American Cinematheque’s Bleak Week Film Festival expands globally, making London debut in June 2025

9^th May 2025

The editorial unit

The editorial unit

9 May 2025

American Cinematheque, a Los Angeles-based non-profit film organisation, is set to expand its annual Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair film festival in June 2025, taking the event to ten cinemas across seven cities in the United States and making its first international appearance at London’s Prince Charles Cinema. The festival, which traditionally takes place in Los Angeles, aims to showcase films that explore darker aspects of the human experience.

Founded in 2022, Bleak Week has quickly established itself as a destination event for cinephiles interested in films that fearlessly plunge the depths of human despair. Between 1^st and 21^st June 2025, the festival will be hosted at its regular Los Angeles venues – Aero Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, and Los Feliz 3 – but will also extend to the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, Music Box Theatre in Chicago, Texas Theatre in Dallas, Trylon Cinema in Minneapolis, Paris Theater in New York, Coolidge Corner Theatre in Boston, and, for the first time, the Prince Charles Cinema in London.

In addition to film screenings, the festival will feature appearances by notable directors. Robert Eggers is confirmed to visit the Prince Charles Cinema, while Todd Solondz will attend the Paris Theater in New York, with additional guests to be announced. Previous editions have drawn filmmakers and actors including Béla Tarr, Lynne Ramsay, Charlie Kaufman, Ari Aster and Al Pacino.

The festival’s programming is designed to attract audiences seeking challenging cinema that explores profound and often uncomfortable truths. Grant Moninger, Artistic Director of American Cinematheque, commented, “‘Bleak Week’ has deeply resonated with both audiences and filmmakers alike, who have discovered they are not alone in their desire to explore challenging and often sad and uncomfortable truths about the darkest sides of humanity through the projected light of cinema. Over 20,000 people and more than 50 special guests have attended the festival the past two years, and we are proud to present Bleak Week beyond Los Angeles and join forces with seven of our favourite movie theatres to co-present a vast programme of incredible films to their ardent audiences.”

This year, Turner Classic Movies is participating, with a TV selection of bleak-themed films airing on 2^nd June, including Make Way for Tomorrow and Breaking the Waves. Dave Karger will introduce the first three films of this curated line-up.

Paul Vickery, Head of Programming at the Prince Charles Cinema, noted, “I’ve been an admirer of the American Cinematheque for as long as I can remember…so the opportunity to work together on the first international instalment of Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair is a programmer’s dream come true. The chance to extend our collaborative reach across the pond is proof that this community of people who are all consumed by the celebration of the big-screen experience are a global one, and we couldn’t be prouder to be part of it.”

The full programme of films and guest speakers is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The Prince Charles Cinema’s run will close the international festival, occurring from 15^th to 21^st June 2025.

The editorial unit

Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair will be in London from 15^th June to 21^st June. For more information, visit the website here.