Lightbox Film Center
@lightboxfilmcenter.bsky.social
Philadelphia's premier exhibitor of film & moving image art, showing repertory, nonfiction, experimental, international cinema.
lightboxfilmcenter.org
lightboxfilmcenter.org
Jocelyne Saab was an intrepid journalist and filmmaker whose work is ripe for rediscovery. Saab's fiction feature THE RAZOR'S EDGE, set during the Lebanese Civil War, has been restored and is playing this Wednesday at Lightbox. Don't miss it.
The Razor's Edge - NEW RESTORATION
“I’ve invented places, as if by making a work of fiction about them, I could preserve them,” the Lebanese war correspondent–turned–filmmaker Jocelyne Saab said of her interest in fiction. Her 1985 dra...
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December 1, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Jocelyne Saab was an intrepid journalist and filmmaker whose work is ripe for rediscovery. Saab's fiction feature THE RAZOR'S EDGE, set during the Lebanese Civil War, has been restored and is playing this Wednesday at Lightbox. Don't miss it.
Göran Hugo Olsson's ISRAEL PALESTINE ON SWEDISH TV 1958-1989 is an incredible work of essay filmmaking built from archival materials in much the same vein as his previous THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE 1967-1975. See it this Wednesday (11/5) at Lightbox
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Television broadcasting debuted in Sweden in 1957. And Swedish public broadcaster SVT began covering Israel and Palestine almost from day one. In Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989, filmmaker Gö...
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November 4, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Göran Hugo Olsson's ISRAEL PALESTINE ON SWEDISH TV 1958-1989 is an incredible work of essay filmmaking built from archival materials in much the same vein as his previous THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE 1967-1975. See it this Wednesday (11/5) at Lightbox
Long before "locavore" and "farm to table" entered our dining vocabulary, Luc Moullet set out to uncover the fraught networks through which our food arrives on our plate. ORIGINS OF A MEAL is screening this Wednesday (10/22) at Lightbox
Origins of a Meal - NEW RESTORATION
Luc Moullet got a jump on cinematic critiques of neoliberalism with this seminal exposé of globalized, industrial farming at the moment it was taking shape. Moullet begins with a simple (if unorthodox...
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October 21, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Long before "locavore" and "farm to table" entered our dining vocabulary, Luc Moullet set out to uncover the fraught networks through which our food arrives on our plate. ORIGINS OF A MEAL is screening this Wednesday (10/22) at Lightbox
Catch the next film in our month long spotlight on French director Luc Moullet this Sunday (10/19) at 5pm. Moullet bares it all 😳 in ANATOMY OF A RELATIONSHIP, a film about a sexually dysfunctional married couple which he co-directed with his real life wife Antonietta Pizzorno.
Anatomy of a Relationship - NEW RESTORATION
Co-directed with Antonietta Pizzorno, this "sex film" is a clinical exploration of a couple working through a series of problems (intimate and otherwise) which have arisen in their relationship. By tu...
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October 17, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Catch the next film in our month long spotlight on French director Luc Moullet this Sunday (10/19) at 5pm. Moullet bares it all 😳 in ANATOMY OF A RELATIONSHIP, a film about a sexually dysfunctional married couple which he co-directed with his real life wife Antonietta Pizzorno.
Our month of Moullet continues this Wednesday with THE SMUGGLERS, the director's absurdist commentary on border politics, youth activism, and young love. Don't miss this overlooked classic of French New Wave cinema!
The Smugglers - NEW RESTORATION
The Smugglers is a defiantly amateurish non-adventure adventure film concerning three people off in the wilds with no skills whatsoever, made in advance of May ’68. In its terminally digressive, aggre...
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October 6, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Our month of Moullet continues this Wednesday with THE SMUGGLERS, the director's absurdist commentary on border politics, youth activism, and young love. Don't miss this overlooked classic of French New Wave cinema!
Cut from the same cloth as THE WARRIORS and THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER is a frantic chase that unfolds over the course of one evening in the decaying urban hellscape that was 1970s New York City. Take the manic ride this Sunday at 5pm at Lightbox.
Night of the Juggler - NEW RESTORATION
The grit and intensity of late-1970s New York City is depicted in stark detail in this relentlessly action-packed cult classic. Twenty-four hours of nerve-jangling tension and suspense begin when a tw...
