SWEET 16

Flash back to 1947, when the late, great cineaste Amos Vogel had a dream: that people would come together in the name of art, film, and a shared affection for weirdness in general. Cut to Cinema 16, the society he created to screen the most obscure and overlooked of underground film. It kick-started the careers of John Cassavetes, Maya Deren, and Stan Brakhage, among others, and provided one of New York’s only forums for experimental work before petering out in the early ’60s. Today, the cult—now more of a community—has been revived by Greenpoint photographer Molly Surno, who aims to draw people out and away from an increasingly solitary viewing experience. Tonight will feature rare shorts by Gary Beydler and Bruce Conner, with a live soundtrack by Alexis Georgopoulos.

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., 2012