Outside the Box [Office] and Focus Features invite you and a guest to attend

A Special Advance Screening of

HOT SPOT

Directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska
Written by Robert Bolesto
Produced by Bogna Szewczyk-Skupień, Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, and Gregory Jankilevitsch

7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, August 19th, 2026

AMC The Grove 14 - Theater 7
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.
 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Only in Theaters August 21st, 2026
 

About Hot Spot

In Hot Spot, set in a near future society ruled by sentient A.I., a private eye investigates a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord. As the detective's identity slowly unravels, his world enters a state of hypnotic meltdown.

Provided courtesy of Focus Features. Rated R.

For more information, please follow the film on social:
Official Site | Instagram | X | Facebook
#hotspotmovie

Director's Statement

HOT SPOT is a playful homage to sci- fi cinema, but it is also about all of the fears we feel but cannot name.

A wild genre-bending ride set in a near-future society ruled by sentient A.I., the film follows a private eye investigating a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord. As the detective's identity slowly unravels, his world enters a state of hypnotic meltdown.

My goal was to describe the DNA of our present -- and to touch upon our current fears, in a world where advanced technology is very close to witchcraft.

A.I., climate change, war and global unrest -- they all make us fearful, and they all seem "too big for words.”

When Robert Bolesto first wrote the script, which was about five years ago, A.I. was still sci-fi, we were very far from first even hearing about ChatGPT. And yet something was in the air, some anxiety and premonition about our loss of control. About us humans realizing that as we've already allowed so much digital presence into our lives, it is bound to take control away from us. The whole film is about that loss of control -- about its horror, but perhaps strangely, also about its beauty.

On the surface, HOT SPOT is a cop movie set in the dystopia of the future. There is a cop, there is a murder, and there is new technology that puts all reality under constant surveillance...

...and yet HOT SPOT isn't about following the plot. It's about immersion and dreaming.

As you watch HOT SPOT, don’t use the logic you are used to using. Allow yourself to experience it, to take part in a shared dream.

HOT SPOT shows a world where we can’t hear our own thoughts anymore. We all yearn for some solitude.

-- Agnieszka Smoczyńska

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu
Phone: 3106214711