The Walker's Film Program Quietly Anchors the Cinephile Scene

The Walker Cinema's recent run included "Daughters of the Dust" on May 20 and June 11 and "Killer of Sheep" on May 28 and June 10, the kind of restored and historically significant work that rarely turns up at commercial multiplexes, according to the Walker's screenings page. The museum's film side runs through the Moving Image department, anchored by the Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection, established in 1973 and now holding more than 400 titles.

Long-running formats include the Walker Dialogues, a series of more than 60 filmed conversations with directors, writers and producers, and the holiday-season British Arrows Awards screening of British advertising, which the Walker has hosted for more than 40 years.

In summer the program moves outdoors and free. Sound for Silents returns to the Walker hillside on Aug. 20, 2026, pairing silent films from the Ruben/Bentson collection with a newly commissioned live score by Bizhiki — a six-member ensemble that includes Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings, Joe Rainey Sr., S. Carey of Bon Iver and Jeremy Ylvisaker. A DJ set starts at 7 p.m. and the film and live performance begin at 8:30 p.m., according to the Walker.

For nearby residents the screenings are a walkable alternative to a commercial theater, and because the calendar rotates and many screenings run once, the practical move is to check the Walker's listings the way you would a favorite venue's schedule.