When a twenty-something retail clerk encounters a rising pop star, he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But as the line between friend and fan blurs beyond recognition, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.This is Lurker. 

The directorial debut from The Bear and Beef writer-producer Alex Russell, Lurker is an exhilarating cat-and-mouse thriller made for the moment. Online fixation meets reality in this parasocial, paranoid film driven by a brilliant score and star-making performances.

Widely regarded as one of the most harrowing antiwar films ever made, Elem Klimov’s Come and See (1985) is not merely watched—it’s endured. A hallucinatory descent into the heart of wartime atrocity, this Soviet masterpiece marks its 40th anniversary with a limited run at The Frida Cinema, now restored in 4K. 

When 14-year-old Flyora (a devastating Aleksei Kravchenko, delivering one of cinema’s most haunting performances) joins the Soviet partisans to fight back against the Nazi invasion of Belarus, he dreams of glory. What follows is something far more nightmarish—a journey through villages reduced to ash signaling the brutal erasure of innocence.

Shot with unnerving intimacy, Come and See immerses you in the psychological collapse of a child thrust into a world beyond comprehension. Its script was nearly buried for eight years by Soviet censors—and when it was finally unleashed, it left a mark that has never faded. Unflinching, unforgettable, and necessary, Come And See is a masterpiece and (unfortunately) more relevant than ever.

Hot off of screening at Toronto International Film Festival, The Frida Cinema is excited to present weeklong run of Sam Hayes’ new film Pools. 

Kennedy has one day to get her shit together or get kicked out of school for good. Instead of buckling down, she rallies a ragtag crew for a midnight pool-hopping adventure through the lavish estates of her college town. But under the surface, Kennedy is searching for answers to the questions tearing her up inside in the wake of her father’s death. As the secrets spill, this wild escape becomes a cathartic journey of self-discovery.

Please note: our previously announced screenings of this documentary included bonus footage–as of September 2nd, we have been notified that version of the film is no longer available for us to theatrically screen. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes.

The Frida Cinema is proud to present the new documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley!

An immersive journey into the artistry, inner turmoil, tenderness, and legacy of a one-of-a-kind musician. This is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll. If you’ve ever fallen under the spell of Buckley’s voice, or wondered what made him so profound, this is the window into his world fans have been waiting for.

Join us for a special screening of Keith Gordon’s 1988 drama The Chocolate War, after which the film’s star, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, will be joining us for a post-screening Q&A!

A dark and moody adaptation of Robert Cormier’s controversial 1974 novel, The Chocolate War set in a strict Catholic boys’ school ruled by tradition, manipulation, and silent oppression. When Jerry Renault (Ilan Mitchell-Smith), a new student at Trinity High School, refuses to participate in the school’s annual chocolate sale, he unwittingly challenges the authority of both corrupt Brother Leon (a menacing John Glover), as well as a secret student society known as The Vigils. His defiance sparks a quiet revolution — but also a descent into psychological warfare, where conformity and cruelty are weaponized to devastating effect.

The directorial debut of then-26-year-old actor Keith Gordon, who undoubtedly gained valuable insight from having worked with auteur legends like Bob Fosse (All That Jazz), Brian De Palma (Home Movies and Dressed to Kill), and John Carpenter (Christine), The Chocolate War employs a distinct visual and narrative style to powerfully convey the novel’s unsettling themes of power, rebellion, and the price of individuality. Anchored by stark cinematography by Tom Richmond, and a haunting ’80s soundtrack steeped in yearning and melancholy, The Chocolate War remains a powerful coming-of-age story that dares to ask what happens when standing up means standing alone.