Upcoming Events
Virtual SCA Graduate Information Session
April 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024, Varies
Online - Access Information Sent Via Email
Join the SCA Admissions staff for an online information session to learn more about applying to the SCA graduate programs for the Spring/Fall 2024 semester. Topics will include an overview of the school, programs and facilities, financial aid, Q&A with staff and more!
In-Person SCA Graduate Information Session
May 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024, Varies
SCA Courtyard
Join the SCA Admissions staff for an in-person information session to learn more about applying to the SCA graduate programs for the Fall 2024 semester. Topics will include an overview of the school, programs and facilities, financial aid, Q&A with staff and more!
CTCS-467: Television Symposium
August 27, 2024 - December 17, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
This Fall 2024 semester, the School of Cinematic Arts will offer a very special course called CTCS-467: Television Symposium, a four-unit elective class open for enrollment to ALL USC STUDENTS OF ANY MAJOR that brings you face-to-face with the leading television writers, producers, directors and actors working today. Each week, students watch contemporary television programming selected from the best shows on the air, followed by an exclusive Q&A with the creative team behind the show. The class is taught by MARY MCNAMARA, Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic and cultural editor for the Los Angeles Times and meets in person every Tuesday night @ 7:00 P.M. in the Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108.
CTCS-466: Theatrical Film Symposium
August 29, 2024 - December 12, 2024, 6:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
This Fall 2024 semester, the School of Cinematic Arts will offer a very special course called CTCS-466: Theatrical Film Symposium, a four-unit elective class open for enrollment to ALL USC STUDENTS OF ANY MAJOR that brings you face-to-face with leading film directors, writers, producers, and actors working today. Throughout the semester, students will watch a wide selection of new film releases, followed by exclusive Q&As with the creative teams behind them. The class is taught by film critic LEONARD MALTIN and meets every Thursday night in Norris Cinema Theatre from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
SCA International Students Connect, including Boba!
October 14, 2024, 3-4:30pm
Meldman Lawn
SCI Courtyard, International Students Connect, including Boba!– This event will create a supportive space for SCA International students to connect with each other, with an embedded counselor, to build resources and community as they begin their Fall semesters at SCA. And Boba will be available to international students at this event!
LA SKINS FEST: FRYBREAD FACE AND ME
October 14, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Written and directed by Native American filmmaker Billy Luther of the Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna Pueblo tribes and executive produced by Taika Waititi, Frybread Face and Me follows two adolescent Navajo cousins from different worlds as they bond during a summer on their grandmother’s Arizona ranch, learning more about their family’s past and about themselves.
Off-Campus Graduate Information Session
October 14, 2024, 7pm-8pm
Atlanta
This information session is available for students interested in pursuing graduate studies in one of our M.A. or M.F.A. programs at the School of Cinematic Arts. Information regarding Ph.D. programs will not be covered during the presentation. The session will begin with a presentation discussing the SCA programs, application process and available facilities at the school -- opportunity for Q & A will also be given.
SCA Graduate Divisional Information Session (Virtual)
October 14, 2024 - October 24, 2024, Varies
Online - Access Provided Upon Registration
Join the SCA Divisional staff for an online information session to learn more about applying to the SCA graduate programs for the Fall 2025 semester. Topics will include sharing more about our programs, resources, opportunities and student experiences, Q&A with staff and more!
SCA Undergraduate Divisional Information Session (Virtual)
October 14, 2024 - October 24, 2024, Varies
Online - Access Provided Upon Registration
Join the SCA Divisional staff for an online information session to learn more about applying to the SCA undergraduate programs for the Fall 2025 semester. Topics will include sharing more about our programs, resources, opportunities and student experiences, Q&A with staff and more!
AGFA Movie Hooky Club IMAX Matinee Screening: HELL'S TRAP (1989)
October 15, 2024, 3:00 P.M.
The Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre, RZC 119, Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, 3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Nacho and Mauricio are friends, but their competitive nature has them at each other's throats. After an embarrassing defeat, Mauricio comes up with one last bet to settle the score. When a number of gory bear attacks are reported in the paper, the boys decide whoever can kill the deadly beast will be declared the macho-est man of them all. With girlfriends and sidekicks in tow they venture out for the ultimate hunt, but when they start getting attacked and mutilated they realize they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted! And the bear they thought they’d catch may be something more sinister than they could have ever dreamed…
BAD FAITH
October 15, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Albert & Dana Broccoli Theatre, SCA 112, George Lucas Building Lobby, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Bad Faith is a feature-length documentary that explores the dangerous rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States. Part archival chronicle, part exposé, the film reveals the secretive political machinery that has relentlessly sought to weaken and destroy American democracy in order to promote its authoritarian vision.
SCA Council on Diversity & Inclusion Meeting
October 16, 2024, 1:00 PM
SCA 203
We hope to see you all at our Council on Diversity & Inclusion meeting on Wednesday, October 16th at 1:00 p.m. in SCA 203 Our meetings are open to the SCA community and we welcome SCA students, staff, and faculty to attend. We will provide updates of council initiatives and provide space for a general community discussion.
