The Cinema Lounge
On Monday August 18, 2025 at 8:00pm please join the Cinema Lounge, the DC Film Society's monthly film discussion group.
TOPIC: Parents on Film
Movies are filled with very bad parents, from Darth Vader to Joan "No wire hangers, ever!" Crawford. So many film characters have dealt with mothers and fathers who mistreated them or weren't there at all. Let's look at the other side of the coin. Who are the best movie parents?
These can include a father doing anything to find his daughter, Liam Neeson in Taken, or a mother trying to care for her dying daughter, Shirley MacLaine in Terms of Endearment. Atticus Finch, brilliantly played by Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird, is held up as a paragon of fatherly wisdom. In a much different way, so is Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne) in Boyz N the Hood. Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer and Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore are compelling as struggling single parents. Disney abounds with loving, caring parents such as Mufasa in The Lion King, and Mr. Incredible/Elastigirl in The Incredibles. Who are some of your favorite onscreen parents? What strengths do they share? What can we learn from them?
We Need to Hear From YOU
We are always looking for film-related material for the Storyboard. Our enthusiastic and well-traveled members have written about their trips to the Cannes Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, London Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Reykjavik Film Festival, the Munich Film Festival, the Virginia Film Festival, the Locarno Film Festival, The Nitrate Picture Show, and the Chicago Critics Film Festival. We also heard about what it's like being an extra in the movies. Have you gone to an interesting film festival? Have a favorite place to see movies that we aren't covering in the Calendar of Events? Seen a movie that blew you away? Read a film-related book? Gone to a film seminar? Interviewed a director? Taken notes at a Q&A? Read an article about something that didn't make our local news media? Send your contributions to Storyboard and share your stories with the membership. And we sincerely thank all our contributors for this issue of Storyboard.
Calendar of Events
FILMS
American Film Institute Silver Theater
"The Hackman Connection" (July 11-September 17) celebrates the films of Gene Hackman (1930-2025). Films in August are Hoosiers (1986); No Way Out (1987); Narrow Margin (1990); Mississippi Burning (1988); and Unforgiven (1992). More in September.
"AFI Achievement Award: Francis Ford Coppola" (July 11-September 9) presents a film series from this talented and independent filmmaker. Films in August are Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991) in a new 4K restoration; Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut (1979-2019); The Godfather Part II (1974); One From the Heart (1982-2024) in a 4K restoration; Rumble Fish (1983); The Outsiders (1983-2005); and The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (1990-2020). More in September.
"Il Bello Marcello: Mastroianni on Screen" (July 12–September 16) is a centennial celebration of Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni (1924-1996). Films in August are Divorce Italian Style (1961); The Assassin (1961); The Organizer (1963); 8-1/2 (1963); The Big Feast (1973); The 10th Victim (1965); and A Slightly Pregnant Man (1973), some of which are new 4K restorations. More in September.
"VistaVision!" (July 11-September 18) is a series of mostly 1950s films made in the new format to compete with television. August films are The Court Jester (1955); High Society (1956); The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956); North By Northwest (1959); The Ten Commandments (1956); Funny Face (1957); War and Peace (1956) and Vertigo (1958) shown in 70mm. More in September.
"Oh My Godzilla!" July 11-September 16) is back for a second summer. Films in August are Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966); Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973); Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975); Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995); and Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999). More in September.
"A Tribute to Circle Films" (August 9-September 17) honors the DC-based independent production company and the Pedas Brothers. Films in August are Blood Simple (1984); Raising Arizona (1987); Salvation! (1987); and The Navigator (1988). More in September.
"Robert Altman Centennial" (July 18–September 18). Robert Altman (1925-2006) was known as an innovator and iconoclast and helped to define the 1970s. He never won an Oscar for Best Director but received five nominations. Films in August are McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971); Images (1972); The Long Goodbye (1973); Thieves Like Us (1974); California Split (1974); Nashville (1975); 3 Women (1977); Buffalo Bill and the Indians (1976); A Wedding (1978); Popeye (1980); and Vincent and Theo (1990). More in September.
