On Monday October 20, 2025 at 8:00pm please join the Cinema Lounge, the DC Film Society's monthly film discussion group.

TOPIC: Hitchcock and Hermann with author Steven C. Smith

Before Paul Thomas Anderson and Jonny Greenwood, before Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer, before Steven Spielberg and John Williams, even before Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone, there was Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Hermann. The brilliant, controlling director and the temperamental, perfectionist composer combined to make masterworks such as The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho. Hitchcock's themes of guilt/innocence, sexual repression, and burning obsession matched perfectly with Hermann's evocative, emotional and sometimes unsettling scores. "Hitch" and "Benny" seemed so perfect together, until a clash of egos brought their partnership crashing down.

We are honored to bring back author, historian and producer Steven C. Smith, who joined us last year to talk about his book on famed film composer Max Steiner. This time he will discuss his new book Hitchcock & Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema (Oxford). He will give an approximately 60-minute audio/video presentation, including clips of some of the great Hitchcock/Hermann collaborations, followed by a Q&A/discussion.

Steven C. Smith is a four-time Emmy-nominated documentary producer and an award-winning author. His over 200 documentaries about film and music include collaborations with Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Stephen Sondheim, John Williams, Julie Andrews, and Sidney Poitier. His biographies of composers Bernard Herrmann and Max Steiner each received the ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award. He has lectured at the Library of Congress, American Film Institute, Academy of Motion Pictures Museum and other organizations. His new book is Hitchcock & Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema (Oxford).

As we approach the two-year anniversary of the Hamas terror attack in Israel and the subsequent Israel-Gaza War, nearly 4,000 in the Hollywood and international are boycotting Israeli film institutions and companies. The boycott organizers accuse these institutions of being “complicit in Israel’s human rights abuses against the Palestinian people.” How exactly are these institutions complicit? They have no role in developing or carrying out Israel’s war strategy. Do the boycott organizers know if the leadership or members of these institutions support the war? Do they even care or is it simply easier to paint them all with the same brush? In fact, the Israeli community, both in front of and behind the camera, are among the strongest advocates for peace and the fiercest critics of their nation's government. I explain how the boycott could hurt those who Hollywood should be supporting in my first new Adam's Rib column.

Speaking of advocacy, we recently lost star, filmmaker and activist Robert Redford at the age of 89. In films such as Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, The Sting, The Candidate, Three Days of the Condor, All the President’s Men, Brubaker, and The Natural, Redford made being a movie star seem easy. So easy that as Richard Linklater recently said, we took Redford for granted. Much of what he did was on screen was internal, absorbing what was going on around him and reacting. Off screen, he created the Sundance Film Lab and Festival, providing guidance and opportunities to many independent filmmakers who otherwise may have been overlooked. I reflect on Redford's lasting impact in my second new Adam's Rib column.

The 50th Toronto International Film Festival

By Ron Gordner, DC Film Society Member

The 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF50) held from September 4-14, 2025 showcased 291 films, including 209 feature films including many world premieres, six Classics, ten Primetime and 66 shorts. Fifty per cent of the films were directed or co-directed by women, minorities or LGBTQ artists as TIFF has promised in the past few years. TIFF50 included mainly onsite general admission seating screenings primarily at the Bell Lightbox and Scotiabank Theatres for press and industry members only this year, while those and all other venues required assigned seatings for public screenings. Although public screenings had assigned seats, there were still sometimes long queues as usual at TIFF and rush lines, but rushing for lesser films outside the Hollywood spectrum were usually easier to obtain access. There was also a more robust return to red carpets, industry and artist parties and other interactions. Five day industry panels and talks also with varied speakers address the film production, creative scene and financial marketplace.

As in other recent festival years, I did find a small number of festival goers with paper tickets, the primary ticketing was electronic and saved on phones in various ways. Again there was no large central ticketing center to pick up tickets, since most were e-tickets but the Lightbox box office served as a general place to buy or exchange tickets (when allowed) with day of screening purchasing at venue box offices also happening. Each morning you could go to the Lightbox ticket area or obtain recently released tickets online for same day public screenings. Checking more than once was suggested as tickets were released by participants or some blocks of tickets throughout the day. Some participants wore protective masks and the King Street was closed to most traffic the first weekend of the festival only. I expected with the 50th anniversary of TIFF that more swag or free concerts or outdoor promotional events would be held this year but that was not evident. The swag this year included free varied chocolate samples from Ferrero Rocher in queues for photo taking or just nibbling the goodies. Lavazza coffee also had a stand and small sample bottles of Listerine and some beverages were available early days of the festival. Star gazing fans still lined up for hours at some areas near theatres or red carpets for chances to see stars entering or leaving venues. The TIFF shop and Pop up Shop at the Lightbox did have lots of TIFF50 merchandise to buy, such as hats, notebooks, tee-shirts, jackets, and catalogs. The wonderful TIFF50 catalog of films did include a small section highlighting the history of the festival with some photos from earlier years. Unfortunately the Index had only title and director listings and the by country index was missing which I like to peruse to easily find films from countries like Nepal and Switzerland if included. Since many films now have multiple country cooperation perhaps this is more problematic. TIFF50 welcomed over 700,000 guests in number, nearly 2,000 accredited media, 6,000 Industry delegates and stars and directors attending 110 red carpet events, and the festival generates more than $115 million to benefit Toronto restaurants, hotels, airlines and other local businesses.

Restaurants were secured for many parties and some of the highlights or buzz included actor James McAvoy suddenly being punched by a random person at a pub Charlotte’s Room. It was also interesting to see peaceful protesters one day on Queen Street with pro-Palestinian flags on one side of the street and on the other side those hoisting combined Canadian and Israeli flags.

Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival was in charge again. Many of the films had TIFF usual world premieres and some films from earlier festivals such as Cannes, and just earlier scheduled Telluride Film and Venice Film Festivals. A few high-profile films missing from TIFF this year at other festivals included Bugonia, L’Etranger, and Father Mother Sister Brother. A large selection of Canadian feature and short films are also available, chosen from the over 8,000 international and national films submitted for the festival to host.

Earlier scheduling information and that some virtual screening would be available via different ticketing and viewing windows would have been helpful to better budget finances and time spent at TIFF this year. Ticket packages of 10 tickets in packets or bundles saved some fees and vouchers for unfilled tickets were provided this year. The press and industry screenings began early in the morning primarily at the Scotia theatre and Bell Lightbox with public screenings also available at those venues and others including some Premieres (more expensive) also at the Royal Alexandra theatre and Roy Thompson Hall.

Toronto is a great city for restaurants of all levels, museums, and cheaper street food. The U.S. dollar was strong also, since the Canadian dollar was again worth about 72 American cents. Flying by Porter into the Billy Bishop City Toronto Airport also saved time instead of flying into Pearson Toronto International Airport which requires a train ride into the city and is the largest Canadian airport, so it creates larger lines for Customs and other requirements.

TIFF Tribute Awards for 2025 included those honoring actor Idris Elba (Impact Media Award), and The Artisan Tribute Award went to Kazu Hiro. Jodie Foster received the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award. Catherine O’Hara received the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award. Hikari received the Tribute Emerging Talent award. Jafar Panahi was also a Special Tribute Award Honoree. Guillermo del Toro received the Ebert Director Award and Nina Hoss and Channing Tatum received the Tribute Performer awards. Major sponsors for TIFF were Rogers, VISA, the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.

TIFF has sections or categories of films. Sections this year included the Free winner (the Audience Award winner on the last Sunday), Gala Presentations, Discovery (first and second time filmmakers), TIFF DOCS (documentaries), Centrepiece, Platform (filmmakers who challenge our notions of mainstream cinema), Primetime (TV movies or series), Wavelengths (avant-garde cinema), Classics (older films), and their famous Midnight Madness section (primarily horror and black comedy films screening at Midnight with usually an appreciative and rowdy crowd). The former Contemporary World Cinema category was now called the Centrepiece stream. Short Cuts includes short film programming and In Conversation With live discussions with actors and filmmakers: Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, Park Chan-wook, Tessa Thompson and Nia DaCosta.

