The concept is simple. Nobody knows more about film than professionals who dedicate their careers to the genre. So let them select their favorite pieces and then let the public enjoy them.
The Museum of the Moving Image hosts the second half of its annual Curators’ Choice program from Saturday, Jan. 4, to Sunday, Jan. 26.
The international lineup mixes 17 feature films and three works for television. Plus, some screenings include guest appearances by actors, directors, and producers.
General admission is $17.50, but seniors and students can attend for $12 and youth (ages 3–17) only pay $10.
All films will show in either the Sumner M. Redstone Theater or the Celeste and Armand Bartos Screening Room at MoMI, which is located at 36-01 35th Ave. in Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
The schedule follows although it’s subject to change.
Jan. 4
Evil Does Not Exist at 1 pm. Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi. 2023, 106 minutes. Japan. In Japanese with English subtitles. Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani.
Hard Truths at 3:30 pm. Director Mike Leigh. 2024, 97 minutes. United Kingdom. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, David Webber, Tuwaine Barrett.
Jan. 5
All We Imagine as Light at 1 pm. Director Payal Kapadia. 2024, 114 minutes. India. In Malayalam, Hindi, and Marathi with English subtitles. Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Cchaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon.
Jan. 7
Nickel Boys with Director RaMell Ross in person at 6:30 pm. 2024, 140 minutes. United States. Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
Jan. 8
The Seed of the Sacred Fig with Director Mohammad Rasoulof in person at 6:30 pm. 2024, 168 minutes. Iran/Germany/France. In Persian with English subtitles. Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki.
Jan. 9
Anora with actress Karren Karagulian in person at 6:30 pm. Director Sean Baker. 2024, 139 minutes. United States. Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksei Serebryakov.
Jan. 10
Somebody Somewhere (Season 3, Episode 4: “What If It Spreads?”) with creators, writers, and executive producers Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen in person at 6:30 pm. Director Jay Duplass. 2024, 30 minutes. United States.
Sugarcane with filmmakers Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat in person at 7 pm. 2024, 107 minutes. United States/Canada.
Industry (Season 3, Episode 7: “Useful Idiot”) with actor Ken Leung in person at 8 pm. Directors Mickey Down and Konrad Kay. 2024, 62 minutes. United States. Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Harry Lawtey, Ken Leung, Conor MacNeill, Sagar Radia, and Kit Harington.
Jan. 11
Dahomey at 3:30 pm. Director Mati Diop. 2024, 67 minutes. Benin/France/Senegal. In English and French with English subtitles.
Jan. 12
Janet Planet with Director Annie Baker in person at 6 pm. 2024, 113 minutes. United States. Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, Sophie Okonedo.
Jan. 17
A Different Man with Director Aaron Schimberg in person at 7 pm. 2024, 112 minutes. United States. Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson.
Jan. 18
Youth (Hard Times) at 12:30 pm. Director Wang Bing. 2024, 226 minutes. China. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
Pictures of Ghosts at 4:30 pm. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho. 2023, 93 minutes. Brazil. In Portuguese with English subtitles.
Last Summer at 6:30 pm. Director Catherine Breillat. 2023, 104 minutes. France. In French with English subtitles. Léa Drucker, Olivier Rabourdin, Samuel Kircher, and Clotilde Courau.
Jan. 19
Youth (Homecoming) at 12:45 pm. Director Wang Bing. 2024, 160 minutes. China. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
Mambar Pierrette at 6 pm. Director Rosine Mbakam. Cameroon, Belgium. 2023, 93 minutes. In French, Bamileke, Cameroon Pidgin with English subtitles.
Jan. 26
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World at 3 pm. Director Radu Jude. 2023, 163 minutes. Romania. In Romanian and English with English subtitles. Ilinca Manolache, Nina Hoss, Uwe Boll.
About Dry Grasses at 5 pm. Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan. 2023, 197 minutes. Turkey. In Turkish with English subtitles. Deniz Celiloğlu, Merve Dizdar, and Musab Ekici.
Curators’ Choice was programmed by MoMI Senior Curator of Film Eric Hynes and Associate Curator of Film Edo Choi, with contributions from Curator of Science and Technology Sonia Epstein, Associate Director of Special Programs Sarah Luciano, and Editorial Director Michael Koresky.
Editor’s note: Couples Therapy Season 4 (two episodes) will screen with executive producer Josh Kriegman in person. The time will be announced soon.
Images: MoMI