The Film Society of Lincoln Center, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is getting a new name – Film at Lincoln Center – along with a slate of free summer programming and a renewed commitment to its mission. The Film at Lincoln Center logo was designed by Spagnola & Associates.
“There are so many ways that people can see films now, but we believe that the curation we bring—the careful consideration of what we present and how we present it – keeps us at the heart of the culture,” said FLC Executive Director Lesli Klainberg. “We are privileged to be part of Lincoln Center and the New York cultural landscape, and as we move into the future, we want to continue expanding our impact and reach ever-larger audiences. We’re excited to unveil our new name and branding, which give us the opportunity to look forward.”
Film at Lincoln Center’s 50th anniversary celebrations kick off tonight with the 50th Anniversary Gala, the most important fundraising event of Film at Lincoln Center’s landmark year, featuring guest speakers Pedro Almodóvar, Darren Aronofsky, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zoe Kazan, Michael Moore, Dee Rees, Martin Scorsese, Tilda Swinton, and John Waters – each of whom have a special connection to the organization. Guests will arrive to see the lobby of Alice Tully Hall transformed with Film at Lincoln Center’s new name and branding before the ceremony, which will tell the story of the semi-centennial alongside a collection of interviews and archival footage, photographs, and film clips that reflect upon the organization’s role in New York City film culture. In honoring the past, the evening will celebrate a film community that is helping to shape the future of our art form.
The anniversary celebration continues with Summer of Film at Lincoln Center, a season of free screenings, free talks, double bills, and more. Highlights include a trio of series featuring special double features: the 50th Mixtape (June 27 – September 11), which presents two free films back-to-back every Thursday night, combining all-time and recent favorites of Film at Lincoln Center programming staff and featuring everyone from Agnès Varda to Barry Jenkins; This Is Cinema Now: 21st Century Debuts (July 19-31), a survey of the most important new filmmakers of the millennium, showcasing such thrilling new voices as Maren Ade (The Forest for the Trees), Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), and Jordan Peele (Get Out); and Make My Day: American Movies in the Age of Reagan (August 23 – September 2), spun off from the estimable critic J. Hoberman’s new book of the same title, which shines a political light on such beloved 80s titles as The Terminator, Back to the Future, and The King of Comedy.