The Cinema Arts Program

Approaching movies as an active viewing experience, staff in the Cinema Arts Program view the projection screen as a portal to investigation. We engage with filmmakers who create works that inspire the imagination and instigate conversation. Animation, documentary, poetic observations, and abstract visuals serve a broad spectrum of curious audiences while blending the methods and aesthetics of artists and scientists. Through our programming, we aim to provide an opportunity for visitors to explore the compelling people, places, and ideas that extend through the museum and beyond. Our collection of films and events offer a rich resource for public audiences, and also provide an important research collection for both our teaching programs and exhibit development teams.

Upcoming Events

There's always something interesting happening here—check out our ongoing events.

Past Events

Saturday Cinema: Glow

Saturday, December 13, 2014 • 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.

From dancing kaleidoscopes and visual tricks to beautiful studies of cities in motion, these films offer fun and fascinating looks at light.

Saturday Cinema: Experiments in Process

Saturday, December 6, 2014
Screening at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.
Scratch Animation Workshop from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m.

Scratch, or cameraless, animations are made by painstakingly drawing or scratching images onto individual frames of film. Be inspired by some classics of the genre, and join in a scratch animation workshop.

Off the Screen: The Handcrafted Cinema of Richard Tuohy

Saturday, November 22, 2014 • 5:00 p.m.

Made from elaborate experiments in laboratory processes and film mechanics, Richard Tuohy’s dazzling, handmade films highlight time-lapse photography, single-frame filmmaking, multiple exposure photography, extensive printing techniques, alternative chemical processes, direct cameraless filmmaking, and more.

Celluloid Workshop with Richard Tuohy

Saturday, November 22, 2014 • Noon–4:00 p.m.

Join Australian filmmaker Richard Tuohy for a hands-on film processing workshop. Discover the chemistry and techniques needed to process your own 16mm color film, and get the full picture of color film’s path from shooting to screen.

Off the Screen: lucky dragons’ Actual Reality

Thursday, November 20, 2014 • 7:30 p.m.

Inspired by the works of Bob Miller (1935–2007), natural philosopher, light artist, and Exploratorium icon, Actual Reality invites us to wade into a sea of images and sounds and catch slippery, individual moments of reality.

Particle Fever

Saturday, November 15, 2014 • 7:00 p.m.

Imagine watching Edison as he turned on the first lightbulb, or Franklin as he received his first jolt of electricity. Particle Fever follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider as they search for the Higgs boson.

Saturday Cinema: Water

Saturday, November 8, 2014 • 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.

Covering 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and necessary for all known forms of life, this vital natural resource and its multifaceted nature are examined in short works.

Saturday Cinema: Day of Cinematic Souls

Saturday, November 1, 2014 • 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.

From spooky cartoons celebrating the delirious joy surrounding Halloween, to stylistic studies of traditions, rituals, and folk objects used to celebrate the Day of the Dead, this program looks at the many ways to honor the macabre.

Radiant Cinema: Reflections on Light and Shadow

Wednesday, October 29, 2014 • 6:30 p.m.

Cinema Arts, in partnership with the San Francisco Public Library, presents this very special film program to accompany Light Walk, an exhibition held at the San Francisco Main Library from October 25, 2014 to February 5, 2015.

Light Walk: Bob Miller and the Exploratorium

October 25, 2014–February 13, 2015
Hours vary; please check SFPL's calendar for details

An investigation of the work of Bob Miller, natural philosopher, light artist, and author of many of the museum's most iconic exhibits, is on view at the San Francisco Main Library from October 25, 2014 to February 13, 2015.

Saturday Cinema: Avant-Garde Amateurs

Saturday, October 18, 2014 • 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.

In celebration of the 11th Annual Home Movie Day, Cinema Arts presents this program of amateur artistry.

Off the Screen: Eskimo Remastered

Thursday, October 16, 2014 • 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.

In this one-time-only event, The Residents’ album Eskimo (1979) is presented as a multichannel, 3D sound spectacular accompanied by the equally innovative visuals of their companion Eskimo DVD (2002).