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September 25, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Cut from the same cloth as THE WARRIORS and THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER is a frantic chase that unfolds over the course of one evening in the decaying urban hellscape that was 1970s New York City. Take the manic ride this Sunday at 5pm at Lightbox.
David Secter's nearly forgotten first feature film WINTER KEPT US WARM incorporates LGBTQ+ themes into a college campus coming of age tale — one of the first Canadian films to do so. It has also been noted as the film that inspired David Cronenberg to become a filmmaker. Screening Wednesday (9/24)
Winter Kept us Warm - NEW RESTORATION
Leaving his small town to attend the University of Toronto, introspective freshman Peter (Henry Tarvainen) finds a campus steeped in tradition waking up to the radical politics of the 1960s. Following...
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September 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
David Secter's nearly forgotten first feature film WINTER KEPT US WARM incorporates LGBTQ+ themes into a college campus coming of age tale — one of the first Canadian films to do so. It has also been noted as the film that inspired David Cronenberg to become a filmmaker. Screening Wednesday (9/24)
THIS SUNDAY! Delve into the fraught intersection of American history and Hollywood mythology in Alexander Horwath's epic new essay film HENRY FONDA FOR PRESIDENT. Stick around for a conversation with the filmmakers after the film.
Henry Fonda for President
The story of Henry Fonda, both on screen and off, is the story of the United States. It’s a story of democratic yearnings and violent shortcomings, traceable not only in the actor’s legendary portraya...
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September 19, 2025 at 5:41 PM
THIS SUNDAY! Delve into the fraught intersection of American history and Hollywood mythology in Alexander Horwath's epic new essay film HENRY FONDA FOR PRESIDENT. Stick around for a conversation with the filmmakers after the film.
The Quay Brothers' STREET OF CROCODILES is based on the work of Polish author Bruno Schulz. For their latest feature film SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOURGLASS they revisit Schulz's text with a dreamy combination of live action and stop-motion animation. Don't miss it this Wednesday at Lightbox
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
A ghostly train journey on a forgotten branch line transports a son, Jozef, visiting his dying Father in a remote Galician Sanatorium. Upon arrival, Jozef finds the Sanatorium entirely moribund and ru...
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September 15, 2025 at 3:43 PM
The Quay Brothers' STREET OF CROCODILES is based on the work of Polish author Bruno Schulz. For their latest feature film SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOURGLASS they revisit Schulz's text with a dreamy combination of live action and stop-motion animation. Don't miss it this Wednesday at Lightbox
Paleobotanist Mark Brown leads you on a fascinating, heartfelt journey through an eternal garden in Pierre Creton & Vincent Barré's 7 WALKS WITH MARK BROWN. Screening this Wednesday (9/10) only at Lightbox.
7 Walks with Mark Brown
“Shows us an exquisite microcosm of existence, containing rich history, meaning, and mystery.” – RogerEbert.com Accompanied by a small crew, Pierre Creton and Vincent Barré follow paleobotanist Mark B...
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September 5, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Paleobotanist Mark Brown leads you on a fascinating, heartfelt journey through an eternal garden in Pierre Creton & Vincent Barré's 7 WALKS WITH MARK BROWN. Screening this Wednesday (9/10) only at Lightbox.
We're 2 weeks away from Lightbox's return to the Bok and the Philadelphia premiere of the latest film by Jem Cohen (INSTRUMENT, MUSEUM HOURS). LITTLE, BIG, AND FAR is a mesmerizing portrait of human emotions set against the vastness of the cosmos.
Little, Big, and Far
Austrian astronomer Karl is at a crossroads in his life and work. He finds his physicist wife growing distant and his job being reshaped by environmental crises as thoughts about science, fascism, and...
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August 20, 2025 at 11:43 AM
We're 2 weeks away from Lightbox's return to the Bok and the Philadelphia premiere of the latest film by Jem Cohen (INSTRUMENT, MUSEUM HOURS). LITTLE, BIG, AND FAR is a mesmerizing portrait of human emotions set against the vastness of the cosmos.
The Quay Brothers have forged a unique path in the world of film. Their eerie, surreal stop-motion animations earned them cult status in the 80s with comparisons to Czech artist Jan Švankmajer. Their newest film SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOURGLASS is a dark/dizzying journey. Coming this Sept.
