About Cornell Cinema

Cornell Cinema has been cited as one of the best campus film exhibition programs in the country, screening close to 300 different films/videos each year, seven nights a week in the beautiful Willard Straight Theatre. Each monthly calendar includes an array of classic Hollywood and foreign films, independent titles, documentaries, experimental work, recent international cinema, silent films with live musical accompaniment, cult classics and recent Hollywood and arthouse hits, in addition to guest appearances by visiting film and videomakers.

Cornell Cinema began in 1970 as a university film society, but has evolved into a media arts center with a national reputation. Cornell Cinema's primary purpose is to expose Ithaca and regional audiences to alternative forms of cinema (such as documentary, classic, and experimental films) as well as alternative voices not usually heard through the mass media. Its secondary purpose is to provide affordable, second-run commercial entertainment for the Cornell community. In fulfillment of its educational goals, Cornell Cinema encourages audiences to reflect critically on commercial and other media by supplementing its over 750 annual screenings with the facilities of a media arts center. These include a media study library with extensive reference materials, publications, a film collection, and frequent guest artists and critics offering workshops and presentations.

Educational and Exhibition Services

Film and Video Exhibition

Over 300 films/videos are screened annually in series such as Monday Night Classic Cinema, Tuesday Night Cinema Off-Center (experimental film and video), director and actor retrospectives, overviews of national and minority cinemas, Silent Classics with live piano accompaniment, Ithaca Premieres, and Weekend Favorites.

Visiting Artists and Speakers

Over thirty guest filmmakers and speakers attend Cornell Cinema screenings and workshops each year, introducing and discussing their work. Previous guests have included Chantal Akerman, Craig Baldwin, Irit Batsry, Stephanie Black, Robert Beavers, Sadie Benning, John Cleese, Ximena Cuevas, Su Friedrich, Miranda July, Lewis Klahr, Ang Lee, Sharon Lockhart, Anne Makepeace, Anand Patwardhan, Leighton Pierce, Daniel Reeves, Jay Rosenblatt, Thelma Schoonmaker, Roshan Seth, and Yvonne Welbon.

IthaKid Film Fest

Cornell Cinema's showcase for alternative children's media, the IthaKid Film Fest presents a total of ten Saturday matinees in the late fall (November/December) and early spring (February/March). The festival features high-quality children's programs, including feature-length international films, animated and live-action short films and videos, experimental and documentary works for children, silent classics with live piano accompaniment, and special hands-on workshops with guest artists. Previous workshop guests have included children's filmmaker Michael Rubbo, animators John Canemaker and Stephanie Maxwell, and Toronto-based experimental filmmaker John Porter.

Media Study Center

Cornell Cinema maintains a media study center in 104 Willard Straight Hall that includes a film collection of over 200 experimental and classic titles (short and feature-length work), a small film book library, and over 14,000 research files containing reviews, articles and publicity materials. Films are used in classes and for private viewings by students, faculty and other researchers. A video viewing station is available by appointment by calling 255-3522. The Cinema Office also provides information services and consultancies for those interested in tracking down films for exhibition or information for research purposes.

Cosponsorship Program

Campus and community groups can call attention to their organizations, and faculty can schedule films in conjunction with their courses, by proposing cosponsored screenings to the Cinema Advisory Board. Proposals are most likely to be approved when they meet the needs of the cosponsor's members and are also of interest to a broader audience, and when they are accompanied by the promise of assistance (publicity, presentations, or funding). Applications can be picked up in 104 Willard Straight Hall or downloaded here. The deadlines are October 17 for the spring semester, February 1 for the summer, and May 5 for the fall. Call 255-3522 for more information.