MAYA AND THE WAVE
October 16, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre, RZC 119, Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, 3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Maya and the Wave, a feature length documentary, tells the extraordinary story of Maya Gabeira, the first woman to surf the giant wave in Nazaré, Portugal. She nearly drowns - and is ridiculed by the male big wave surfers who dominate the sport. Three spine surgeries and five years later, she surfs the biggest wave a woman has ever surfed. When her accomplishment is disregarded, Maya enlists the help of her fans to fight for recognition --and becomes the first female surfer honored with a Guinness World Record in big wave surfing.
WATERSHED
October 17, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Paralyzed at the age of 18, Weggemann found refuge in the pool as a swimmer and has gone on to win five Paralympic medals. Now, she’s not only looking to reclaim her spot on the podium, but she’s trying to become a mother as well. In Watershed, which was self-documented by Weggemann and her husband Jay Snyder, Weggemann is training for the Tokyo Paralympics during the challenges of COVID-19. Battling an additional injury to her arm, her athletic career is in question. Against the backdrop of this existential crossroads, Weggemann and Snyder bravely share their struggles with infertility and the importance of IVF as the couple pulls back the curtain on their journey to start a family.
2025 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Science Seminar: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Is Your Personal Privacy and Safety Protected?
October 18, 2024, 4:00 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Kristina Lerman, Senior Principal Scientist at the USC Information Sciences Institute, and Research Professor, USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Computer Science Department. Colin Maclay, Research Professor of Communication and Executive Director of the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab. Swabha Swayamdipta, Associate Director of USC Center for AI and Society, and Assistant Professor, USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Computer Science Department. Moderator Adam Russell, Director of the AI Division, USC Information Sciences Institute, and Chief Vision Officer at the US AI Safety Institute (AISI).
Sound Event at SCA Oct 20th
October 20, 2024, 9am - 7:30pm
USC
Sound event sponsored by Cinema Audio Society & Motion Picture Sound Editors at SCA
Link to register: https://shop.cinemaaudiosociety.org
CONCLAVE
October 21, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Conclave follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church.
AGFA Movie Hooky Club IMAX Matinee Screening: THE HILLS HAVE EYES PART II (1984)
October 22, 2024, 3:00 P.M.
The Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre, RZC 119, Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, 3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
The hills are alive with the sound of screaming in THE HILLS HAVE EYES PART II — Wes Craven’s hugely entertaining follow-up to his own groundbreaking THE HILLS HAVE EYES! A motocross team heads out to the desert led by Rachel, who, unbeknownst to the rest of the group, is a survivor of the cannibal clan which menaced the Carter family. Opting to take an ill-advised shortcut across the desert, the busload of youngsters drive straight into the path of the remnants of Rachel’s demented cannibal kin - the menacing Pluto (Michael Berryman), and a hulking, blood-hungry brute named The Reaper. Made by Craven immediately prior to A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, THE HILLS HAVE EYES PART II diverges from the grim tone of its predecessor in favor of outrageously fun action-horror thrills, replete with mutants, motorbikes, and flashbacks from an adorable Golden Retriever!
AND SO IT BEGINS
October 22, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Albert & Dana Broccoli Theatre, SCA 112, George Lucas Building Lobby, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
In a decades-long nonfiction saga of the Philippines, director Ramona Diaz presents the latest chapter on her homeland as the despotic reign of President Rodrigo Duterte is coming to an end. And So It Begins proffers unbridled access to all the key players in the months leading up to the country’s 2022 presidential election. With her keen observational eye and deep knowledge of the socio-political history and landscape, Diaz continues to find her own forms of storytelling as political disruption.
NOCTURNES
October 23, 2024, 6:00 P.M.
The Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre, RZC 119, Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, 3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Nocturnes transports us to the dense forests of the Eastern Himalayas where in the dark of night, two curious observers shine a light on the secret world of moths.
GROUNDED
October 27, 2024, 12:00 P.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Two-time Tony Award–winning composer Jeanine Tesori’s powerful new opera Grounded, commissioned by the Met and based on librettist George Brant’s acclaimed play, wrestles with the ethical quandaries and psychological toll of 21st-century warfare. Mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, one of opera’s most compelling young stars, portrays Jess, a hot-shot fighter pilot whose unplanned pregnancy takes her out of the cockpit and lands her in Las Vegas, operating a Reaper drone halfway around the world. As she struggles to adjust to this new way of doing battle, she fights to maintain her sanity, and her soul, as she is called to rain down death by remote control. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin oversees the Met premiere of Tesori’s kaleidoscopic score and a cast that also features tenor Ben Bliss as the Wyoming rancher who becomes Jess’s husband. Michael Mayer’s high-tech staging, using a vast array of LED screens, presents a variety of perspectives on the action, including the drone’s predatory view from high above.
AGFA Movie Hooky Club IMAX Matinee Screening: Dario Argento's OPERA (1987)
October 29, 2024, 3:00 P.M.
The Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre, RZC 119, Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, 3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
There’s nothing else like OPERA. After the artistic highs of TENEBRE and PHENEMONA, Dario Argento (SUSPIRIA) was on a mission to make the most accomplished giallo of his career. And that’s exactly what he did. OPERA follows Betty, the star of an avant-garde production of MACBETH, as she deals with a black-gloved maniac on a mutilation spree at the opera house. With its ultra-stylized photography, complex metaphors, and intense violence, OPERA is a brilliantly deranged spectacle—and the most breathtaking horror experience of 1987.
MERCHANT IVORY
October 29, 2024, 5:00 P.M.
The Albert & Dana Broccoli Theatre, SCA 112, George Lucas Building Lobby, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
MERCHANT IVORY (2024) is the first definitive feature documentary to lend new and compelling perspectives on the partnership, both professional and personal, of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and their primary associates, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and composer Richard Robbins. Footage from more than fifty interviews, clips, and archival material gives voice to the family of actors and technicians who helped define Merchant Ivory’s Academy Award-winning work of consummate quality and intelligence. With six Oscar winners among the notable artists participating, these close and often long-term collaborators intimately detail the transformational cinematic creativity and personal and professional drama of the wandering company that left an indelible impact on film culture.
HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH
October 30, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre, RZC 119, Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, 3131 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Joey Summerskill is an ambitious TV reporter whose life is changed forever after witnessing the death of a tormented teenage boy. In her twisted journey to uncover the truth, she discovers a strange puzzle box, uncovering an open door to the Cenobites' demonic world of pleasure and pain. Once again Pinhead returns to walk the Earth, creating a new army of from the transmuted flesh of his victims. He has one desire—to reclaim the Box and free himself forever from the powers of Hell.
THE GUTTER
October 31, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Directed by Yassir Lester & Isaiah Lester Walt (Shameik Moore) is an unemployed underachiever who discovers a newfound talent for bowling. Encouraged by a barfly named Skunk (D’Arcy Carden), he launches a pro career to save the local bowling alley from foreclosure. With his powerful rolling skills and unconventional style, Walt becomes an unlikely bowling hero – much to the chagrin of legendary champion Linda “The Crusher” Curson (Susan Sarandon). WRITTEN BY Yassir Lester PRODUCED BY Liz Destro EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY Jared Hess, Helen Estabrook, Tristen Tuckfield, Jillian Apfelbaum, Nic Gordon STARRING Shameik Moore, Susan Sarandon, D’Arcy Carden, Jay Ellis, Jackée Harry, Paul Reiser
SWEETHEARTS
November 4, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Two college freshmen make a pact to break up with their high school sweethearts over Thanksgiving break, leading them on a chaotic night out in their hometown that puts their codependent friendship to the test.
SCA Virtual Graduate Financial Aid Session
November 5, 2024, 5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time
Online - Access Information Sent Via Email
The Virtual Financial Aid Session will provide information about financing your USC education, the financial aid process at USC and scholarship opportunities provided to School of Cinematic Arts students.
TOSCA
November 24, 2024, 12:00 P.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Extraordinary soprano Lise Davidsen stars as the volatile diva Floria Tosca for her first time at the Met. David McVicar’s thrilling production also features tenor Freddie De Tommaso in his eagerly anticipated company debut as Tosca’s revolutionary lover, Cavaradossi, and powerhouse baritone Quinn Kelsey as the sadistic chief of police Scarpia. Maestro Xian Zhang conducts the electrifying score, which features some of Puccini’s most memorable melodies.
REQUIEM FOR A RUNNING BACK
December 3, 2024, 7:00 P.M.
The Albert & Dana Broccoli Theatre, SCA 112, George Lucas Building Lobby, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex, 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
A confounding father. An ever-curious daughter. A myth-shattering search for truth. And a heart-breaking discovery that challenges everything she thought she knew about him and the sport that defined her family. In this searingly beautiful father/daughter film, documentarian Rebecca Carpenter investigates the origins of the insidious chasm which grew between her and her father Lew, a World Champion Green Bay Packer and NFL coach, who passed away with a mysterious disease in 2010.
AIDA
January 25, 2025, 9:30 A.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Soprano Angel Blue makes her long-awaited Met role debut as the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country, one of opera’s defining roles. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium for Michael Mayer’s spectacular new staging, which brings audiences inside the towering pyramids and gilded tombs of ancient Egypt with intricate projections and dazzling animations. Mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi, following her 2024 debut in Verdi’s La Forza del Destino, is Aida’s Egyptian rival Amneris, and tenor Piotr Becza?a is the soldier Radamès—completing opera’s greatest love triangle. The all-star cast also features baritone Quinn Kelsey as Amonasro and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy as Ramfis.
FIDELIO
March 23, 2025, 12:00 P.M.
Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall, 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Following a string of awe-inspiring Met performances, soprano Lise Davidsen stars as Leonore, who risks everything to save her husband from the clutches of tyranny. Tenor David Butt Philip is the political prisoner Florestan, sharing the stage with bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as the villainous Don Pizarro, veteran bass René Pape as the jailer Rocco, and soprano Ying Fang and tenor Magnus Dietrich, in his company debut, as the young Marzelline and Jaquino. Bass Stephen Milling sings the principled Don Fernando, and Susanna Mälkki conducts the Met’s striking production, which finds modern-day parallels in Beethoven’s stirring paean to freedom.