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
A ghostly train journey on a forgotten branch line transports a son, Jozef, visiting his dying Father in a remote Galician Sanatorium. Upon arrival, Jozef finds the Sanatorium entirely moribund and ru...
www.ticketleap.events
August 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The Quay Brothers have forged a unique path in the world of film. Their eerie, surreal stop-motion animations earned them cult status in the 80s with comparisons to Czech artist Jan Švankmajer. Their newest film SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOURGLASS is a dark/dizzying journey. Coming this Sept.
We're back at Drexel University's URBN Annex Screening Room (3401 Filbert St.) this Wednesday and totally stoked to present Haydn Keenan's lost Aussie punk classic GOING DOWN. See you there!
Going Down - NEW RESTORATION
Middle-class Karli (Tracy Mann, Hard Knocks), alcoholic Jane (Vera Plevnik, Monkey Grip), unemployed Jackie (Julie Barry, Hell Hole), and square Ellen (Moira MacLaine-Cross, Tender Hooks) are four fri...
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July 28, 2025 at 2:51 PM
We're back at Drexel University's URBN Annex Screening Room (3401 Filbert St.) this Wednesday and totally stoked to present Haydn Keenan's lost Aussie punk classic GOING DOWN. See you there!
Marva Nabili's THE SEALED SOIL is a quiet masterpiece from pre-revolution Iran. The earliest surviving film by an Iranian woman, it screens next Wednesday (7/23) at Drexel University's URBN Annex (3401 Filbert St.)
The Sealed Soil - NEW RESTORATION
The earliest complete surviving feature film directed by an Iranian woman, Marva Nabili’s The Sealed Soil chronicles a young woman’s resistance to her forced marriage, a rebellion quickly misinterpret...
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July 18, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Marva Nabili's THE SEALED SOIL is a quiet masterpiece from pre-revolution Iran. The earliest surviving film by an Iranian woman, it screens next Wednesday (7/23) at Drexel University's URBN Annex (3401 Filbert St.)
This week! Our friends at Philadelphia Film Society are co-presenting the brand new Lightbox restoration of Richard Beymer's mind-expanding experimental feature film THE INNERVIEW. Catch it this Wednesday and/or Saturday.
THE INNERVIEW - Philadelphia Film Society
The brand new restoration of WEST SIDE STORY and TWIN PEAKS alum Richard Beymer's THE INNERVIEW. An experimental, kaleidoscopic tour de force through the process of filmmaking is an unforgettable jour...
filmadelphia.org
July 14, 2025 at 3:17 PM
This week! Our friends at Philadelphia Film Society are co-presenting the brand new Lightbox restoration of Richard Beymer's mind-expanding experimental feature film THE INNERVIEW. Catch it this Wednesday and/or Saturday.
We're thrilled to premiere our new restoration of Richard Beymer's (WEST SIDE STORY, TWIN PEAKS) experimental masterpiece in partnership with the Philadelphia Film Society next month. Grab your tickets now (Lightbox members will receive a special discount code). filmadelphia.org/movies/the-i...
THE INNERVIEW - Philadelphia Film Society
The brand new restoration of WEST SIDE STORY and TWIN PEAKS alum Richard Beymer's THE INNERVIEW. An experimental, kaleidoscopic tour de force through the process of filmmaking is an unforgettable jour...
filmadelphia.org
June 26, 2025 at 11:43 AM
We're thrilled to premiere our new restoration of Richard Beymer's (WEST SIDE STORY, TWIN PEAKS) experimental masterpiece in partnership with the Philadelphia Film Society next month. Grab your tickets now (Lightbox members will receive a special discount code). filmadelphia.org/movies/the-i...
Today is the birthday of poet and filmmaker Willard Maas (1906 - 1971). Maas and his wife, filmmaker Marie Menken, were at the center of New York's underground literary and film scene in the 40s, 50s, and 60s.
June 24, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Today is the birthday of poet and filmmaker Willard Maas (1906 - 1971). Maas and his wife, filmmaker Marie Menken, were at the center of New York's underground literary and film scene in the 40s, 50s, and 60s.
Happy Birthday Lois Weber (born 1879 in Allegheny City, PA). Only a fraction of her film output exists today but she was one of the most innovative and prolific silent film directors of all time.
June 13, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Happy Birthday Lois Weber (born 1879 in Allegheny City, PA). Only a fraction of her film output exists today but she was one of the most innovative and prolific silent film directors of all time.
