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Feast on this fall’s cornucopia of Culture Vulture screenings.

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We choose the best films from the world of ballet, opera, stage, fine art, architecture, design, photography and more to feature on the big screen every Saturday and Sunday morning and Monday evenings at five Laemmle theaters — the Laemmle Claremont 5, Glendale, Monica Film Center, Newhall, and Town Center 5 — as part of our long-running Culture Vulture series.

August 23-25: The first documentary exploring the visionary genius of Rudolph Schindler, the architect who redefined modern living by blending innovative design with the natural world, Schindler Space Architect is narrated by Meryl Streep and features architect Frank Gehry. The film affirms the singular genius of one man and the eternal challenge every artist faces to stay true to their vision in an effort to leave a lasting impact. We’ll bring the film back in November for a regular engagement at the Monica Film Center.

Culture Vulture skips Labor Day weekend but comes back to start autumn with:

September 6-8: Lotto and Berenson: Crossed Destinies follows the intertwined journeys of Lorenzo Lotto, a forgotten Renaissance master, and Bernard Berenson, the Jewish American art critic who resurrected his legacy. Through the eyes of actor Alessandro Sperduti, the film retraces Lotto’s artistic path across Italy, uncovering the painter’s personal and professional struggles.

September 13-15, Naked Ambition: Bunny Yeager, the photographer behind the bikini, Bettie Page’s rise, and the invention of the selfie, comes to life in this rediscovery of a brilliant yet overlooked artist, featuring testimonies from Bruce Weber, Dita Von Teese, and more. Also screening September 12 at the NoHo.

September 20-22: A Savage Art: The Life and Cartoons of Patrick Oliphant chronicles the life and career of the brilliant Australian-born, Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist. Oliphant’s tenure as an American cartoonist spanned five decades and ten U.S. Presidents. In 1990 The New York Times called Oliphant “the most influential editorial cartoonist now working.” The film covers the history and importance of political cartoons in global democracies, as well as the decline in the profession and in the newspaper industry. Also screening September 17 at the Royal.

September 27-29, back by popular demand: The True Story of Tamara De Lempicka & the Art of Survival is a visually stunning and sweeping feature documentary that traces the life and survival of the renowned painter through her powerful paintings – from her rise to international stardom in 1920s Paris, to her move to the United States in 1940, fleeing the rise of fascism, and her revival in the current art market.

October 4-6, Inter Alia: Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Saltburn) is Jessica in the much-anticipated next play from the team behind Prima Facie. Jessica Parks is a smart Crown Court Judge at the top of her career. Behind the robe, she is a karaoke fiend, a loving wife and a supportive parent. When an event threatens to throw her life completely off balance, can she hold her family upright? Writer Suzie Miller and director Justin Martin reunite following their global phenomenon Prima Facie, with this searing examination of modern motherhood and masculinity.

October 11-13: Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief is a feature-length documentary that focuses on the career of Bruno Lohse, a Nazi art dealer who served as Göring’s art agent in Paris and headed the ERR, the Nazis’ clearinghouse for confiscated art in France. Captured and interrogated by the Monuments Men after the war, Lohse served a brief prison sentence. Following his release, he profitably dealt in stolen art for sixty years, selling to collectors, galleries, and major museums.

October 18-20: Jago: Into the White follows Jago, known worldwide as “the new Michelangelo,” for two years from New York to Naples as he worked day and night and in complete solitude on his new sculpture: a modern version of Michelangelo’s Pietà. Jago is not only an artist who retraces the footsteps of the great Renaissance masters, he is also a young pop star with over a million followers on social media, a tireless traveler who moves to every corner of the world, a motivator for new generations of artists, and an entrepreneur.

