Outside the Box [Office] invites you and a guest to attend

A Special Advance Screening of

HUMPTY DUMPTY X

Written & Directed by Tony Kaye
Produced by Yan Kaye

Followed by a Q&A with Tony Kaye

7:00 P.M. on Thursday, November 12th, 2026

The Ray Stark Family Theater, SCA 108
George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex
900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

About Humpty Dumpty X

The story of Tony Kaye and American History X is Hollywood folklore: a fiercely original debut filmmaker, a studio battle over final cut and a director who famously asked for the credit "Humpty Dumpty" rather than compromise his vision. What few people knew was that Kaye kept a camera running throughout. Twenty-three years later, he has finally assembled that footage into Humpty Dumpty X, a documentary built from phone calls with executives, candid conversations with friends, and the rantings, paintings, photographs, and notebooks that filled his life during that singular period.

Director's Note

HUMPTY DUMPTY X is a 73-minute album. A song. A celebration, an existential exorcism of my process while making, and still making American History X.
It is a portal into a new body of work.
It is a road toward Marlon Brando — a love letter and standing ovation to the man I believe was the greatest screen actor who ever lived — and an attempt to understand what it means for a director to to try become completely, dangerously, and beautifully free.
Out of that search comes the seed of a new acting technique. A miniature self-help manual. A meditation on instinct, courage, failure, madness and surrender.
But above everything, HUMPTY DUMPTY X is a message to artists:
It is about the principle.
It is about the sacrifice.
It is about removing fear.
Creativity begins when you stop asking permission.
You open the door of the spacecraft.
You jump.
And you fall headfirst into the beautiful mess, danger, ecstasy and madness of making something that has never existed before.
That is HUMPTY DUMPTY X — PART 1.
The egg breaks.
And something new crawls out.

-- Tony Kaye, 2026

About the Filmmaker

TONY KAYE (Director, Cinematographer)

Tony Kaye is a British director, artist, and filmmaker renowned for his uncompromising vision and striking visual style. His debut feature, American History X (1998), became a cultural landmark, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and establishing Kaye as a fearless voice in cinema.

In 2006, he released Lake of Fire, an epic black-and-white documentary on the abortion debate, which took 18 years to complete. Widely acclaimed, it was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

With Detachment (2011), starring Adrien Brody, Kaye delivered a haunting portrait of despair in America’s underfunded public schools. The film won multiple festival awards, including the Revelations Prize and the International Critics’ Award at the Deauville American Film Festival, the Grand Prize and Audience Award at the Valenciennes International Festival, Best Artistic Contribution at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Foreign Film at the São Paulo International Film Festival, and Best Picture at Belgium’s Ramdam Film Festival in Tournai.

His latest feature, The Trainer (2023), starring Vito Schnabel in his acting debut, is a surreal dark comedy that premiered in Rome and at the Tribeca Festival. Through satire and tragicomic imagery, it delves into ambition, delusion, and the human craving for validation.

Across film, music videos, fine art, and commercials, Tony Kaye has built a body of work defined by provocation, poetic imagery, and an unyielding search for truth.

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.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/