Neither Heaven nor Earth could keep them apart!
Our Art House for Families series concludes with Powell & Pressburger’s astonishing Technicolor fantasia A Matter of Life and Death!
After miraculously surviving a plane crash during World War II, British pilot Peter Carter finds himself caught between worlds when celestial authorities realize he was never meant to live. As heavenly forces attempt to correct the error, Peter fights for the right to remain on Earth alongside the woman he has fallen in love with.
Few filmmakers ever have possessed sheer cinematic imagination quite like Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Moving effortlessly between the everyday and the cosmic, A Matter of Life and Death excels at both dazzling visual invention and genuine emotional sweep. The film stands as one of the great achievements of postwar cinema, making it a perfect finale for a series dedicated to the wonder of experiencing movies together on the big screen.
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.
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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.
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It’s laugh-vacation time as our Art House for Families series presents Jacques Tati’s gentle comic masterpiece Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday!
Monsieur Hulot, Jacques Tati’s endearing clown, takes a holiday at a seaside resort, where his presence provokes one catastrophe after another.
Tati’s masterpiece of gentle slapstick is a series of effortlessly well-choreographed sight gags involving dogs, boats, and firecrackers; it was the first entry in the Hulot series and the film that launched its maker to international stardom. Decades later, still feels fresh in ways that modern comedies rarely do.
This film will be presented in its original French language, with English subtitles.
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.
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The Fabulous Baron Munchausen is up next in our Art House for Families series!
Director Karel Zeman conjures a story that follows the adventures of the legendary, boastful baron, whose whirlwind exploits take him from the moon to eighteenth-century Turkey to the belly of a whale and beyond.
A rainbow-esque marvel that blends live action with techniques including stop-motion, cutout collage, puppetry, painted backdrops, and antique tinting, Zeman’s film is an exhilarating visual delight and a warmhearted whirl through a bygone age too entrancing to have existed.
This film is presented in its original Czech language, with English subtitles.
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.
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Our Art House for Families series is inviting you to Meet The Beatles!
Just one month after they exploded onto the U.S. scene with their Ed Sullivan Show appearance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo began working on a project that would bring their revolutionary talent to the big screen. A Hard Day’s Night, in which the bandmates play cheeky comic versions of themselves, captured the astonishing moment when they officially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed music forever.
Directed with raucous, anything-goes verve by Richard Lester and featuring a slew of iconic pop anthems, including the title track, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “I Should Have Known Better,” and “If I Fell,” A Hard Day’s Night, which re-conceived the movie musical and exerted an incalculable influence on the music video, is one of the most deliriously entertaining movies of all time.
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.
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He’s been a husband, a lover, a cuckold and a Communist. Now he just wants to be free.
The raucous sex comedy The Seduction of Mimi is coming to The Frida Cinema in a brand new 4K restoration!
The film, which brought international fame to director Lina Wertmuller (Swept Away), centers on sad sack Mimi, a Sicilian laborer whose refusal to vote for the Mafia’s candidate leads him to lose his job, his wife, and his home. At rock bottom, he revives his spirits by falling in love with the beautiful, radical Fiorella, with whom he starts a new life as a reliable husband and father. But the past comes back to haunt him, piling on comical complexities as all his energies surge into defending his honor, an obsession that has horrendous but hilarious consequences.
A blistering satire of Italy in the 1970s, The Seduction of Mimi takes aim at a corrupt government, compromised labor leaders and the Neanderthal sexual politics of men in power, with uproarious results.
“Deep wild humor… hilarious…one of the year’s ten best.”
–Time Magazine
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Jeff Gets A Job, the new film from director Emmanuel Duga, is coming to The Frida Cinema for one day only!
Jeff quits community college, and he doesn’t know what to do next with his life. He applies for jobs, but nothing has come to fruition. While waiting for any opportunity to present itself, Jeff goes to hangouts and parties with his friends. Throughout the film, Jeff quietly observes the different paths his friends are taking to move on with their lives.
This program is a venue rental engagement. The views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The Frida Cinema or its staff.
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She’s evil…and not just high school evil.
OC Pride is back at The Frida Cinema to present a special one-off screening of Diablo Cody and Karyn Kusama’s iconic 2009 cult classic Jennifer’s Body!
Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader takes evil to a whole new level after she’s possessed by a sinister demon. Now it’s up to her best friend to stop Jennifer’s reign of terror before it’s too late.
Cody’s signature dialogue, the emo-era soundtrack, and terrific darkly comedic performances from a stacked cast including Amanda Seyfriend, Megan Fox, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, Kyle Gallner, and many more, make Jennifer’s Body the perfect 2000s era time capsule to present for Pride Month this year! Come see it on the big screen with a hot crowd!
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Just added: actors Gino Vento and Fernanda Andrade will also be joining us for the Q&A!
The new cringe-com film Situations is making its way to The Frida Cinema, thanks to our friends at Circle Collective. And make sure to stick around after the screening for a special Q&A with director/star Greg Vrotsos and producer Daniel Hartigan!
Three months after a breakup, photographer Nick plunges back into L.A.’s dating scene, where party culture clashes with the search for real connection. Despite flaky friends, his ex’s obsessive spreadsheet, and slim odds, Nick’s still chasing love.
Vrotsos (Orange Is The New Black, Boston Strangler), who drew inspiration from some of his own experiences, calls Situations his “love letter to Los Angeles” that pulls back the curtain on dating and relationships in a raw and relatable way.
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Join us as we say goodbye (for now) to our beloved volunteer Hiroki as we present one of his favorite films, Junebug, on the big screen!
On the way to meet with an independent artist in the South, newlywed art dealer Madeleine is convinced by her husband, George, that they should stop to meet his family in North Carolina. Madeleine’s affluent lifestyle clashes with the family, but she befriends George’s wide-eyed and pregnant sister-in-law, Ashley, who is nearing her due date. Through the family, Madeleine gains greater insight into George’s character.
Widely seen as the breakout performance for Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams, Junebug is a funny and quietly devastating indie gem that perfectly encapsulates our bittersweet goodbye to a Frida Cinema legend. We’ll miss you, Hiroki!
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