Last Updated: 4/30/25

ALL SECRET CINEMA PRESENTATIONS ARE SHOWN IN 16mm (or larger!) FILM ON A GIANT SCREEN (NOT VIDEO...NOT EVER!)

Since 1992, the Secret Cinema has been the Philadelphia area’s premiere floating repertory cinema series, bringing hundreds of unique programs to nightclubs, bars, coffee houses, museums, open fields, colleges, art galleries, bookstores, and sometimes even theaters and film festivals. Drawing on its own large private film archive (as well as other collections), the Secret Cinema attempts to explore the uncharted territory and the genres that fall between the cracks, with programs devoted to educational and industrial films, cult and exploitation features, cartoons, rare television, local history, home movies, erotic films, politically incorrect material, and the odd Hollywood classic. As long as it exists on real celluloid, that is—Secret Cinema screenings never use video/digital projection. While mainly based in Philadelphia, the Secret Cinema has also brought programming to other cities and countries.

Secret Cinema's Jay Schwartz at

artist reception and talk at SPACE Art Gallery

for I Belonged to the Blank Generation photo show

Saturday, May 3
Reception: 12 pm - 4 pm
Artist talk: 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Admission: FREE

The SPACE Art Gallery
749 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia
215-279-7145

Previously unseen photography by Secret Cinema founder Jay Schwartz is featured in a gallery exhibition, called I Belonged to the Blank Generation. The images document Philadelphia's early punk/new wave music scene between 1977 and 1980, at the legendary Hot Club and elsewhere.

And this Saturday, May 3, Jay will be at the SPACE Art Gallery for a reception and artist talk. He'll discuss how he got interested in photography, how he discovered punk/new wave music, and how he came to make the photographs featured in the show, along with stories about the groups he saw and shot.

You can read all about the photo show here.

Photos are available for sale, both framed and unframed. They are printed in a limited edition of five copies of each photo. The show will be on display through May 31.

The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a terrific article about I Belonged..., which can be seen here.

Famous Directors' Shorts at the Rotunda

Thursday, May 8, 2025
8:00 pm
Admission: FREE

The Rotunda
4014 Walnut Street
Philadelphia

On Thursday, May 8, the Secret Cinema will return to the Rotunda with a special program called Famous Directors' Shorts. It's made up of short subjects created b/y film directors from around the world, all better known for their feature films. Some were early efforts done before they were handed the reins of longer films, while others were passion projects that could be made quickly and economically in between features, after they'd achieved success.

Included are films made by Jean-Luc Godard, Roman Polanski, François Truffaut, Alan Arkin, Claude Lelouch and more.

There will be one complete show at 8:00 pm. Admission is free (as are all programs in the Rotunda's monthly "Bright Bulb Screening Series").

A few highlights from Famous Directors' Shorts include:

Tous les garçons s'appellent Patrick (1957, Dir: Jean-Luc Godard) - This amusing film (English title: All Boys are Named Patrick) was written by Eric Rohmer, and tells the tale of a lothario who attempts to pick up two different girls…not realizing they are roommates. Starring Jean-Claude Brialy (Claire's Knee, The Phantom of Liberty). This, Godard's fourth short film, was made just prior to his groundbreaking debut feature, Breathless.

People Soup (1969, Dir: Alan Arkin) - Alan Arkin had already achieved fame as an actor (in films like Wait Until Dark and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter) when he directed this improvised short. It stars his two young sons Adam and Matthew (both of whom would later enjoy extensive acting careers), in a whimsical story about a magic potion that the brothers mix in their kitchen. The film was based on a short story Arkin had published in a 1958 issue of the science fiction magazine Galaxy. Two years later he would direct a very different kind of movie -- the brilliant black comedy Little Murders.

Iran (1972, Dir: Claude Lelouch) - This remarkable, wordless documentary contrasts the ancient Persian culture of Iran with scenes of daily living in a modern metropolis. Images of factories, oil refineries, and young women in advanced science classes alternate with shots of prayer in mosques and camels galloping across the desert -- all set to Francis Lai's buoyant score. Much was to change in this country a few short years later, when the Iranian Revolution overthrew the Shah's monarchy and Ayatollah Khomeini's repressive, fundamentalist policies were put in place.

Birthday (1969, Dir: Franc Roddam) - A woman narrates an interesting (yet somewhat confusing?) narrative about falling in love with a fellow leftist protester, then recalls her childhood and the death of her grandfather, and then becomes a mother. This student project was made at the London School of Film Technique by Franc (then "Frank") Roddam. Roddam would have a successful career directing, starting with the Who-produced feature Quadrophenia (1979). He did especially well in television, and is perhaps best known for creating the worldwide TV franchise, MasterChef, which is shown in 200 countries worldwide.

Plus Les Mistons (1957, Dir: François Truffaut) and When Angels Fall (1959, Dir: Roman Polanski).

FUTURE SECRET CINEMA EVENTS (more info soon):