American Cinematheque’s Celebration of Despair in Cinema Draws Big-Name Guests
American Cinematheque’s popular film festival Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair is expanding far beyond its Los Angeles roots this year, with screenings scheduled in seven U.S. cities and for the first time internationally in London.
Founded in 2022, the festival—known for showcasing deeply emotional and thematically dark films—will maintain its presence in Los Angeles at the Aero Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, and Los Feliz 3. In June, it will also debut in theaters across Portland, Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, New York, Boston, and London, bringing its unique brand of cinematic melancholy to new audiences.
“‘Bleak Week’ has deeply resonated with both audiences and filmmakers alike, who have discovered they are not alone in their desire to explore challenging and often sad and uncomfortable truths,” said Grant Moninger, American Cinematheque’s Artistic Director. “We’re thrilled to partner with these iconic theaters to deliver a powerful and thought-provoking film experience.”
Participating venues include the Hollywood Theatre (Portland), Music Box Theatre (Chicago), Texas Theatre (Dallas), Trylon Cinema (Minneapolis), Paris Theater (New York), Coolidge Corner Theatre (Boston), and Prince Charles Cinema (London). Each location will host screenings from June 1 through June 21, with programming tailored to the local audience. The event will kick off in Los Angeles and Chicago (June 1–7), continue in Portland and Minneapolis (June 6–12), move to New York, Boston, and Dallas (June 8–14), and wrap up in London (June 15–21).
In conjunction with the festival, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will air a themed programming block on Monday, June 2. The curated lineup includes Make Way for Tomorrow, Man of the West, Cries and Whispers, Breaking the Waves, and The Seventh Victim. TCM host Dave Karger will introduce the first three titles live on air.
Past iterations of Bleak Week have featured an impressive slate of special guests, including Béla Tarr, Lynne Ramsay, Charlie Kaufman, Isabella Rossellini, Ari Aster, and Al Pacino. This year, directors Robert Eggers and Todd Solondz are confirmed to appear at London’s Prince Charles Cinema and New York’s Paris Theater, respectively. Additional guests and the full festival lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.
Paul Vickery, Head of Programming for the Prince Charles Cinema, expressed his excitement at joining forces with the Cinematheque. “This is a programmer’s dream come true,” he said. “We can’t wait to bring a little piece of what the incredible team at the AC do on a daily basis to our screen in London. You are in for a truly misery-inducing treat!”
For more information, visit americancinematheque.com.
