Author Tim Greiving will sign his book, John Williams: A Composer’s Life

Join us in conversation with Tonantzin Carmelo and Bird Runningwater as they discuss their experiences as a Native artists and cultural advocates for authentic Indigenous representation and going beyond land acknowledgements.

Enjoy a free screening of short personal films and a discussion with the 2025 cohort of the Promise Workshops.

Meet film critic and author Kenneth Turan and get a signed copy of his book, Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation

Join us for a teen workshop on documentary filmmaking in the Shirley Temple Education Studio.

Join us for sensory-friendly gallery exploration and a family workshop inspired by the accessible screening of Frozen (2013). ASL interpretation will be provided.

Join us in welcoming celebrated director and choreographer Kenny Ortega, whose work includes Hocus Pocus (1993), High School Musical (2006), and more. 

In person: actor Macaulay Culkin and director Chris Columbus

Join the Academy Museum for a conversation with curator Laura Mart and choreographer Fatima Robinson about how dance influences on-screen costumes.

Added to the National Film Registry in 2023, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s directorial debut feature, Love & Basketball, has reached cult-classic status since its 2000 release. Her nuanced depiction of balancing success and romance is beloved by many audiences, including a loyal following of millennials who believe in the power of love and of basketball.  

Set in Los Angeles, the film follows two young people, Monica and Quincy, from childhood to adulthood as they fight to achieve their basketball dreams without losing each other. Furnished with a celebrated soundtrack including tunes by Al Green and Chaka Khan, the story pays homage to the renowned history of LA basketball and its dynamic culture—complete with shoutouts to the Lakers, Clippers, and Crenshaw High and USC teams.

Join museum educators as they showcase pre-cinema objects for visitors of all ages.   

Join Academy member Terilyn A. Shropshire in Jaws: The Exhibition, where she will discuss the art of film editing.

Go under the surface with sound mixer Peter Devlin for a chat about the audio elements of Jaws. 

In person: director Regina King and writer/producer Kemp Powers

Composer, lyricist, and music producer Marc Shaiman will sign copies of his book, Never Mind the Happy: Showbiz Stories from a Sore Winner, followed by a lively conversation between him and the iconic Bette Midler.

The two will cap off this unforgettable evening with a screening of The First Wives Club—a comedy that showcases both of their talents to maximum effect, and a bona fide box office smash when it premiered in 1996.

The First Wives Club (1996)

Elise, Brenda, and Annie (a powerhouse assemblage of Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton), are three former college roommates who find their marriages in shambles by their mid-40s. Ultimately empowering each other and restoring their dignity—after making brutal jabs at each other—this indelible trifecta serves as a restorative balm for scorned women everywhere. Buoyed by an Oscar-nominated score by Marc Shaiman, Midler captivates as the witty Brenda and offers her Tony-winning pipes for a cult-favorite rendition of Leslie Gore’s doo-wop hit “You Don’t Own Me.”

About our guests

Marc Shaiman is a renowned American composer, lyricist, arranger, and music producer known for his work across film, television, and theater. Shaiman began his career as a musical director and arranger for Bette Midler before expanding into film scoring. He gained prominence with his work on films such as When Harry Met Sally, The Addams Family, Sister Act, City Slickers, A Few Good Men, Sleepless in Seattle, The American President, and South Park; on television with SNL, and on his recordings with Harry Connick Jr. and Mariah Carey. Shaiman earned widespread acclaim for co-writing the Broadway musical Hairspray alongside his longtime co-lyricist, Scott Wittman. The duo has also co-created the musicals Catch Me If You Can, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Some Like It Hot, and Smash. He has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and has won a Tony, two Emmys, and two Grammys. Marc Shaiman is celebrated for his versatile, emotionally resonant music and his ability to blend classic musical theater sensibilities with modern storytelling. Born and raised in New Jersey, he currently lives in New York with his husband, Lieutenant Commander (ret) Lou Mirabal.

As one of the world’s best-loved and most versatile entertainers, Bette Midler has garnered accolades across all facets of show business. The Divine Miss M’s expansive body of work has been recognized with four Grammy Awards, two Academy Award nominations, three Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and nine American Comedy Awards. In December 2021, Midler was inducted as part of the 44th Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements. One of the bestselling female singers, her albums have sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

On screen, some of her iconic films include The Rose, Beaches, two Hocus Pocus films, The First Wives Club, and The Stepford Wives, amongst others. On Broadway, she starred in one of the most celebrated musicals in theater history as “Dolly Gallagher Levin” in Hello Dolly! for which she won a Tony.

Midler founded the New York Restoration Project in 1995, an open space conservancy and New York City’s largest private land trust. NYRP is dedicated to protecting and preserving community gardens and other green spaces throughout all five boroughs. NYRP owns and manages 52 community gardens, maintains over 80 acres of parkland, and in collaboration with the New York City Parks Department, has planted over 1 million trees in New York City.

Home movies are vital treasures that help tell the history of moving images. The Academy Film Archive has long collected and conserved thousands of personal films, focusing on material that broadens perspectives of the motion picture industry; highlights communities underrepresented in mainstream cinema; and documents places and events in Southern California. These unique histories are accessible to researchers, filmmakers, and the public.

Join us for a free and heartfelt program presented jointly by the Academy Museum’s education department and the Academy’s film archive and public access department. The Academy Museum’s Ted Mann Theater will host this celebration of rare, candid moments, all brought to life with live narration and musical accompaniment.

Programmed by: Taylor Morales, Associate Director, Film Archive, and Daniel Brantley, Senior Archive Video Producer; with Tuni Chatterji, Manager, Film Education; and André Martinez, Specialist, Film Education.

Join us for a special edition of our Tactile Filmmaking Workshop in honor of Valentine’s Day.