"Killer Vision: 30 Years of Killer Films" (July 20–September 17) honors the independent film company which became synonymous with auteur-driven storytelling and launching creative partnerships with Todd Solondez, Todd Haynes, and others. The films for August are Boys Don't Cry (1999) shown in 35mm; Carol (2015); Far From Heaven (2002); Happiness (1998); and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) in a 4K restoration. More in September.
"AFI Silver After Dark" is a series of midnight-style movies. The film for August is The Toxic Avenger (1984).
"Stage and Screen" presents filmed performances including stage producions from the National Theatre and concert performances. For August is "The Grateful Dead Movie 2025 Meet-Up."
"Special Engagements" for August include "CatVideoFest 2025" a compilation of cat videos; Eephus (2024) with a filmmaker Q&A; and a 50th anniversary show of Jaws (1975).
"Three Films by Mamoru Hosoda" (May 11–September 30) continues in August with the animated Summer Wars (2009), shown in both dubbed and subtitled versions. One more in September.
National Museum of Asian Art (Freer Gallery of Art)
On August 13 at 2:00pm is An Actor's Revenge (Kon Ichikawa, 1963), part of the "Japanese Classics" series of films.
National Gallery of Art
The film series "By Land, Sea, and Lens: Creatures on Film" accompanies the exhibit "Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World" through historic and contemporary international videos and films inspired by the incredible insects, sea creatures, birds and other animals. On August 16 at 2:00pm is Nocturnes (Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasa, 2024). On August 23 at 2:00pm is "The Cameraman's Revenge and Other Shorts." Titles include several works by French pioneering scientist Jean Painleve of sea creatures never before captured with moving images; the 1912 stop motion animation The Camerman’s Revenge by Wladyslaw Starewicz; Stan Brakhage’s 1963 classic of the Avant Garde, Mothlight; and several shorts by contemporary film artists.
The annual tour of award winners from the Thomas Edison Film Festival is on August 2 and 3. The mission of the festival since 1981 is to promote innovation in the art of the moving image with films that honor Edison's vision. Festival director Jane Steuerwald will introduce the program. On August 2 at 2:00pm is "International Shorts Program I" and on August 3 at 2:00pm is "International Shorts Program II."
"Onward! Highlights from the Flaherty Film Seminar" includes selections from past seminars and also this year's 70th anniversary seminar. On August 9 at 2:00pm is the restored documentary The March (James Blue, 1964) and The Bus (Haskell Wexler, 1965) with film curator Richard Herskowitz in person for discussion. On August 10 at 2:00pm is a program of short films by Dutch photographer and filmmaker Johan van der Kueken. Big Ben: Ben Webster in Europe (1967) is a portrait of the American saxophonist; A Filmmaker's Holiday (1974) is a travelog of a trip to the south of France; Lucebert, Time and Farewell (1994) is a tribute to Dutch poet Lucebert. Richard Herskowitz will be present for discussion. On August 17 at 2:00pm is Shape of the Moon (Leonard Retel Helmrich, 2004) about sociopolitical changes in Indonesia. On August 24 at 2:00pm is a program of four films including Jamal (1981); Hunting Party (1964); Missing Time (2020); and The Paul Good Papers at Notasulga (2020).
Washington Jewish Community Center
On August 9 at 7:00pm is This Is My Mother (Julien Carpentier, 2024) from France. On August 10 at 12:00 noon is Real Estate (Anat Malz, 2024) from Israel. On August 16 at 7:00pm is The Zweiflers, Part I (David Hadda, 2024) from Germany and on August 17 at 7:00pm is The Zweiflers, Part II (David Hadda, 2024) from Germany.
The Japan Information and Culture Center
On August 21 at 6:30pm is A Samurai in Time (Jun'ichi Yasuda, 2023).
The Alexandria Film Festival
On August 5 at 6:30pm is The Great Divide (Tom Donahue, 2023) a documentary about gun control. The film's director and producer participate in a panel discussion after the screening. Location: The Lyceum.
Landmark Bethesda Row
"Retro Replay" continues with Festival Cinema Films on Tuesdays in August with Wet Hot American Summer (2001) on August 5; Lost in Translation (2003) on August 12; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Kind (2004) on August 19; and Moonrise Kingdom (2012) on August 26. All are at 7:00pm.
