Fraenkel Film Festival 2026
Fraenkel Gallery is proud to announce the return of the Fraenkel Film Festival, an annual cinema series curated entirely by visual artists. Once again, all of the proceeds from the festival will benefit the Roxie.
The Fraenkel Film Festival takes an unprecedented curatorial approach—the 20 films were selected by Fraenkel Gallery artists who love cinema and are deeply sensitive to its subtleties. Highlighting the artists’ distinct perspectives, the selections present an unexpected look at their range of creative influences and intellectual curiosities.
Each artist’s selection offers insight into their thinking and temperament. Martine Gutierrez remarks that Princess Mononoke conjures “the immaterial world”—”the ethereal realm,” she continues, “is what matters, and every day we are convinced otherwise.” Elisheva Biernoff, who makes meticulous paintings recreating found photographs, chose The Princess Bride not just because it “retool[s] the conventions of romantic, picaresque adventure with great affection and humor,” but also “because it’s a long-time family favorite, and also in honor of director Rob Reiner and costume designer Phyllis Dalton—who both died last year.” Kota Ezawa, who often draws from his own Japanese-German heritage when reconsidering the history of visual culture, speaks also of a personal connection to film: “I first saw Hiroshima Mon Amour about 15 years ago and it made a big impression on me. […] I can’t get over this movie because [the lead actors] strongly resemble my parents shortly after they met in Münster, Germany in the early sixties.”
In celebration of the collaborative exhibition “A Slice of the Pie” featuring work from fourteen Bay Area galleries, Fraenkel Gallery will also host a panel featuring representatives from participating galleries: Everything you always wanted to know about the San Francisco art world (but were too afraid to ask). Co-sponsored with the San Francisco Chronicle, Arts & Culture Columnist Tony Bravo will moderate a lively, multi-directional Q&A.
(Photo: Jesús Arriaga)
General admission is $16 for all films. All shows are discounted for Roxie members with a promo code. Get your All-films pass to see any and all films included in the festival for $200. Or, get a 6-film pass* and see 6 of the films included in the festival for only $72! If you purchase a 6-film pass or the all-films pass, these will be available for pick up at the box office starting July 8. You will only be able to redeem your tickets at the box office when presenting the pass. Tickets will be held for pass holders for all screenings. *6-film pass is valid for all screenings except the opening night film, Carrie*
Wednesday, July 8 – OPENING NIGHT
6:20 CARRIE
Selected by CHRISTIAN MARCLAY
Thursday, July 9
6:15 PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET
Selected by NAN GOLDIN
8:15 GET OUT
Selected by CARRIE MAE WEEMS
Friday, July 10
6:20 PERSONA
Selected by ROBERT ADAMS
8:30 PRINCESS MONONOKE
Selected by MARTINE GUTTIEREZ
Saturday, July 11
1:20 THE PRINCESS BRIDE
Selected by ELISHEVA BIERNOFF
3:45 EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SF ART WORLD
6:00 NORTH BY NORTHWEST (35mm)
Selected by LEE FRIEDLANDER
Monday, July 13
6:00 KLUTE (35mm)
Selected by JANET CARDIFF & GEORGE BURES MILLER
8:30 WITHNAIL & I
Selected by RICHARD LEAROYD
Tuesday, July 14
6:00 THE RULES OF THE GAME
Selected by NICHOLAS NIXON
8:30 THE WARRIORS
Selected by WARDELL MILAN
Wednesday, July 15
6:00 LA CÉRÉMONIE
Selected by KATY GRANNAN
8:30 THE FACE OF ANOTHER (35mm)
Selected by HIROSHI SUGIMOTO
Thursday July 16
6:00 HAPPY AS LAZZARO
Selected by RICHARD T. WALKER
8:45 MYSTERY TRAIN (35mm)
Selected by ALEC SOTH
Friday, July 17
6:00 HER
Selected by RICHARD MISRACH
8:50 LAW OF DESIRE (35mm)
Selected by LIZ DESCHENES
Saturday, July 18
1:00 GREY GARDENS
Selected by SOPHIE CALLE
3:20 SOLARIS
Selected by ADAM FUSS
6:50 HIROSHIMA MON AMOR
Selected by KOTA EZAWA