REMINDER: We're at Moore College of Art & Design tomorrow (6/4) with a spellbinding program of short films by Sharon Couzin. See you there.
Five Films by Sharon Couzin
Sharon Couzin (1943-2019) was a Chicago experimental filmmaker, painter, and poet who began making films in the early 1970s. Her work is known for its complex visual layering that reflects a personal,...
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June 3, 2025 at 12:24 PM
REMINDER: We're at Moore College of Art & Design tomorrow (6/4) with a spellbinding program of short films by Sharon Couzin. See you there.
Sidney Sokhona's first feature film is an anti-colonial docu-fiction in which the director portrays a fictionalized version of himself to highlight the struggles faced by immigrants in France. Shot from 1972 to 1975 and newly restored, NATIONALITÉ: IMMIGRÉ screens this Wednesday (5/21) at Lightbox
Nationalité immigré - NEW RESTORATION
A manifesto film shot between 1972 and 1975, Sokhona's first film is the story of a struggle, that of immigrant workers in France. Blending fiction and documentary, the Mauritanian director traces his...
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May 19, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Sidney Sokhona's first feature film is an anti-colonial docu-fiction in which the director portrays a fictionalized version of himself to highlight the struggles faced by immigrants in France. Shot from 1972 to 1975 and newly restored, NATIONALITÉ: IMMIGRÉ screens this Wednesday (5/21) at Lightbox
Emerging from the German New Wave of the late 60s, Werner Herzog has been an indefatigable film trailblazer. This 3+ hour program of short documentaries made for German television, though lesser known, is just as rewarding as his feature films. Catch HERZOG ON 45 this Wednesday (5/14) at Lightbox.
Herzog on 45
He’s always been a busy bee. In-between Werner Herzog’s canonical ‘70s/‘80s fiction features — the heady fare of Aguirre, Stroszek, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, Nosferatu, Woyzeck and Fitzcarraldo — h...
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May 9, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Emerging from the German New Wave of the late 60s, Werner Herzog has been an indefatigable film trailblazer. This 3+ hour program of short documentaries made for German television, though lesser known, is just as rewarding as his feature films. Catch HERZOG ON 45 this Wednesday (5/14) at Lightbox.
Shinji Somai's LOVE HOTEL, a tale of two damaged and desperate souls attempting to connect with each other, has rarely been screened in the US. We're pleased to present this new restoration next Wednesday (5/7). Look for more Somai films at Lightbox this fall.
Love Hotel - NEW RESTORATION
A tale of two broken souls. A call-girl named Yumi, “night-blooming flower,” and Tetsuro, a married man with a debt to the yakuza, have a violent rendezvous in a cheap love hotel. Years later, haunted...
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May 2, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Shinji Somai's LOVE HOTEL, a tale of two damaged and desperate souls attempting to connect with each other, has rarely been screened in the US. We're pleased to present this new restoration next Wednesday (5/7). Look for more Somai films at Lightbox this fall.
Next Wednesday (4/30)! Gakuryu Ishii's utterly over-the-top family drama THE CRAZY FAMILY comes to Lightbox. We guarantee you've never seen a film quite like this, don't miss it.
The Crazy Family | Lightbox
Having recently relocated his family from a cramped apartment in Tokyo, to a spacious suburban home, Katsuhiko Kobayashi is hellbent on keeping his picture-perfect idea of middle-class success...
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April 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Next Wednesday (4/30)! Gakuryu Ishii's utterly over-the-top family drama THE CRAZY FAMILY comes to Lightbox. We guarantee you've never seen a film quite like this, don't miss it.
Occupying a place between Chantal Akerman and the early films of Jim Jarmusch, Robina Rose's NIGHTSHIFT wanders through the late night spaces of London's Portobello Hotel encountering a range of hipsters, misfits, and sleep deprived drifters. Screening this Wednesday (4/23) at Lightbox
Nightshift - NEW RESTORATION
Over the course of a single nightshift, a West London hotel clerk (U.K. counterculture icon Jordan) plays silent witness to a nocturnal constellation of guests ranging from punk rockers and scenester ...
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April 22, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Occupying a place between Chantal Akerman and the early films of Jim Jarmusch, Robina Rose's NIGHTSHIFT wanders through the late night spaces of London's Portobello Hotel encountering a range of hipsters, misfits, and sleep deprived drifters. Screening this Wednesday (4/23) at Lightbox