The Avalon
The Avalon continues their "Summer of Love" film series on Sundays in August with Summer with Monika (Ingmar Bergman, 1952) on August 3 at 10:30am; The Bridges of Madison County (1995) on August 10 at 10:30am; My Summer of Love (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2004) on August 17 at 10:30am; Before Sunrise (Richard Linklater, 1995) on August 24 at 10:30am; Call Me By Your Name (Luca Guadagnino, (2017) on August 31 at 10:30am.
On August 6 at 8:00pm is A Photographic Memory (Rachel Elizabeth Seed, 2024) for the "Avalon Docs" series.
On August 13 at 8:00pm is Tatami (Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir, 2023) for the "Programmer's Choice" series.
On August 20 at 8:00pm is Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (2024) for the "French Cinematheque" series.
On August 27 at 8:00pm is The Last Class (2025), part of the "Avalon Docs" series.
Library of Congress
The Annual Summer Movies on the Lawn presents National Film Registry Selections. On August 7 at 8:00pm is Iron Man (2008). Location: the southeast lawn of the Library's Thomas Jefferson Building.
Wolf Trap
On August 2 at 8:00pm is Back to the Future (1985) with the National Symphony Orchestra directed by Emile de Cou.
Kennedy Center
Films in August are shown outdoors on the REACH Video Wall at dusk. On August 1 is Bend It Like Beckham (2002); on August 8 is Walk the Line (James Mangold, 2005); on August 16 is Moneyball (2011); on August 22 is Chicago (2002); and on August 29 is North By Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959).
Old Greenbelt Theater
The series "School's Out" presents a number of family-friendly films. On August 7 at 1:00pm is The Parent Trap (Nancy Meyers, 1998); on August 14 at 1:00pm is Mr. Peabody and Sherman (Rob Minkoff, 2014); and on August 21 at 1:00pm is the animated film Wall-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008).
On August 24 at 1:45pm is Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arc (Steven Spielberg, 1981), part of the "Cult Classics" series.
Angelika Film Center Mosaic
The "Angelika Classics" series shows classic films on the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm. On August 4 at 7:00pm is Dazed and Confused (1983).
"Sunday Epics" is a new series shown on the second Sunday of the month at 2:00pm. On August 10 at 2:00pm is Dr. Zhivago (David Lean, 1965).
On August 25 at 7:00pm is Fiddler on the Roof (Norman Jewison, 1971) for the series "Musical Mondays."
"Classics in Black and White" features a classic B&W film on the third Monday of each month at 4:00pm and 7:00pm. On August 18 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm is Roman Holiday (William Wyler, 1953).
"Yours Sincerely, Jane Austen" is a three-part series of films shown on Wednesdays at 4:00pm and 7:00pm. On August 13 is Mansfield Park (1999); on August 20 is Emma (2020); and on August 27 is Pride and Prejudice (2005).
The Studio Ghibli Festival shows anime films on Wednesdays at 7:00pm with English subtitles and Thursdays at 11:00am with English dubbing. On August 6 at 7:00pm and August 7 at 11:00am is Kiki's Delivery Service (1989). On August 13 at 7:00pm and August 14 at 11:00am is Princess Mononoke (1997). On August 20 at 7:00pm and August 21 at 11:00am is Whisper of the Heart (1995). On August 27 at 7:00pm and August 28 at 11:00am is Castle in the Sky (1986). One more in September.
The "Harry Potter Film Series" (July 1-August 23) is on Tuesdays at 7:00pm and Saturdays at 10:00am. On August 5 at 7:00pm and August 9 at 10:00am is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009); on August 12 at 7:00pm and August 16 at 10:00am is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I (2010); on August 19 at 7:00pm and August 23 at 10:00am is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II (2011).
Korean Cultural Center
On August 13 at 6:00pm is the comedy Luck-Key (Lee Gye-byeok, 2016). On August 27 at 6:00pm is Confidential Assignment (Kim Sung-hoon, 2017). Check the website for RSVP information.
FILM FESTIVALS
