Where To Find A
Film Noir Festival
Or Screening

Few things can beat seeing one or more of these films on the big screen at a film noir festival with other fans. But as they are few and far between, we sometimes have to settle for what (rarely) gets dished up on TMC or AMC.

Or maybe you're lucky enough to live near a video store with a decent collection of DVDs or videos. But still. You've got to get to a festival.

This section of Film Noir Alley will do its best to let you know what festivals are out there, and where special screening series happen (whether as part of museums, repertory cinemas or film forums).

Some of the dedicated film noir festivals which are held annually include Noir City, or the San Francisco Film Noir Festival, (held every January at the historic Castro Theater in San Francisco), the Palm Springs Film Noir Festival ,(held annually in June), and the Los Angeles Festival of Film Noir, (held every April at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood).

Also, some large film festivals sometimes screen a few classic noir films as part of their special offerings. For instance, the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival screened "Pitfall" with Dick Powell after a special discussion with clips program on various classic film noir locations in Los Angeles.

Seattle's Noir Series goes from October 2nd to December 11th, 2008, Thursday nights at the Seattle Art Museum.

And in February, 2008, Noir City held a festival in Seattle as well.

Washington D.C. got to enjoy Noir City DC from October 17th to November 5th, hosted by the American Film Institute and the Film Noir Foundation.

And way down under, the 2006 Brisbane International Film Festival held 6 double bills of free film noir screenings during the week.

Lucky buggers up in San Francisco have access to a semi underground Thursday night 16mm film noir screening program. Put on by the Danger and Despair Knitting Circle, these are private events, but you can try and email them for an invitation. In the East Bay, the unassuming town of Benicia is home to similar Wednesday night screenings.

If you know of any other programs, screenings or festivals not mentioned here, please contact me. and I will be happy to research and include it.

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