2020 Second Screens

January 14
Varda by Agnès (2019)

Directed by Agnès Varda
THE WOODWARD THEATER, 1404 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45202
DOORS 6:30pm, START 7pm

FotoFocus kicks off SECOND SCREENS with the Cincinnati premiere of Agnes Varda’s final film, Varda by Agnès (2019), a personal and whimsical look back at the director’s prolific career. Varda proclaimed the film’s mission was to “give keys to my body of work. I give my own keys, my thoughts, nothing pretentious, just keys.” The film pays homage to Varda’s unique cinematic voice, which developed during the French New Wave with films such as Clèo from 5 to 7 (1962), and playfully matured with such work as Faces Places (2017), a collaboration with the artist JR. The autobiographical work touches on everything from filmmaking, to feminism and aging, not only reflecting on her filmmaking career, but her life as a photographer. (120 min)

Agnès Varda, Varda by Agnès, 2019. Film. Courtesy of Janus Films

February 11
Days of Heaven (1978)

Directed by Terrence Malick
NEWSREEL THEATER (CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER AT UNION TERMINAL), 1301 Western Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45203
(Complimentary Parking)
DOORS 6:30pm, START 7pm

With a career spanning over fifty years, FotoFocus is excited to re-examine Terrence Malick’s second feature film, Days of Heaven (1978). This period film, set in 1916 in the Texas panhandle, explores the tumultuous relationship between a farmer and two of his workers. The film, starring Sam Shephard, Brooke Adams, Richard Gere, and Linda Manz, is set against the golden landscape of a forgotten time. With music by Ennio Morricone, and cinematography by Néstor Almendros and Haskell Wexler, Days of Heaven is a modern masterpiece worth rediscovery by younger generations. (94 min)

Terrence Malick, Days of Heaven, 1978. Film. © Paramount Pictures

March 10
United Skates (2018)

Directed by Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown
RHINEGEIST, 1910 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
DOORS 6:30pm, START 7pm

United Skates, directed by Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown, is an engaging documentary that peers into the underground subculture of African-American roller skate communities. The film is a fascinating look at the social, historical, and creative importance of a physical art form that is in danger of disappearing. The film shares the story of such famous rinks as World on Wheels located in Los Angeles, that has hosted hundreds of skate nights over the years. (89 min)

Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown, United Skates, 2018. Film. Courtesy of HBO

POSTPONED April 14
Monterey Pop (1968)
with Elaine Mayes, FotoFocus Visiting Artist and Lecturer

Directed by D. A. Pennebaker
FOTOFOCUS AT LIGHTBORNE STUDIOS, 212 E. 14th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
6pm: Free public reception and exhibition opening. 7pm: Elaine Mayes in conversation with Kevin Moore. 7:30pm: SECOND SCREENS Film, Monterey Pop. 9pm: Q&A and final thoughts

FotoFocus celebrates the life of documentarian D.A. Pennebaker with a screening of his iconic work Monterey Pop. Presenting the new 4k restoration, the film highlights musical performances by such notable artists as Janis Joplin and Otis Redding, in glorious surround sound at FotoFocus in the Lightborne Studios. (79 min)

D.A. Pennebaker, Monterey Pop, 1968. Film. Courtesy of Janus Films

POSTPONED May 12
Two Journeys – A Shorts Program

Curated by The Golden Pixel Cooperative
21C MUSEUM HOTEL, 609 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
DOORS 6:30pm, START 7pm

Los Angeles-based filmmaker and curator Nora Sweeney heads back to her hometown of Cincinnati to present Two Journeys, a short film program curated by The Golden Pixel Cooperative. The screening, ranging in style from narrative to experimental, examines the notion of place by looking at films made in Los Angeles and Vienna. Screening work by Nora Sweeney as well as Charles Burnett, Joie Estrella Horwitz, Juan Pablo González, Friedl vom Gröller, Rosa John, Marlies Pöschl, Dorit Margreiter, and David de Rozas. (90 min)

Curator Nora Sweeney will be in attendance!

Dorit Margreiter, Transfer (Monument Valley), 2016. Film. Courtesy of The Golden Pixel Cooperative (Top). David De Rozas, Give, 2018. Film. Courtesy of The Golden Pixel Cooperative (Bottom)

POSTPONED June 9
NSFW (Animation For Adults)

Curated by C. Jacqueline Wood
THE LODGE, 231 6th Ave, Dayton, KY 41074
DOORS 6:30pm, START 7pm

NSFW (Animation For Adults) is a short animation screening that considers the various ways that sex and the human form are represented in both historical and contemporary styles of animation. The program, curated by C. Jacqueline Wood, ranges in tone and style, presenting work by iconic artists such as Suzan Pitt, while also highlighting local makers and artists. A regional open call for submissions will be open starting in February 2020. For more information, please visit
FotoFocus.org. (60 min)

Sine Özbilge/Imge Özbilge, #21xoxo, 2019. Film. Courtesy of the Artists

Thursday, September 24
The Apollo (2019)

Directed by Roger Ross Williams
HOLLYWOOD DRIVE-IN THEATRE, 1538 Cedar Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45224
DOORS 7:15pm, START 7:45pm

Screening is free and open to the public. Tickets are required.
One reservation for each car. Space is limited.

The Apollo, directed by Oscar® and Emmy® winner Roger Ross Williams, chronicles the legacy of New York City’s landmark Apollo Theater, covering the rich history of the storied performance space over its 85 years. What began as a refuge for marginalized artists emerged as a hallowed hall of black excellence and empowerment. In the film, Williams reflects on the struggle of black lives in America, the role that art plays in that struggle, and the part the Apollo Theater continues to play in the cultural conversation. (102 min)

Roger Ross Williams, The Apollo, 2019. Film. Courtesy of HBO