First films are special. They tend to be passion projects; their budgets may be limited, but the energy and resourcefulness of the filmmakers can be felt in every frame. And often, the themes, preoccupations, and personality of the filmmaker we’ve come to know are evident in their debut films. First Exposure is a selection of great first films by prominent directors and cinematographers, followed by in-depth and intimate conversations. These are movies that seemingly came out of nowhere – but have stood the test of time.


20TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING - A BRONX TALE - ROBERT DE NIRO


YEAR 1 OPENING NIGHT FILM:  THE VIRGIN SUICIDES   -  SOFIA COPPOLA


π (PI) - DARREN ARONOFSKY


JACK GOES BOATING - PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN


ROGER & ME - MICHAEL MOORE


TITUS - JULIE TAYMOR


THE STATION AGENT - TOM McCARTHY

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WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE - TODD SOLONDZ


YEAR 2 OPENING NIGHT FILM:  PARIS IS BURNING   -  JENNIE LIVINGSTON


POISON - CHRISTINE VACHON


THE STORY OF A THREE-DAY PASS - MELVIN VAN PEEBLES


IN A WORLD... - LAKE BELL

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FINGERS - JAMES TOBACK


HARLAN COUNTY, U.S.A. - BARBARA KOPPLE


THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH - HAL HARTLEY


RIVER OF GRASS - KELLY REICHARDT


ERASERHEAD - FRED ELMES

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TARGETS - PETER BOGDANOVICH


SALESMAN - ALBERT & DAVID MAYSLES

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TRUE LOVE - NANCY SAVOCA