October 25-27, Rebel with a Clause: A grammar guru takes her pop-up grammar advice stand on an epic road trip across all 50 states to show that comma fights can bring us closer together in a divided time. One fall day, Ellen Jovin set up a folding table on a Manhattan sidewalk with a homemade sign that said “Grammar Table.” Right away, passersby began excitedly asking questions, telling stories, and filing complaints. What happened next is the stuff of grammar legend. Ellen and her filmmaker husband, Brandt Johnson, took the table on the road, visiting all 50 states as Brandt shot the grammar action. Also screening October 22 at the Royal.

November 1-3, Mrs. Warren’s Profession (National Theatre Live): Five-time Olivier Award-winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown) joins forces with her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the very first time, playing mother and daughter in Bernard Shaw’s incendiary moral classic. Vivie Warren is a woman ahead of her time. Her mother, however, is a product of the old patriarchal order. Exploiting it has earned Mrs. Warren a fortune – but at what cost?

The best discovery of Cannes ’24, the Paris-set SOULEYMANE’S STORY opens August 8 at the Royal.

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Racing through the streets of Paris making food deliveries on his bicycle, Guinean immigrant Souleymane (Abou Sangare) is struggling to stay afloat. In two days, he has to report for an asylum application interview, where he must plead his case to an immigration officer (Nina Meurisse) who will determine his future in France. As he rides, he repeats his story. But Souleymane is not ready. Drawing inspiration from Cristian Mungiu’s 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and evoking the humanist films of the Dardennes, Boris Lojkine’s urgent, propulsive third feature never leaves Souleymane’s side in a deeply affecting account of the daily trials and uncertain futures faced by migrants in France and around the world.

“The best discovery of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Souleymane’s Story delivers a political fable with all the grit and urgency of a thriller.” – Rory O’Connor, The Film Stage

“Sangare is magnetic…there appears to be no limit to how much soul and sensitivity the actor can bring.” – Jessica Kiang, Variety

The film’s amazing lead, Abou Sangare, was an auto mechanic before filming Souleymane, not an actor. Nevertheless, he went on to win the Un Certain Regard Best Actor prize at Cannes last year as well as the César Award for Best Male Revelation. Lojkine’s wrote about the casting and rehearsal process:

“Almost all the actors in the film are non-professionals with no acting experience. With Aline Dalbis, we did a long open casting call, wandering in the streets of Paris to meet food deliverers. We immersed ourselves in the Guinean community, and it was finally in
Amiens, through an association, that we met 23-year-old Abou Sangare, who had arrived in France seven years earlier, when he was still a minor. His face, his words, the intensity of his presence in front of the camera immediately stroke us. It was him.

“Over a period of several months, we had many rehearsal sessions with Sangare (Guineans usually call each other by their surnames rather than their first names), and then with the other actors. Sangare had a huge weight on his shoulders. He is in every scene, almost every shot. In real life, he is a mechanic, not a delivery boy. For several weeks, he did delivery work, to familiarize himself with everyday gestures, the bike, the phone, the app, the bag, the way to introduce himself to customers and restaurant staff. Little by little, he got into character. This rehearsal time allowed the actors to prepare themselves. It also allowed me to rewrite the script, adapting it to their unique ways of speaking and to details about them. This is what I like about working with non-professional actors: they come as they are, carrying their own world with them. It is up to me to welcome their singularity.

“During the forty days of shooting, Sangare blew us all away. Sometimes breathtakingly beautiful, with a changing, highly expressive face, showing a whole range of emotions, he was always convincing, and often deeply moving.”

If, like Greg Laemmle and me, you are fan of urban cycling, you’ll appreciate bicycles’ place in the film. The director wrote about this as well:

“For me, the cycling scenes are much more than mere rides. On a bike, you are immediately immersed in the chaos of the city. During these intense scenes, we get to feel its intensity, absorb its energy, and have a constant sense of danger. To film Souleymane’s bike we used other bikes. It was the only way for us to slip into the traffic.

