Academy Museum’s Inaugural Programming Includes ‘Wizard of Oz’ Screening With Live Symphony

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has announced its inaugural in-person programming schedule, which features two screenings of “The Wizard of Oz” with a live accompaniment by the American Youth Symphony, conducted by composer David Newman, on opening day.

During the first three months of the museum’s opening, it will offer a diverse and robust slate of over 115 screenings, discussions and programs, along with ongoing special and standalone series

Special series and standalone screenings include:

• “Malcolm X“ in 70mm: a screening for Academy Museum Members of the seminal film, with special guests Spike Lee and Denzel Washington.
• Oscar Frights: featuring screenings of Oscar-winning and nominated horror films, including “Get Out” (2017) and “Psycho” (1960).
• Hayao Miyazaki: in conjunction with the Academy Museum’s landmark exhibition on Hayao Miyazaki, the Academy Museum will screen the filmmaker’s complete body of work as a feature director, including “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988) and “Spirited Away” (2001).
• Imperfect Journey: Haile Gerima and His Comrades: following honoring Haile Gerima at the Academy Museum Opening Gala, the museum is thrilled to present this series focused on Haile Gerima’s work as a director and the work of some of his mentees and comrades, including Malik Sayeed, Bradford Young, and Arthur Jafa. Opening night hosted by Ava DuVernay.
• Sound Off: A Celebration of Women Composers: in honor of the Academy Museum’s gallery created with composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, Sound Off will feature screenings of films scored by women composers, including “Joker” (2019), scored by Guðnadóttir and “Tron” (1982), scored by Wendy Carlos.
• Retrospectives of films by Jane Campion and Satyajit Ray, the latter of which draws from the Academy Film Archive’s rich holdings of Ray’s films.
• Beyond the Icon: Anna May Wong: which celebrates the early film star’s work and legacy and includes screenings of “Piccadilly” (1929) and “Shanghai Express” (1932).
• Special screenings, including the 20th anniversary of “Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner” (Canada, 2001).

Other highlights of the museum’s first few months of in-person programming include:

• Stories of Cinema: featuring screenings of films highlighted in the museum’s core exhibition, including “Real Women Have Curves” (2002) and “The Way of the Dragon” (1972).
• Oscar® Sundays: held every Sunday evening in the David Geffen Theater, this series celebrates films that have been honored at the Academy Awards. For the series’ first iteration, we are celebrating the work of women directors, including “Harlan County, U.S.A.” (1976) and “Seven Beauties” (1975).
• Family Matinees: held every Saturday for families of all ages, screenings will include “Moana” (2016), “The Book of Life” (2014), and “Labyrinth” (1986).
• Legacy: launching with a discussion between Laura Dern and her parents Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd.
• In Conversation: launching with a discussion of how to contextualize cinema, featuring producers Effie T. Brown and Heather Rae.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures continues to provide virtual programming leading up to its grand opening. Among them is a conversation with filmmakers Spike Lee and Shaka King, and a 20th-anniversary screening of the Oscar-nominated Mexican feature “Y tu mamá también,” with a conversation with the writer and director Alfonso Cuarón and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.

Tickets to film screenings and public programs will be available for purchase on the Academy Museum’s website on Aug. 5 at 9:00 AM. Tickets for film screenings and public programs are sold separately and do not require general admission to the museum. All tickets will be available beginning August 5. Tickets will be available only through advance online reservations via the Academy Museum’s website. Film screening tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors (age 62+), $5 for college students, $5 for children (age 17 and younger), and $8 for Museum Members. Public and education program tickets range from free with admission to $20 for adults.

The full schedule of the Academy Museum’s film screenings and public and educational program is down below.

SCREENINGS AND PROGRAMS: CALENDAR

• July 22–August 5 | Virtual Program – Film Screening + Discussion: Piccadilly
  
• September 7, 6 pm | Virtual Program – Spike Lee and Shaka King, In Conversation
  
• September 16, 5pm |Virtual Program – Y tu mamá también 20th Anniversary
• September 26 | Malcolm X in 70mm―for Academy Museum Members
  
• September 30, 2 pm and 7:30 pm | A Symphonic Night at the Movies: The Wizard of Oz with Orchestra
  
• October 1, 6 pm | Contextualizing Cinema: Effie T. Brown and the Academy Museum’s Inclusion Advisory Committee
  
• October 2–November 14 | Imperfect Journey:  Haile Gerima and His Comrades
• October 2–November 27 | Family Matinees
• October 3–31 | Oscar® Frights!
• October 30 and November 27 | ASL Tours: Stories of Cinema
• October 5–November 27 | Hayao Miyazaki
• October 6–November 25 | Sound Off:  A Celebration of Women Composers
• October 8–November 26 | Stories of Cinema
• October 16, 6 pm | Legacy Conversation: Laura Dern with Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern
• October 30 | Calm Mornings + Accommodative screening of The Book of Life
• October 24 and November 21 | Visual Description Tours: Stories of Cinema
• October 31 | Halloween Transformations Community Day
• November 7–28 | Oscar® Sundays
• November 4–23 | You Oughta Know:  The Films of Jane Campion
• November 22-30| Satyajit Ray: 1955-1968
• November 13–27 | Beyond the Icon: Anna May Wong
• November 15 | 20th Anniversary Screening of Atanarjuat:  The Fast Runner
• November 21 | Sound and Music Community Day

The museum will require visitors to follow all current COVID-19 public health guidelines by the state of California and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in place at the time of their visit.

The Academy Museum is the largest institution in the United States devoted to exploring the art and science of movies and moviemaking. Bill Kramer is the director and president of the Academy Museum and Jacqueline Stewart is the chief artistic and programming officer.