Detroit Film Theatre

(France/Germany/Netherlands/Latvia/Romania/Lithuania/2025—directed by Sergei Loznitsa)

In 1937, at the nightmarish height of Joseph Stalin’s Great Purge, an idealistic Soviet state lawyer (Alexander Kuznetsov) receives a note written in blood and smuggled out of a prisoner’s cell. The innocent young lawyer pushes past the prison's leery authorities to interview the note’s author: an elderly, broken-down Bolshevik (Aleksandr Filippenko) who has a powerful story to tell. The eager attorney, determined to expose to “higher authorities” the miscarriages of justice that befell the prisoner, soon finds the eye of the state turned on him instead, as an ever-tightening net encircles his investigation. Set at the paranoid peak of Stalin’s police state, director Sergei Loznitsa’s triumph is a chilling, Kafkaesque thriller about the impunity of power and the matter-of-fact horrors of fascism. Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals. In Russian with English subtitles. (118 min.)

“Superb! An extraordinary, meticulously constructed steel trap of a movie.” -Justin Chang, The New Yorker

In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Sasha and her family relocate to a new home on Vancouver Island, but their fresh start is interrupted by increasingly dangerous behavior from the eldest son, Jeremy. At wit’s end, their parents are presented with a shattering choice. Award-winning writer and director Sophy Romvari’s feature debut is a lyrical and profound testament to the things we carry with us, masterfully chronicling the haze of a languid summer and the hyaline clarity of the moments that defined it. Fascinating, moving and quietly groundbreaking, Blue Heron reveals the Toronto-based Romvari as one of Canada’s most extraordinarily gifted new filmmakers. Winner, Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Canadian Film. (90 min.)

“An unexpected triumph… Masterful, transcendent and overpoweringly moving.”            -Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag ball scene. Made over seven years, Paris Is Burning offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion “houses,” from fierce contests for trophies, to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia and transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women—including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza—Paris Is Burning brings it, celebrating the joy of movement, the force of eloquence, and the draw of community. Part of the DIA’s celebration of Pride Month, Paris Is Burning has been newly remastered by the UCLA Film and Television Archive in conjunction with Sundance Institute and Outfest UCLA Legacy Project. (76 minutes)

“Wildly entertaining and deeply humanitarian.” -Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times

In a not-so-distant dystopian future in which the government sends seniors to isolated colonies under the guise of “boosting the economy,” seventy-seven-year-old Tereza (Denise Weinberg) decides her story is far from over. Refusing to surrender her dreams of independence, Tereza instead embarks on a journey of hope through the Amazon, determined to realize desires that she is not yet ready to abandon. Making her way, she rediscovers longings and miracles that age refuses to erase - including freedom, companionship, and the simple joy and ultimate adventure of going wherever the river takes her. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival, the latest from visionary Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro (Neon Bull) is an inspiring and intoxicating reminder that it’s never too late to take flight. In Portuguese with English subtitles. (85 minutes)

“A gorgeous aquatic road movie. What makes it such a delight is that it’s filled with hope and faith in human resilience at any age.” -David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

In a tight knit Dominican American community in The Bronx, Rico (Juan Collado) is hustling his way through the summer, selling bootleg “nutcracker” cocktails out of a beach cooler and chasing girls without a care. Until, that is, one girlfriend (Destiny Checo) begins crashing at his place – already overloaded with family – turning the small apartment into a stage for messy young love. Writer-director Joel Alfonso Vargas makes New York the heartbeat of his debut feature, collaborating with discovery talents Collado and Checo to deliver an unvarnished look at the joys and realities of young lives in motion. Described by IndieWire as “a vibrant tableau anchored by incredible performances,” Mad Bills to Pay (Destiny, dile que no soy malo) is a memorable tale of youthful abandon encountering the unexpected. Special Jury Award, Sundance Film Festival. In English and Spanish with English subtitles. (101 minutes)

“Critic’s Pick! Exuberant, assured and crackling with energy.”

– Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

It should have been a dream collaboration: a glamorous, world-famous movie star (Gloria Swanson) and her financier lover (Joseph P. Kennedy) hire a celebrated director (Erich von Stroheim) to make what was to be a groundbreaking masterpiece. Instead, Queen Kelly was canceled mid-production and became the most infamous unfinished silent film in cinema history. Von Stroheim’s and obsessive drama about a mad Queen (Seena Owen) obsessed with her feckless fiancé, “Wild” Prince Wolfram (Walter Byron). But when the Prince falls for innocent convent girl Patricia Kelly (Gloria Swanson), a series of mind-boggling and visually over-the-top complications ensue in the startlingly baroque vision of the legendary filmmaker. Based on von Stroheim’s original script, the restoration uses multiple techniques in recreating Queen Kelly’s lurid narrative. Featuring a new orchestral score by Eli Denson. (105 minutes)

“A spectacular, fanatically ornamental, harrowing masterwork of erotic ecstasies and horrors.” – Richard Brody, The New Yorker

Ivy Meeropol’s energizing new documentary reveals the story of E. Jean Carroll’s life and career, beginning with her early days as Miss Cheerleader USA to her success as a trailblazing gonzo journalist, author, beloved advice columnist and television personality. E. Jean broke barriers as the first female editor at Esquire, Playboy, and Outside, helping to redefine women’s roles in media with her sharp wit, fearless voice and boundless confidence. In recent years, she reignited public discourse by standing up to power through dual, successful lawsuits – both of which fueled national conversations about accountability, resilience and standing up to power. Ask E. Jean is a dynamic and richly entertaining portrait of an indomitable woman whose courage managed to prove that it’s never too late to reclaim your voice, tell your story, or perhaps even change the world. Just ask E. Jean. Official selection, Telluride and DOC NYC Film Festivals. (91 minutes)

“Enthralling and unapologetic as its subject.”        –Tomris Laffley, Variety

The Parent Trap Annie and Hallie, twins separated at birth, meet for the first time at summer camp, and scheme to switch places and reunite their divorced parents.

Before the lights dim and the reels start rolling, treat your family to a dinner and set the stage for an evening of shared joy and laughter at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Get your picture drawn by a caricature artist, play games, and more!

Dinner will be in Cafe DIA before the film, featuring: Summer Corn; Salad with Strawberries; Chessy’s Chili and Cornbread; and Oreos with Peanut Butter!

Peter Asher’s global visibility began in 1964 as one half of the singing duo Peter and Gordon, whose boffo, breakthrough hit song, “A World Without Love,” was given to them by their friend Paul McCartney. Immediately ushered into the wider world of American popular music, Asher, who’d been a child actor before becoming a pop star, soon found his true calling as a manager, music producer and indispensable influence on the likes of James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Lyle Lovett, Twiggy, Natalie Merchant, Paul Shaffer, Rufus Wainwright, Steve Martin, Eric Idle, Marianne Faithfull, Jane Asher (all seen in the film) and more – seemingly the entire world of pop culture. A witty, Zelig-like character who remains a creative force to this day, Peter Asher does not deny rumors of being a real-life inspiration – visual and cultural – for Mike Myers’ Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. For a good time, don’t miss this one. (118 minutes)

“Exciting and unpredictable! A documentary that traces a remarkable, under-the-radar musical legacy.” – Daniel Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter

28-year-old Holly (Benedetta Porcaroli) spends day after day at her dead-end job, wondering where her life went wrong – at least so far. But after a chance encounter with Arabella (Lucrezia Guglielmino), an eight-year-old rebel hoping to run away from her self-absorbed father (a terrific Chris Pine), Holly becomes convinced their seemingly random meeting is actually some sort of cosmic sign, and that Arabella is, in fact, a younger version of herself. With charm, humor and honesty, this delightfully idiosyncratic homage to sisterhood becomes the tale of an oddly matched pair of adventurers on a most unconventional road trip, striving to make peace with their unsatisfying pasts and potentially bright futures. Best Actress Award, Benedetta Porcaroli, 2025 Venice Film Festival. In Italian with English subtitles. 

“The young leads show off terrific comic timing, while an assortment of mesmerizing character actors add sparkle.” –Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter