The 2022 edition of the Kit Noir Festival pays homage to the role Jewish filmmakers played in the creation of film noir, and will showcase films that speak to the Jewish experience during a time of extreme political turmoil.

The festival will include films by émigré directors (Edgar G. Ulmer, Billy Wilder), films that address anti-Semitism (Crossfire) and World War II (Act of Violence, The Stranger), and films on the blacklist and the media (Scandal Sheet, Sweet Smell of Success). This year’s festival is guest-programmed by Ann Douglas, Professor Emerita of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. The lineup features 11 films released between 1945 and 1957, with a majority of titles screening on 35mm film.

Screenings will be accompanied by discussions featuring film scholars Ann Douglas, Noah Isenberg, Vincent Brook, and Steven J. Ross. All talks will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Proof of vaccination and indoor masking will be required for all in-person screenings and lectures.

The series will include a free pre-festival virtual screening on March 19–20 of Odds Against Tomorrow. See the festival schedule for full details on films and showtimes.