From midcentury melodramas to speculative visions of technology and the human body—and even a French coming‑of‑age story about crafting world‑class cheese—Cornell Cinema’s spring season offers a varied plate.
Built through deep collaborations with partners across campus, the lineup brings together classic films, contemporary favorites, visiting filmmakers and interdisciplinary perspectives that highlight the power of cinema to spark conversation and connection.
“Whether we are rooting for the underdog, having our hearts broken by a romantic betrayal, or held in suspense by an uncertain outcome, watching movies is one of the great things that unites us,” said Molly Ryan, director of Cornell Cinema. “During these polarized times, I am grateful that Cornell Cinema continues to be a place where we can gather to experience stories that inspire, connect, and challenge us to expand our worldviews.”
The season kicks off Jan. 22 with “Gaslight,” the 1944 classic starring Ingrid Bergman as a woman whose husband is trying to make her insane as part of a murder plot. Other films in the series include “Letter from an Unknown Woman,” and “Imitation of Life.”
Science fiction films in the “Human Resources” series consider the relationship between the human body and technology and include “Total Recall” and “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
This semester’s Science on Screen series also focuses on technology and includes the pairing of a film with an introduction by an expert from that field. Films in this series include Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation” with an introduction by Karen Levy, associate professor of information science and Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” with an introduction by Joe Halpern and Shaun Nichols, professors of computer and science and philosophy, respectively.
“There is an incredibly diverse range of faculty and students across campus looking to Cornell Cinema as a place to explore urgent questions and advance understanding,” Ryan said. “It is exciting to see this impact and for our programming to be infused with such dynamic ideas and expertise.”
This semester’s French film festival focuses on the theme “A Family Affair” and kicks off with “Holy Cow” (“Vingt Deux”), a 2025 film about a teenager seeking to save him family farm by creating an award-winning Comté cheese.
Campus collaborations this semester include partnerships with the Institute for African Development, Grinspoon Hillel, Cornell Outdoor Education, the East Asia Program, the Society for the Humanities, Cornell Health, the Migrations Program, the Latin American & Caribbean Studies Program and the Department of Romance Studies. These events showcase interdisciplinary teaching and learning across campus. They also include a number of filmmaker visits this semester: A.D. White Professors-at-Large Louis Massiah and Keri Putnam; filmmakers Kimi Takesue and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine; and film composer Michael Abels are some of the visitors.
A 3-D series after spring break offers a look at the history of 3-D technology; another series in partnership with the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection centers on military dress while others focus on the Olympic Games and stories of recovery from substance use disorder.
Cornell Cinema’s All-Access Pass offers admission to all regular screenings for the entire academic year — plus a discount on special events. Prices are $40 for general admission, $30 for students (including all college and K-12 students), $36 for Cornell faculty and staff and $25 for Cornell graduate & professional students.
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