There didn’t seem to be a definite theme in the collation of films this year other than the usual immigrant features and a number of films on grieving or death. This list is culled primarily from films seen at TIFF50 by me or a few heard from colleagues:


MUST SEE FILMS:

We are always looking for film-related material for the Storyboard. Our enthusiastic and well-traveled members have written about their trips to the Cannes Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, London Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Reykjavik Film Festival, the Munich Film Festival, the Virginia Film Festival, the Locarno Film Festival, The Nitrate Picture Show, and the Chicago Critics Film Festival. We also heard about what it's like being an extra in the movies. Have you gone to an interesting film festival? Have a favorite place to see movies that we aren't covering in the Calendar of Events? Seen a movie that blew you away? Read a film-related book? Gone to a film seminar? Interviewed a director? Taken notes at a Q&A? Read an article about something that didn't make our local news media? Send your contributions to Storyboard and share your stories with the membership. And we sincerely thank all our contributors for this issue of Storyboard.

FILMS

American Film Institute Silver Theater
"The 36th AFI Latin American Film Festival" (September 18-October 9) features film festival favorites, local box-office hits and debut works by promising new talents. The Closing Night film is Belen from Argentina. Films from Spain and Portugal are also part of the festival. A festival pass is available.

"Halloween on Screen" (October 24-31) starts off with the great silent classic Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922) with the Anvil Orchestra performing their new score. Count Gore De Vol presents Tremors (1990) and a 50th anniversary show of Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) features a live shadowcast by Bloody Mayhem. Other titles are Frankenweenie (2012); Tales from the Hood (1995); Day of the Dead (1985); Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935); Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) and and 4k restoration of Suspiria (1977). Two "Spooky Looney Tunes" cartoon programs rounds out the series.

"Noir City DC" (October 10-23) has its usual great combination of classics and rarities but with a feminine slant this year, looking at actresses whose cinematic legacies are entwined with film noir. Titles are Raw Deal (1948); Murder My Sweet (1944); The Narrow Margin (1952) in 35mm; Hell's Half Acre (1954); Kiss of Death (1947); The Sleeping City (1950); The Killing (1956); The Prowler (1951) in 35mm; Out of the Past (1947); Alias Nick Beal (1949); Tension (1949) in 35mm; Mary Ryan, Detective (1949) in 35mm; Phantom Lady (1944); Detour (1945) in a 4K restoration; Ace in the Hole (1951); Caged (1950); 99 River Street (1953); The Long Wait (1954); The Woman in the Window (1944); The Reckless Moment (1949); Inferno (1953) in 3D; Cry Danger (1951) in 35mm; My True Story (1951) in 35mm; and Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951) in 35mm. Film Noir Foundation board member Alan K. Rode will introduce films October 17-19; film historian and Film Noir Board Member Foster Hirsch will introduce films October 10-12.

The "Special Engagements" film for October is Taylor Swift: Release Party of a Show Girl.

National Museum of Asian Art (Freer Gallery of Art)
On October 8 at 2:00pm is The Man Who Left His Will on Film (Nagisa Oshima, 1970) from Japan, part of the "Japanese Classics" series.

On October 11 at 1:00pm is the Vietnamese film The Vertical Ray of the Sun (Tran Anh Hung, 2000), followed by discussion with the director, and wrapping up with a DJ set featuring DJ Leo Nguyen.

"Celebrating Indonesian Cinema" continues in October. On October 17 at 7:00pm is Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (Mouly Surya, 2017) from Indonesia. On October 19 at 2:00pm is This City Is a Battlefield (Mouly Surya, 2025) from Indonesia.

National Gallery of Art
"Film Legacies of the Black Arts Movement" accompanies the exhibit Photography and the Black Arts Movement: 1955-1985. On October 4 at 2:00pm is a shorts program with four films made by artists influenced by the times of the Black Arts Movement. Titles are Four Women (Julie Dash, 1975); Water Ritual 1: An Urban Rite of Purification (Barbara McCullough, 1979); Air Propo; and The First World Festival of Negro Arts (William Greaves, 1966). On October 11 at 2:00pm is The Learning Tree (Gordon Parks, 1969) with an introduction by Philip Brookman, curator of the exhibition Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985.

