Director Álvaro Olmos’ new film, The Condor Daughter is coming to The Frida Cinema for a special Sunday matinee one-off screening!

Clara is a teenager growing up in a small indigenous community high in the Andes. Her adoptive mother, a midwife who took her in as a baby, has taught her the ancient songs used to guide women through childbirth, melodies passed down for generations, believed to bring new life safely into the world. But while her voice carries on this tradition, her dreams lie elsewhere: she longs to leave the mountains behind and become a folkloric music star in the big city.

Join us August 27–30 at The Frida Cinema for four exciting days celebrating independent short films and the filmmakers who bring them to life.

This year’s festival will feature a wide variety of short-film screening blocks, filmmaker Q&As, educational conversations, industry panels, networking mixers, special events, and an awards ceremony!

From experimental films, animation, drama, horror, and comedy to student films, Reel Ladies, and Rainbow Reels, audiences will have opportunities to discover bold independent work and connect directly with the people behind the films.

Two of the most beloved family films ever made are up next for our Art House for Families series as we’re presenting a special double feature presentation celebrating the poetic, adventurous world of filmmaker Albert Lamorisse. It’s The Red Balloon and White Mane!

Winner of the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film and an Academy Award for its screenplay, The Red Balloon follows a young Parisian boy who discovers a mysterious balloon with a personality all its own. Drifting through the streets of Paris with almost no dialogue, the film transforms ordinary city life into something quietly magical.

And then after a ten minute intermission, it’s time for White Mane, Lamorisse’s breathtaking adventure set in the marshlands of southern France, where a young boy forms an unforgettable bond with a wild horse pursued by local ranchers. Shot with extraordinary natural beauty and a sense of freedom that still feels exhilarating today, the film captures childhood adventure in an almost-mythic way.

These films will be presented in their original French language, with English subtitles. Although, it should be noted the films are essentially wordless, with the exception of some sparse dialogue.

Our Art House for Families series celebrates the magic of moviegoing across generations all summer long. From silent comedy and international classics to science fiction and fantasy adventures, the series invites longtime cinephiles and first-time art house audiences of all ages to discover some of cinema’s most enduring films together on the big screen. This event is sponsored in part by the City of Santa Ana. 

Before it became one of the most haunting and enigmatic films of the late 1960s, The Swimmer began life as a legendary short story by acclaimed American author John Cheever, making it a perfect pick for August’s Page To Screen series. 

Burt Lancaster stars as Ned Merrill, a charismatic suburbanite who decides to “swim home” by traversing the swimming pools of his affluent Connecticut neighbors on a beautiful summer afternoon. What begins as a whimsical journey slowly transforms into something far more mysterious as Ned’s odyssey becomes a devastating exploration of the American Dream.

The Swimmer is unlike any other film of its era. Anchored by one of Burt Lancaster’s greatest performances, it captures the melancholy and disillusionment lurking beneath suburban prosperity with remarkable elegance and emotional power. More than fifty years later, this singular adaptation of John Cheever’s timeless story remains one of cinema’s most fascinating literary translations.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 11
Original Air Date: July 23, 2017

Dougie’s improbable path continues to create ripples through Las Vegas, especially as the Mitchum Brothers become convinced he may be more extraordinary than he appears. In Twin Peaks, Bobby Briggs steps further into the role of deputy, and a discovery in the woods suggests that the town’s past is still very much alive beneath the surface.

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 12
Original Air Date: July 30, 2017

Conversations take center stage as characters revisit old wounds, hidden histories, and unresolved feelings, particularly in scenes involving Audrey and Charlie, Sarah Palmer, and the members of the Blue Rose task force.