Film programming at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art consists of two distinct series, MMoCA Cinema and Rooftop Cinema. While experimental films have a significant presence in each series, the programming broadens to include recent independent and international features, hybrid documentaries and music-themed films.
In 2018, I inherited the programming duties for Rooftop Cinema, the summer outdoor series in the sculpture garden on the roof of MMoCA. Tom Yoshikami shepherded the series with great success for its first twelve seasons.
Unfortunately, mmoca.org does not archive Rooftop Cinema calendars each season. I’m preparing a series of blog posts to provide an overview of the programming from 2018 to the present.
In 2023, I began programming the indoor film series at MMoCA. Mike King programmed the indoor series for many years each Fall under the title Spotlight Cinema. Spotlight became MMoCA Cinema for its six-week Winter 2023 edition from January 26 through March 2. The MMoCA Cinema series will return to Fall in 2023 (October and November).
Beyond the annual six-week series, MMoCA Cinema also showcases films related to MMoCA exhibitions and programming. For example, artist Faisal Abdu’Allah had prepared a wide-ranging reading and viewing list to provide context for his exhibition, Dark Matter. That list inspired the idea for a special matinee screening of the Edward O. Bland short, The Cry of Jazz (1959) and the Basil Dearden feature Sapphire (1959). MMoCA Cinema will continue to program with exhibition synergy in mind, both within general series as well as special screenings.
Special thanks to current Director of Education and Programs, Bob Sylvester, and the entire MMoCA staff for the opportunity to program films and videos at the Museum. And extra special thanks to former Directors of Education, Sherri Castelnuovo and Charlotte Cummins, for their support over the years.
Program notes for both Rooftop Cinema and MMoCA Cinema screenings will appear on this website as blog posts.