“One bike for the image, another for the sound. Most of the time, I rode the sound bike myself, to stay fully engaged in the shooting. I wanted to keep the shooting device light, so as to slip into the city without interrupting its bustling life. To imbed the cinematic device in reality. And bring as much reality as possible into fiction. I even wanted the complex dialogue scenes to be set at the heart of city life: in the train, in the middle of traffic, in a crowd, in the heart of the bubbling cauldron. My sound engineer (Marc-Olivier Brullé, with whom I worked for the third time) had to invent new ways to record sound, to meet the challenges of shooting in the midst of the city’s hustle and
bustle.

“It was also a challenge in terms of location management. Apart from the accident scene, we never blocked the streets. We made do with the pedestrians and cars coming and going… It allowed us to give a strong sense of the intense, chaotic and suffocating presence of the city, to immerse the viewer in reality while using all the resources of cinema and fiction.”

 

Repertory Cinema Lives! Bruce Goldstein on Film Forum, Rialto Pictures & restoring movie history.

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The latest episode of Inside the Arthouse features a luminary of the American indie, art house, and repertory exhibition scene, Bruce Goldstein. From the ITA website:

At Inside the Arthouse, we love discovering bold new voices and emerging filmmakers. But there’s something uniquely rewarding about revisiting a classic—whether it’s an old favorite or a legendary film you’ve always meant to watch. And seeing these films on the big screen in a real movie theater is the way they were meant to be experienced.

Repertory cinema in the U.S. has faced its share of challenges, from the rise of home video and streaming to rising urban real estate costs. Many iconic rep theaters have closed. But in recent years, there’s been a revival of interest in classic and cult films, shown theatrically in new restorations and 35mm prints.

One of the most influential figures in this movement is Bruce Goldstein, longtime repertory programmer at Film Forum in New York City and founder of Rialto Pictures. For over 50 years, Bruce has been a champion of film history—curating, restoring, and re-releasing cinematic landmarks. In early 2025, Rialto re-released Claude Lelouch’s A Man and a Woman, and coming soon is Forbidden Games, brand-new 4K restorations of Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Diva, [and, from Janus Films, The Lovers on the Bridge].

We sat down with Bruce Goldstein in New York to talk about the past, present, and future of repertory film programming in the U.S.—and how he’s helped shape what American audiences get to see on the big screen.

DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN 40th Anniversary Screening July 30 at the Royal.

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Laemmle Theatres and the Anniversary Classics Series present a 40th Anniversary screening of the delightful comedy ‘Desperately Seeking Susan,’ which teamed Rosanna Arquette and pop star Madonna in her first acting role. This was a feminist movie ahead of its time in many ways, with women holding most of the important positions behind the camera as well as on screen. The original screenplay was written by Leora Barish, and the film was directed by Susan Seidelman as her first mainstream movie after her low-budget hit ‘Smithereens’ had established her as a filmmaker to watch. The movie was produced by Midge Sanford and Sarah Pillsbury, two pioneering female producers who made their mark in an industry that was still male dominated. The screening is Wednesday, July 30, at 7:00 P.M. at Laemmle Royal Theatre. Producers Midge Sanford and Sarah Pillsbury, and executive producer Michael Peyser will be there for an in-person Q&A.

The story centers on Roberta (played by Arquette), a dissatisfied housewife in New Jersey who is fascinated by the personal ads in a New York tabloid and the character of Susan, who seems to be leading the adventurous life that Roberta only dreams about. Eventually she meets Susan and her bohemian entourage, and they swap roles, changing both of them through their unlikely friendship. Arquette was an up-and-coming young actress who starred the same year in Martin Scorsese’s ‘After Hours.’ Madonna had already made her mark as a pop icon with such giant hits as “Material Girl” from her second album, “Like a Virgin.” In her review of the film, Pauline Kael aptly called Madonna “an indolent, trampy goddess.”

DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN 40th Anniversary Screening July 30 at the Royal.

The supporting cast included many rising actors, including Aidan Quinn, Robert Joy, Laurie Metcalf, John Turturro, and Giancarlo Esposito. The movie scored at the box office, and reviews were strong. The New York Times’ Vincent Canby ranked it among the 10 best movies of the year. The New York Post called it “the most entertaining movie of the year.” Writing in The Hollywood Reporter, Kirk Ellis declared “an attractive, energetic young cast and some witty, off-center visual humor make the resultant laughs more than worth the wait.” The Los Angeles Times’ Kevin Thomas called the movie “a lark, an exhilarating celebration of people who have the good sense to be in touch with themselves and with each other.”

Later, Rolling Stone ranked it as one of the 100 greatest movies of the 1980s. In 2023 it was selected to be included in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, reserved for films of “historical, cultural, or aesthetic significance.” The costumes designed by Santo Loquasto also had an enduring impact. The jacket worn by Madonna in the movie fetched $252,000 at auction in 2014.

Sarah Pillsbury and Midge Sanford also produced such memorable films as ‘River’s Edge,’ ‘How to Make an American Quilt,’ ‘Love Field,’ ‘Eight Men Out,’ ‘Immediate Family,’ and the landmark TV movie about the AIDS crisis, ‘And the Band Played On.’ They will be joined by the executive producer of ‘Desperately Seeking Susan,’ Michael Peyser, whose credits include ‘F/X,’ ‘Ruthless People,’ ‘Big Business,’ and ‘Matilda.’

Greg Laemmle on DON’T LET’S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT.

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This week we’re opening the new drama Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight at the Royal. We’ll expand the engagements to all but one of our our other venues around L.A. County the following week. Laemmle Theatres president Greg Laemmle saw the film and loved it so much he was able to secure an interview with the filmmaker/co-star, Embeth Davidtz on his and Raphael Sbarge’s podcast Inside the Arthouse. He wrote the following to introduce the episode:

“As part of producing Inside the Arthouse, we see a lot of movies. And while many are compelling and well-made, naturally some of them stand out. Of all the films we’ve seen so far this year, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight has definitely moved to the top of the list.

“Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight captures the childhood of eight-year-old Bobo on her family farm in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) at the end of the Zimbabwean War for Independence in 1980. Growing up in the midst of this long-running war, Bobo internalizes both sides of the struggle. Conflicted by her love for people on opposing sides, she tries to make sense of her life in a magical way. Through her childish gaze we witness Rhodesia’s final days, the family’s unbreakable bond with Africa, and the deep scars that war leaves on survivors.

Greg Laemmle on DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT.

“This powerful film has been brought to the screen by first-time director Embeth Davidtz. An actress who has worked with filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Robert Altman, and Sam Raimi, Ms. Davidtz draws from her own experiences growing up in apartheid South Africa to bring striking authenticity to the story of a family of white farmers in Zimbabwe.

“The film is told through the eyes of young Bobo — played with extraordinary depth by newcomer Lexi Venter — as she witnesses the political upheaval in a land on the brink of change.

“A hit at the prestigious Telluride and Toronto International film festivals, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is opening on July 11 in New York and Los Angeles before rolling out nationally.

“You won’t want to miss our conversation with Ms. Davidtz where we discuss her journey from actor to filmmaker and the challenges of adapting this beloved memoir — on Inside the Arthouse.”

Filmmaker Embeth Davidtz & Executive Producer Trevor Noah in Person for DON’T LET’S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT July 10.

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Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight captures the childhood of eight-year-old Bobo on her family farm in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) at the end of the Zimbabwean War for Independence in 1980. Growing up in the midst of this long running war, Bobo internalizes both sides of the struggle. Conflicted by her love for people on opposing sides, she tries to make sense of her life in a magical way. Through her eight-year-old gaze we witness Rhodesia’s final days, the family’s unbreakable bond with Africa, and the deep scars that war leaves on survivors.

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight writer-director Embeth Davidtz & executive producer Trevor Noah will participate in an in-person Q&A after the July 10 early access screening at the Royal.

