First Features is a student-run screening series dedicated to the many exemplary and auspicious debuts in cinematic history. While there are certain aesthetic exceptions, the films screened in the series are all "first" works in some sense (debuts, first color films, etc..). Previous screenings have run the gamut from both celebrated debuts such as Citizen Kane, Breathless, and Eraserhead to more obscure and recent debuts like Guy Maddin's Tales from the Gimli Hospital and Agnes Varda's La Pointe Courte.
Before each screening, a student or faculty member with an interest/expertise in the feature gives a brief introduction in which they consider just what makes this first feature an exemplary model of a debut, both in thematic and formal terms. Screenings are usually followed by a Q&A with the presenter, with prizes awarded for a particularly thoughtful inquiry or observation. Beverages and food are typically served before and after the screening and attendees are encouraged to stick around for a post-screening reception.
New York City, NY; NYC