On October 5 at 2:00pm is Afterimage (Andrzej Wajda, 2016), a documentary about avantgarde painter Wladyslaw Strzeminski, and Wajda's final film.

The series "Star-like Cinema: Films by Indigenous Australians" looks at film and video work by and about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. On October 19 at 2:00pm is Winhanganha (Jazz Money, 2023) and on October 25 at 2:00pm is Still We Rise (John Harvey, 2022). Part of the exhibit "The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art." More in November.

National Portrait Gallery
The Portrait Gallery’s Star Power: Saturday Movie Matinee series continues on October 18 at 2:00pm with the screwball comedy Libeled Lady (Jack Conway, 1936) starring Myrna Loy, William Powell, Jean Harlow, and Spencer Tracy. The Star Power series is inspired by the exhibit "Star Power: Photographs from Hollywood’s Golden Age by George Hurrell." Location: McEvoy Auditorium

Washington Jewish Community Center
On October 4 at 7:00pm is The Dating Game (Violet Du Feng, 2017), a documentary from China. The director will participate in Q&A after the film. On October 18 at 7:00pm is Holding Liat (Brandon Kramer, 2025), a documentary about Liat Atzili and her husband who are captives in Gaza. A conversation with Producer Lance Kramer follows the film. On October 27 at 7:00pm is another documentary Swedishkayt: YidLife Crisis in Stockholm (Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman, 2025) from Sweden and followed by comedy and music.

Cinema Arts Theater
"Montage Mondays" is a series of classic films starting at 4:15pm and 7:15pm. On October 6 is Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1995).

"Exhibition on Screen" will show films on Thursdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 4:30pm. On October 16 at 7:30pm and October 19 at 4:30pm is Mary Cassatt: Painting the Modern Woman (Ali Ray, 2023).

"JxJ Best of Fest" is a monthly film featuring a hit from the Jewish Film Festival. On October 24 at 2:30pm is the documentary The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka and the Art of Survival (Julie Rubio, 2024).

Cinema Arts also has a film club hosted by Gary Arnold. The next film is October 19, title TBA.

Strathmore
On October 3 at 7:30pm is Jurassic Park (1993) with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performing John Williams' iconic score live to picture.

On October 4 at 7:30pm is Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) followed by conversation and audience Q&A with John Cleese.

On October 12 at 2:00pm and October 12 at 6:00pm is Disney's Moana (2016) featuring a full-length screening of the film accompanied by live performances. A unique on-stage musical ensemble of top Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters, and vocalists celebrates the music and songs from this award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios classic.

French Embassy
World Animated Film Day commemorates the first public screening of animated strips at the Musee Grevin in Paris on October 28, 1892. Celebrate this milestone on October 28 at 6:30pm with The Time Masters (Rene Laloux, 1982).

The Japan Information and Culture Center
On October 23 at 6:30pm and October 28 at 6:30pm is Ringu (1998) for Halloween.

Cinema Arts Bethesda
"Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series held at Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema. On October 5 at 10:00am is The Shadow of the Sun (Miguel Angel Ferrer, 2023) from Venezuela.

Breakfast is at 9:30am, the film is at 10:00am and discussion follows, moderated by Adam Spector, host of the DC Film Society's Cinema Lounge and author of the column "Adam's Rib." A season pass is available.

Landmark Bethesda Row
"October Frights" is the theme of retro movies in October. On October 7 at 7:00pm is Friday the 13th (Sean S. Cunningham, 1980); on October 14 at 7:00pm is The Monster Squad (Fred Dekker, 1987); on October 19 at 1:30pm and October 20 at 7:00pm is Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960); on October 21 at 7:00pm is Sleepy Hollow (Tim Burton, 1999); on October 22 at 1:30pm and 7:00pm is The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock, 1964); on October 26 at 1:30pm and October 27 at 7:00pm is Night of the Living Dead (Tom Savini, 1990) in an uncensored cut; on October 28 at 7:00pm is The Ring (Gore Verbinski, 2002); on October 29 at 1:30pm and 7:00pm is 28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, 2002).

