The UCLA Film & Television Archive welcomes the season of renewal with a vibrant spring lineup that invites audiences to explore the bountiful possibilities of storytelling. From rarely screened classics to modern gems, this season’s lineup showcases the artistry and cultural impact of film and television through a diverse selection of screenings, tributes, international cinema, family flicks and in-person Q&As.
The series kicks off April 4 with a special tribute to the late David Lynch, featuring a screening of the celebrated filmmaker’s surrealist sitcom “On The Air” (1992), with in-person guest, series co-creator Mark Frost.
For Archive Talks, retired Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan will visit to introduce his new book and take part in an in-person conversation with The New Yorker film critic Justin Chang following the Jean Harlow-starring screwball satire “Bombshell.”
The “Beyond Barbie” series will reexamine girlhood through cinema, spotlighting filmmakers from around the world who challenge conventional coming-of-age narratives.
Other highlights include a rich selection of international cinema, groundbreaking independent films and newly restored works that continue to shape film history.
“As the Archive commemorates six decades of film preservation and public engagement, this spring season is a testament to its lasting mission — to honor the past, embrace the present and pave the way for the future of cinema,” said May Hong HaDuong, director of the Archive, a division of the UCLA Library.
David Lynch Tribute: On the Air marathon
Join us April 4 for the season-opener, celebrating maestro David Lynch as we present all seven episodes of the cult-classic television series “On the Air.” An artful and absurdist ode to the golden age of TV, “On the Air” blended Dada and slapstick in ways television had never seen — and has never been replicated. In honor of Lynch, who died in January at 78, free coffee and doughnuts (Lynch was known for his love of both) will be available from 6 to 7 p.m. while supplies last. In-person: Series co-creator Mark Frost.
Archive Talks: Bombshell
The Archive Talks series continues to pair leading historians and scholars with screenings. On April 5, former longtime Los Angeles Times film critic and author Kenneth Turan will sign his latest book, “Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation,” and present a 35 mm screening of “Bombshell” (1933), followed by a conversation with Justin Chang, film critic at The New Yorker.
Beyond Barbie
This riveting series seeks to redefine girlhood coming-of-age stories, showcasing mostly women filmmakers from the U.S., Europe and Asia who challenge conventional narratives. With aching empathy, “Beyond Barbie” reveals girlhood as complex, vibrant and inherently cinematic. The event includes an in-person Q&A with director and screenwriter Anna Rose Holmer and editor Saela Davis on April 6. Filmmaker Shireen Seno will be in conversation with UCLA Theater, Film and Television associate professor Jasmine Nadua Trice May 3.
Archive Treasures
From one of the largest moving image collections in the world, Archive Treasures presents “Emma Mae” (1976) April 7, a story also known as “Black Sister’s Revenge,” where Jamaa Fanaka’s titular character offers a rare, sympathetic portrait of a young, Mississippi-born Black woman adjusting to city life in Los Angeles.
The April 11 “Back From the Ink: Restored Animated Shorts” presentation features the restoration of historically significant animated shorts from the 1920s to 1940s, including nine animated pictures from Max and Dave Fleischer (who created Betty Boop and Koko the Clown) and two stop-motion animation shorts directed by George Pal, known for his charming “Puppetoons.” Terrytoon’s “The Three Bears,” produced by Paul Terry, will also be screened. On June 7, “The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love” (1995) screening celebrates the 30th anniversary of the film’s release. This tender, offbeat teen romance continues to defy expectations with humor and heart.
Family Flicks
The popular matinee series Family Flicks continues from April 13 to June 8, showcasing new and classic family-friendly films from around the world. Copresented with the Hammer Museum, this series aims to provide a delightful cinematic experience for families with screenings of “Zootopia” (2016), “Pelé: Birth of a Legend” (2016) and more.
April’s lineup also includes diverse programs such as Japanese Paper Films April 13; “New Wave” (2024), a documentary about the identity struggle of rebellious Vietnamese Americans in the 1970s and 1980s April 19; “Palestine Blues” (Palestine/Israel, 2005) April 26 with director Nida Sinnokrot in person; and concluding with the “Archive Treasures: UCLA AMIA Student Chapter Takeover!” series, presenting double features “Union Activism”: “Native Land”/“The Killing Floor” April 27 and “Self-Narration in New York City”: “Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.”/“Parting Glances” April 28.
You Had Better Make Some Noise: Malcolm X at 100
Marking what would have been the 100th birthday of Malcolm X, this four-night series (May 2-8) presents film and television works — both fiction and nonfiction — that explore the depth of Malcolm X’s legacy, inviting audiences to engage with his life, ideas and singular impact — and not just as an icon. The event celebrates community empowerment, global solidarity and the wisdom of Malcolm X that moved people of all races and religions.
Food and Film
On May 9, in partnership with legendary Bay Area chef, restaurateur and food activist Alice Waters, the Archive and the Hammer Museum copresents this quarter’s Food and Film series program: “We Are What We Eat” (Japan, 2025), featuring Waters in person. At the heart of this loving documentary is the work of Japanese food activists to bring the farm-to-table philosophy into Japanese classrooms, an effort modeled after Waters’ Edible Schoolyard program.
Sarah Maldoror: Through a Lens of Resistance and Rebellion
On May 10, the Archive is honored to screen three of acclaimed African diasporic filmmaker Sarah Maldoror’s markedly distinct works created for cinema and broadcast television. Presented in dialogue with each other, the three works construct a nuanced portrait of Maldoror’s unique formal, social and political concerns. This program includes an in-person conversation with Maldoror’s daughter, producer and distributor Annouchka de Andrade and UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television associate professor Ellen C. Scott.
We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thing
The queer community has been both on the receiving end of fascism’s violence and at the forefront of resistance to it. For two nights, we will travel from Berlin to Brazil to see how queer artists — using the power of music, dance, glitter and camp — pushed back against the death machine of greed, bigotry and targeted violence. In both the Academy Award-winning 1972 musical “Cabaret” (1972), screening May 11, and the cult film “Dzi Croquettes” (Brazil, 2009), which is being presented May 18, glamour serves as a deceptive weapon put to sharp ends.
Legacy Project Screening Series
From the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, this series presents June 6, “In the Best Interests of the Children” (1977) showcases children of lesbian mothers thriving. Filmmakers Frances Reid and S. Topiary Landberg will appear at the screening.
Celebrating Ivan Dixon
“Going My Own Way: Celebrating Ivan Dixon” (1931–2008), a three-day series celebration rescheduled out of respect for those impacted by the January wildfire devastation, will now run from May 30–June 1. The event honors Dixon, a prolific actor, director, and producer who was part of a generation of Black actors advocating for more professional opportunities and nuanced roles. The series features the world premiere of the 35 mm restoration of “The Spook Who Sat by the Door” (1973), “Nothing but a Man” (1964) and “Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door” (2011). The television programs being screened include “The Big Tall Wish” from “The Twilight Zone” (1960), “Frederick Douglass: Slave and Statesman” (1983) and “The Sty of the Blind Pig” from “Hollywood Television Theatre” (1974). Special in-person guests include professor Christine Acham of the University of Hawaii; Dixon’s daughter Nomathande Dixon; Natiki Hope Pressley, the daughter of Sam Greenlee; Robin D.G. Kelley, a UCLA distinguished professor; and actor J.A. Preston.
UCLA Celebration of Iranian Cinema 2025
The UCLA Film & Television Archive and its supporting partner, Farhang Foundation, are once again pleased to present the best contemporary and classic films from Iran and Iranian diaspora over 10 screenings this June, from the 14-29.
Thanks to a gift from an anonymous donor, screenings held at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum are free through June 2026. For details on all programs and admission information, please visit cinema.ucla.edu. Schedules and guest speakers are subject to change.