Stage & Screen
Presenting an exciting selection of filmed performances ranging from one-of-a-kind concerts to stage productions from the National Theatre.
Upcoming engagements will be announced on an ongoing basis.
AFI Silver After Dark
All tickets just $8!
Join us for a monthly late-night series showcasing classic, soon-to-be classic and should-be-classic horror, sci-fi, action, fantasy and cross-genre gems hand-picked by the AFI Silver programming team. We promise deep cuts — sometimes literally — underrated classics, sneak peeks, new restorations and all-time favorites up on the big screen, the way late-night movies are meant to be seen!
Monthly selections will be announced on an ongoing basis.
NEW: Pick up our new After Dark Punch Card at the Silver Box Office! Catch six After Dark flicks and your next one is on us.
My Brilliant Career: The Films of Sam Neill
October 23–November 26
A versatile actor from New Zealand, Sam Neill (1947–2026) navigated seamlessly from big-budgeted Hollywood epics to sweeping period pictures throughout his career, with iconic detours to horror in between. His first leading role was in the landmark film SLEEPING DOGS (1977), the first 35mm feature produced entirely in New Zealand by an all-local crew. As his star rose, Neill moved to Australia to seek greater opportunities, finding success opposite Judy Davis in Gillian Armstrong’s MY BRILLIANT CAREER and Nicole Kidman in Philip Noyce’s DEAD CALM. But it was not until 1993 that Neill fully broke through to the mainstream with two monumental hits, Steven Speilberg’s JURASSIC PARK and Jane Campion’s Palme d’Or–winning THE PIANO. After cementing his status as a leading man, Neill became a genre star with turns in John Carpenter’s IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS and Paul W.S. Anderson’s horror/sci-fi mashup EVENT HORIZON. Additional highlights in this series include anniversary screenings of his most beloved cult hits: the 45th anniversary of Andrzej Żuławski’s POSSESSION (just in time for Halloween) and the 10th anniversary of Taika Waititi’s action-packed comedy HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE.
Silent Cinema Showcase
October 23–November 15
The Silent Cinema Showcase returns with another selection of newly restored screen classics and rare gems from the silent era. Silent filmmaking was an art form unto itself, one that sound films may have replaced but did not necessarily surpass. Join us for our annual showcase of silent cinema and meet some of the dedicated and talented musicians who bring these films to life with their inventive accompaniment, including Andrew Earle Simpson, Donald Sosin, Joanna Seaton, the Silent Orchestra and the Anvil Orchestra (formerly Alloy Orchestra). We kick things off with our annual presentation of F. W. Murnau’s NOSFERATU on October 23, featuring live musical accompaniment by the Silent Orchestra, then present a selection of films from 1926 celebrating their 100th anniversaries including THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED and THE GENERAL, plus much more!
Select screenings co-presented with the AFI Silver Classic Film Weekend (Nov. 12–15).
Aardman: 50 Years of Clay
Oct. 31–Dec. 3
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Aardman Animations, the renowned studio that has led the way in stop-motion storytelling by combining its talented team’s playful designs and comic genius with painstakingly crafted animation. Founded in 1972 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, who were later joined by fellow animator Nick Park, Aardman has created animation for everything from TV and film to advertising and even music videos (the studio famously animated Peter Gabriel’s award-winning “Sledgehammer” alongside the Brothers Quay), garnering worldwide acclaim. Most beloved, however, are their many plasticine characters, including the cheese-loving Wallace and Gromit, and the mischievous Shaun the Sheep, plus plenty more that have brought joy to children and adults alike. This year, both Lord and Sproxton were knighted by King Charles for their services to the animation industry (Park had been knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1997). Both acknowledged that the honor reflects the work of the Bristol-based Aardman as a whole, and the “hundreds, if not thousands, of brilliant people whose dedication, talent and skills have contributed to making Aardman [...] a national treasure in the UK.” AFI Silver pays its own tribute to these master animators with this series showcasing several of Aardman Animation’s films.
$5 tix for kids 12 and under! Select sensory-friendly shows offered, as noted.
AFI Silver Classic Film Weekend
November 12–15
The AFI Silver Classic Film Weekend returns with an immersive lineup of stunning new restorations, big-screen rarities, silent films with live musical accompaniment, 35mm prints and astonishing pre-Code pictures. Festival guests and film scholars will introduce each film.
Learn more about the festival, explore the lineup and buy passes here.
This series is co-curated by author, archivist and film historian David Pierce.
All silent films are co-presented as part of this year’s Silent Cinema Showcase (October 23–November 15).
