The Frida Cinema

THE FRIDA CINEMA SERVES AS THE ONLY NON-PROFIT CURATORIAL CINEMA IN ORANGE COUNTY, CA. OUR MISSION IS TO ENRICH, CONNECT, AND EDUCATE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE ART OF CINEMA.

THE FRIDA CINEMA IS AN ART HOUSE MODEL CULTURAL INSTITUTION WHICH TAKES A COMMUNITY-BASED, MISSION-DRIVEN APPROACH TO CINEMATIC PROGRAMMING. ESCHEWING THE TRADITIONAL STUDIO SYSTEM, THE FRIDA CURATES A RICH AND ECLECTIC VARIETY OF FILM PROGRAMMING WITH A FOCUS ON DOCUMENTARIES WHICH SERVE TO BOTH EDUCATE AND INSPIRE, INTERNATIONAL FILMS WHICH INTRODUCE AUDIENCES TO CULTURES, TRADITIONS, AND HISTORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, REVIVAL SCREENINGS OF REVERED CLASSIC FILMS, STUDENT FILMS PRODUCED BY OUR COMMUNITY OF TALENTED AND VISIONARY YOUNG ARTISTS AND NON-CINEMATIC FARE SUCH AS CONCERT EVENTS, ART SHOWS, EDUCATIONAL PANELS, AND OTHER CIVIC AND ARTISTIC ENGAGEMENTS. THE FRIDA CINEMA ALSO SERVES AS AN ENRICHING HUB FOR A CONSISTENT FAMILY OF VOLUNTEERS, MOST OF WHICH ARE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS LOOKING TO COMPLEMENT THEIR ACADEMIC STUDIES WITH REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE.

OUR COMMUNITY OUTDOOR CINEMA PROGRAM PROVIDED A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO ENSURING OUR ORGANIZATION COULD CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR MISSION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WITH HOST VENUES THROUGHOUT ORANGE COUNTY, OUR SERIES OF DRIVE-IN SCREENINGS PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES OF ALL AGES TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND JOIN FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO GO BACK TO THE MOVIES, FROM THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THEIR CARS. TICKETS WERE SCANNED THROUGH CLOSED WINDOWS AND AUDIO WAS TRANSMITTED TO CARS THROUGH FM RADIO, TO FURTHER ENSURE THAT THE FILMS COULD BE ENJOYED SAFELY FROM AN AUTOMOBILE WITHOUT THE NEED TO LOWER THE WINDOWS. WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR TRADITION OF PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONS BY LENDING OUR RESOURCES TO THE PRODUCTION OF BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE EDUCATIONAL COURSES, STUDENT FILM PREMIERS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS, GALAS, AND MORE, ALL REIMAGINED AS SOCIAL-DISTANCE-CONSCIOUS OUTDOOR EVENTS.

STREAMING CINEMA: LAUNCHED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, OUR STREAMING CINEMA PROGRAM OFFERS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY A NEW, INNOVATIVE, AND SAFETY-CONSCIOUS NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE GREAT FILMS IN THE SAFETY OF THEIR HOMES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL INDEPENDENT AND INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS, OUR STREAMING CINEMA PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO SHARE WONDERFUL, DIVERSE, AND AWARD-WINNING NEW RELEASES AND CLASSIC RESTORATIONS TO OUR AUDIENCES TO ENJOY SAFLEY IN THEIR HOMES, WITH A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM EVERY RENTAL DIRECTLY SUPPORTING THE FRIDA CINEMA.

OUR WATCH-AND-LEARN SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS EMPLOY THE ART OF CINEMA AS A CATALYST FOR EDUCATION, CONVERSATION, AND A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR WORLD. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION AND COOLIDGE CORNER THEATER, OUR SCIENCE ON SCREEN PROGRAM PAIRED CLASSIC FILMS WITH PRESENTATIONS BY NOTABLE FIGURES FROM THE WORLD OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND MEDICINE. OUR WORLD OF ANIMATION PROVIDED ORANGE COUNTY-BASED STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH FEATURE-LENGTH ANIMATED FILMS FROM EIGHT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSIONS FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING AND CONTRASTING THE VARYING CULTURES, HISTORIES, TRADITIONS, AND PERSPECTIVES PRESENTED THROUGHOUT THE FILMS. OUR AAPI HERITAGE MONTH FILM SERIES WAS PROGRAMMED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF A RISE IN HATE CRIMES AGAINST ASIAN-AMERICANS, AND PRESENTED NINE FILMS FROM A RANGE OF ASIAN COUNTRIES AND FILMMAKERS WITH PROCEEDS FROM ALL FILMS BENEFITING THE STOP AAPI HATE INITIATIVE.