs like “September” and “Boogie Wonderland” for Earth, Wind & Fire, and the “Friends” theme “I’ll Be There for You,” all while grappling with her anxiety about fitting established gender and sexual norms. The film features friends celebrating their love for Allee, including Lily Tomlin, Paul Reubens, Mark Cuban, Cyndi Lauper, and many more. A joy from beginning to end. (97 minutes)

“A fascinating documentary honoring a creative force of nature. Energetic, colorful and invigorating.” –Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter 

USA/2024—directed by Titus Kaphar | 117 minutes

Titus Kaphar, one of the most significant contemporary painters whose work is featured at both the DIA and the Museum of Modern Art, creates images that are both multidisciplinary and rich in historical meaning. Kaphar brings this profound dynamism to his superb directorial debut, starring the extraordinary André Holland (Moonlight, Selma) as painter Tarrell Rodin.

In the film, Tarrell, a loving husband and father, faces upheaval as he prepares for a gallery show. His life is turned upside down by the unexpected return of his father (John Earl Jelks), whose past actions Tarrell cannot forgive.

As Tarrell works on his canvases, he reflects on his past, questioning if he can change the pain of his present. Kaphar's film is both provocative in its depiction of family crisis and thought-provoking about the role of Black voices in the contemporary art scene. It tackles difficult questions and avoids easy answers. The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. 

The Friday, Dec. 13 showing of Exhibiting Forgiveness will include a special in-person Q&A with Titus Kaphar following the film!

“A full experience, exceptional in its craft, with masterful performances.” –William Bibbiani, The Wrap

(India/USA/2024 — directed by Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan)

In the misty, breathtaking forests of the Eastern Himalayas, moths seem to whisper secrets to us. Two curious and wonderstruck researchers embark on an expedition to uncover the mysteries of these nocturnal creatures, focusing on the elusive “hawk moth” in a remote area on the border of India and Bhutan.

At night, they use a large, brightly lit screen to attract these delicate and exquisite moths. The screen draws all species of moths, which display themselves majestically on the cloth each night for observation and photography before fluttering away at dawn.

Nocturnes is a jewel-like, deeply immersive documentary that transports viewers to this rarely seen world. It encourages us to continue exploring the amazing world around us. The film received the Special Jury Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and is in English and Hindi with English subtitles. (83 minutes)

“Critic’s Pick! A rich, unexpected experience… alluring, captivating and deeply satisfying.”

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire

(USA/1996—directed by Bridgett M. Davis)

Beautiful aspiring actor Cicely (Jake-Ann Jones) has just landed her first major role, but there’s a significant hurdle: it requires a nude scene. Although her mother gained fame in ‘70s Blaxploitation films for her physical appeal, Cicely has developed a strong aversion to nudity, both in private and on camera.

With the support of her boyfriend (Ron Cephas Jones), Cicely tries to confront her fears. This journey will require revealing some personal secrets and embracing a new kind of bravery.

Naked Acts, a celebrated work of independent African American cinema from the 1990s, was included in the seminal anthology “The 50 Most Influential Black Films.” Despite its positive reception, the film had a limited release in 1996. Now, this long-overdue, sparkling restoration by the Lightbox Film Center and Milestone Films brings this independent gem back to the big screen. (87 minutes)

“Courageous and triumphant… pulls its audience into an intimate storyline that demands to be witnessed.” –Niani Scott, rogerebert.com

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

(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

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

Created and directed by Hamid Rahmanian with an original music score by Ramin Torkian, Song of the North is a large-scale, cinematic performance combining the art of shadow puppetry with projected animation to tell the classic Persian tale of Manijeh. This performance tells of a heroine who must use all her strengths and talents to rescue her beloved from a perilous predicament (of her own making) and help prevent a war. This epic love story is adapted from The Shahnameh, an ancient collection of myths that are a historical and cultural touchstone in Iran. A cast of 500 handmade puppets and a talented ensemble of nine actors and puppeteers come together to create a spectacular live experience that advances the themes of unity, collaboration, and experimentation through performance and story.

While at the museum, be sure to visit the DIA’s special exhibition The Art of Dining: Food Culture in the Islamic World on view from September 22, 2024, through January 5, 2025, which features pages from beautiful illuminated manuscripts of The Shahnameh.

For all ages (80min.) This program is free with museum admission. Capacity is limited and seating begins 30 minutes prior to performance start.

Presented with a live piano score performed by David Drazin, this compilation of short films includes animation masterworks by prolific illustrator Winsor McCay (Gertie the Dinosaur, 1903), Lotte Reiniger (Dr. Dolittle and His Animals / 1928), Disney’s Laugh-O-Gram series (Alice’s Wonderland, 1923) and Władysław Starewicz’s amazing stop-motion films made with dried bugs (The Insects Christmas, 1911).

Early silent animation dived fast and deep into visions of fantasy worlds, and gave them uncanny life using ingenious techniques including hand-drawn cell images, shadow and 3D puppet stop-motion photography, multi-plane cameras for achieving painterly effects, and double-exposures that blended two real worlds into something unreal.

Animated Fantasy Shorts of the Silent Era is presented free to DIA audiences as a holiday gift, wrapped with a live piano score performed by David Drazin. For ages 10 and up. Free with museum admission.