The Avalon
October 5&7 Interalia 10:30am National Theater Live-->
The "Avalon Docs" film for October is A Savage Art: The Life and Cartoons of Patrick Oliphant (Bill Banowsky, 2025), about the political cartoonist, on October 8 at 8:00pm.

On October 15 at 8:00pm is Suspended Time (Olivier Assayas, 2024) for the "French Cinematheque" series.

On October 5, 7 and 9 at 10:30am is "Interalia" (Justin Martin, 2025) from the National Theatre Live, starring Rosamund Pike.

Kennedy Center
On October 5 at 3:00pm is Bob Trevino Likes It (2024); on October 12 at 3:00pm is Heartworn Highways (James Szalapski, 1976), a newly restored documentary about country music. On October 19 at 3:00pm is Death on the Nile (John Guillermin, 1978) starring Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot and an all-star cast. On October 26 at 3:00pm is To Catch a Thief (Alfred Hitchcock, 1955). Location: The Justice Forum.

Old Greenbelt Theater
"Sunday Scaries" is a new series featuring classic horror films. On October 12 at 7:00pm is A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984).

On October 6 at 1:00pm and October 9 at 8:00pm is The Man Who Knew Too Much (Alfred Hitchcock, 1956), part of the "Cinema Classics" series, shown on the first Monday and first Thursday of the month.

On October 11 at 1:00pm is Broadcast News (James L. Brooks, 1987) with special guest Arch Campbell who will relate stories about the making of the film and will be selling signed copies of his book "The Accidental Critic."

Alden Theater
The foreign film for October is The Bicycle Thief (Vittorio De Sica, 1948) from Italy on October 8 at 6:30pm and October 9 at 1:00pm. The Performing Arts film is "Theater of War" (John W. Walker, 2008) on October 16 at 1:00pm, a behind the scenes look at the production of "Mother Courage" with Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline.

Angelika Film Center Mosaic
The "Angelika Classics" series shows classic films on the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm. On October 6 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm is Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

"Sunday Epics" is a new series shown on the second Sunday of the month at 2:00pm. On October 12 at 2:00pm is War and Peace (1956).

On October 27 at 7:00pm is Little Shop of Horrors (1986) for the series "Musical Mondays."

"Classics in Black and White" features a classic B&W film on the third Monday of each month at 4:00pm and 7:00pm. On October 20 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm is Metropolis (1927).

The popular series "Hitchcocktober" is back with a great selection of Hitchcock films. On October 1 at 4:45pm, 7:00pm and 8:30pm is The Birds (1963); On October 8 at 5:00pm, 7:00pm and 8:30pm is Rope (1948); on October 15 at 4:00pm, 7:00pm and 8:30pm is Marnie (1964); on October 22 at 7:00pm is Dial M for Murder (1954) in 3D; on October 22 at 4:30pm and 8:30pm is Dial M for Murder (1954) in 2D; on October 29 at 4:25, 7:00pm and 8:30pm and October 30 at 4:25pm, 7:00pm and 9:25pm and October 31 at 4:25pm, 7:00pm and 9:25pm is Psycho (1960).

"Creature Features" shows are on Tuesdays at 7:00pm. On October 7 is The Thing (1982); on October 14 is Pan's Labyrinth (2006); on October 21 is Tremors (1990); and on October 28 is Cloverfield (2008).

Korean Cultural Center
On October 15 at 6:00pm is Traces of Love(Kim Dae-seung, 2006) and on October 29 at 6:00pm is the period drama Traces of Fish (Lee Jun-ik, 2021). Check the website for RSVP information.

The Lincoln Theater
On October 29 at 8:00pm is Nosferatu (1922) with the Peacherine Orchestra on their historic, period instruments.

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