The Museum of the Moving Image (36-01 35th Ave, Queens, NY 11106) unveiled its film programming for January through April 2026, featuring a mix of retrospectives, festivals and special events. Highlights include the annual Curators’ Choice series, a 25th-anniversary tribute to films from 2001, a centenary celebration of Marilyn Monroe, and the 15th First Look festival of new cinema.
The Curators’ Choice 2025 series, running Jan. 9–Feb. 8, presents a survey of standout theatrical releases from the previous year, including One Battle After Another, Sinners, 7 Walks with Mark Brown and Caught by the Tides. Filmmakers such as Ari Aster, Mary Bronstein, Robert Kaplow, Angus MacLachlan, David Osit, Alex Ross Perry, Ira Sachs and David Strathairn are scheduled to appear.
On Jan. 18, the museum will host Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Day, offering talks, tours and digital media-making activities that explore the intersections of film history and the Civil Rights Movement.
The Indoor Drive-In: The Mahoning Drive-In Road Show on Jan. 31 recreates the experience of 1970s Midwest drive-ins and grindhouse theaters, complete with vintage trailers, snack bar ads, and double features.
The museum will mark Marilyn Monroe’s centenary Feb. 7–8 with a selection of her New York–set films and a talk with the Shaw family, celebrating photographer and filmmaker Sam Shaw, who documented Monroe as a friend and artist.
The 2001: The Year, Not the Movie series (Feb. 14–April 5) examines films from 2001, exploring the cultural shifts of the early 21st century alongside cinema of that year.
On March 15, the museum will host its first Awards Watch Party, giving members and invited guests a red-carpet experience during a live viewing of America’s major movie awards.
The fifth Marvels of Media Festival, celebrating work by autistic media-makers, will run March 26–28, featuring screenings, panels, workshops, and an exhibition including virtual reality and video games. Submissions for the festival close Jan. 31.
The 15th First Look festival (April 23–May 3) will showcase adventurous new cinema from around the world, including features, shorts, fiction and nonfiction, with expanded programming across two weekends.
Programs and dates are subject to change, and additional events will be announced as confirmed.
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