The regular engagement will begin the following day at the Royal, followed by an expansion to all but one of our other theaters on July 18.

“A gorgeous drama with an open, aching heart,” FAMILIAR TOUCH opens Friday at the Royal, Town Center, and Glendale.

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As we approach 2025’s midway point, we are about to open one of the year’s finest films, the locally produced Familiar Touch. A sampling of critics’ encomiums is below. Writer-director Sarah Friedland and star Kathleen Chalfant will participate in Royal Q&A’s after the 7:30 P.M. shows on June 27 & 28; at the Town Center following the 12:50 P.M. show on June 29; and at the Glendale after the 4:30 P.M. show on June 29. Lydia Storie, Director of Culture Change at Caring Across Generations, will moderate the June 27 screening. You can also catch Friedland and Chalfant’s interview on the latest episode of Inside the Arthouse.
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“Familiar Touch is a film about forgetting, but it’s also a reminder — as moving, sincere and gracefully unadorned as any I’ve seen in some time — of the actor’s art.” ~ Zachary Barnes, Wall Street Journal

“A gorgeous drama with an open, aching heart.” ~ Jourdain Searles, RogerEbert.com

“Because writer-director Sarah Friedland’s debut finds so much depth in its subjective approach to memory loss, it loses much of its stigma and discovers wonder in its place.” ~ Jacob Oller, AV Club

“Friedland’s film, as sharp as it is soft, conveys both the terror of losing the life you recognize, and the intermittent, fragmented joy of finding it again.” ~ Guy Lodge, Variety

“In the end,  Familiar Touch reveals itself to be less about the agonies of change than in the concessions we make to feel closer to our loved ones and ourselves.” ~ Beatrice Loayza, New York Times

“There is great emotional heft to a relatively simple film, and a dignity and empathy afforded to dementia patients that feels astonishingly rare on-screen, where sensationalism tends to bring the house down.” ~ Hannah Strong, Little White Lies

“Familiar Touch can be sad, without question, but it’s also salty and boundlessly tender.” ~ Alison Willmore, New York Magazine/Vulture

“What Friedland keenly understands is the power of what’s unsaid, how memories can tie themselves to sound, smell, and touch too, and how sometimes those are the last to go.” ~ Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

“Like any good coming-of-age movie, Familiar Touch never condescends. It takes its protagonist’s experience with dislocation, unrequited love and the desire to be understood quite seriously.” ~ Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter

“Friedland, who also wrote the film‘s script, is not given over to histrionics or blaring displays of emotion, instead asking us to follow Ruth and experience the world through her eyes. The impact is profound.” ~ Kate Erbland, IndieWire

“There’s a profound tenderness in Sarah Friedland’s affecting first feature and a rare empathy.” ~ Wendy Ide, Screen International

“An engrossing thriller fueled by female rage,” the Iranian-Israeli drama TATAMI opens Friday at the Royal, next week at the Laemmle Glendale and Town Center..

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This Friday we are proud to open TATAMI, the acclaimed collaboration between Iranian and Israeli filmmakers. Some plaudits from top American film critics:

“A superb example of pop cultural translation that freshens up the clichés of the sports corruption thriller and gives the actors and filmmakers a chance to flex their considerable skills.” ~ Matt Zoller Seitz, RogerEbert.com

“The mounting tensions of these moving parts — and steely performances by Mandi and Amir — make for an engrossing thriller fueled by female rage.” ~ Beatrice Loayza, New York Times

"An engrossing thriller fueled by female rage," the Iranian-Israeli drama TATAMI opens Friday at the Royal, next week at the Laemmle Glendale and Town Center..

“Despite its urgent political engagement, TATAMI never forgets to be a gripping watch.” ~ Catherine Bray, Variety

“Vibrantly helmed and performed, with co-director and Cannes best actress winner Zar Amir Ebrahimi playing one of the leads, the film is a win both behind and in front of the camera.” ~ Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter