We are pleased to bring to the East Bay all nine of Hitchcock’s surviving silents, which are touring the U.S. after being digitally restored in the largest project ever undertaken by the British Film Institute. These restorations reveal not only cleaner, crisper images but recover original material that had gone missing from available prints. Presented in conjunction with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, this series offers a chance to discover new dimensions of Hitchcock’s work and observe a master’s style in the making. All films feature live piano accompaniment by Judith Rosenberg.<br />

Studio Ghibli’s stunning films—marked by exquisite artistry, emotionally resonant themes, and absolutely memorable flights of fantasy—have forever altered the animated feature. This series showcases the full range of the Japanese studio’s output, from films for the youngest viewers, such as the utterly magical <i>My Neighbor Totoro</i>, to darker narratives like <i>Whisper of the Heart</i>, to Ghibli’s newest release, <i>From Up on Poppy Hill</i>, a realistic coming-of-age story. Don’t miss this chance to appreciate the breathtaking beauty of these films on the big screen.

Sam Pollard, who for the last forty years has been editing, producing, and directing key films about the African American experience, takes us behind-the-scenes of the art and craft of editing. Pollard discusses his craft in an illustrated talk followed by a screening of <i>Half Past Autumn</i>: <i>The Life and Works of Gordon Parks</i> and presents <i>Clockers</i>, one of his many collaborations with director Spike Lee. (Pollard’s originally scheduled visit was postponed due to Superstorm Sandy<i>.</i>)

Raoul Walsh (1887–1980) was a director’s director, an inspired pro with an unbridled desire to just make movies. And make them he did—nearly one hundred features and shorts between 1913 and 1964. Our fourteen-film retrospective includes selections of Walsh’s Westerns (<i>The Big Trail, Wild Girl, Pursued</i>), comedies (<i>Sailor’s Luck</i>, <i>Me and My Gal</i>), war films (<i>Objective Burma, What Price Glory</i>), and gangster movies (<i>Regeneration, High Sierra, White Heat</i>). <i>New York Times</i> critic Dave Kehr introduces several of the films and joins Bay Area–based film critic Michael Fox in conversation on August 1.

Bring a blanket to the BAM/PFA sculpture garden for a free outdoor screening of <i>The Troublemaker</i>, a finger-snappin’ exposé of a bumpkin opening a coffeehouse in Greenwich Village, preceded by a special beat poetry reading by Adam Sussman and other swingin' surprises.

The great French cinematographer Agn&egrave;s Godard spends four evenings at the PFA Theater this June, introducing films and presenting a <b>Behind the Scenes</b> lecture on her art. Godard’s award-winning work with directors such as Wim Wenders, Agn&egrave;s Varda, Ursula Meier, and Claire Denis has earned rightful acclaim as some of the most riveting, naturalistic, and sensual imagery in world cinema today.

Our <b>Theater Near You</b> summer roundup includes digital restorations of Volker Schl&ouml;ndorff’s <i>The Tin Drum</i> (1979), Luis Bu&ntilde;uel’s <i>Tristana </i>(1970), and Marcel Carné’s <i>Port of Shadows</i> (1938); sci-fi classics <i>The Man Who Fell to Earth</i> (Nicolas Roeg, 1976) and <i>Kuroneko (</i>Kaneto Shindo, 1968); and Lech Majewski’s critically acclaimed <i>The Mill and the Cross</i> (2010), an innovative filmic interpretation of Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s <i>The Way to Calvary</i>.

As a tribute to the late George Gund III, who passed away in January, we showcase a selection of 35mm films that he donated to BAM/PFA over the years. These works, from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union, honor Gund’s passion for Eastern European cinema and his great generosity to the Bay Area film community.

A dozen films based on Georges Simenon’s mysteries, thrillers, and melodramas are the perfect companions for your summer vacation. His Inspector Maigret has investigated hundreds of crimes, less obsessed by chasing clues than motivated by Simenon’s own motto, “to understand without condemning.” His lesser known and darker psychological novels detail how ordinary lives derail, whether through weakness or deluded dreams. Read the books, join us to see a rich array of movies, and discover the darkness that lies within. Includes films by Marcel Carné, Bertrand Tavernier, Claude Chabrol, Julien Duvivier, Béla Tarr, and others.

This summer, we are delighted to showcase the films of Jacques Demy (1931–1990), one of the most gifted filmmakers to emerge during the French New Wave. Masterfully choreographed camera movements, a penchant for colorful decorative elegance, and a starring role for music (often by Michel LeGrand) are trademarks of Demy’s cinematic style. Our series also includes three films about Demy directed by his wife, Agn&egrave;s Varda.

In conjunction with the BAM/PFA exhibition <a href="/exhibition/yangfudong"><b>Yang Fudong: Estranged Paradise, Works 1993–2013</b></a>, we present two films by the artist/filmmaker as well as a range of works that have influenced him.