Premiere Run!

A decade after The Story of Film: An Odyssey, an expansive and influential inquiry into the state of moviemaking in the 20th century, filmmaker Mark Cousins returns with an epic and hopeful tale of cinematic innovation from around the globe. In THE STORY OF FILM: A NEW GENERATION, Cousins turns his meticulously honed gaze on world cinema from 2010 to 2021, using a surprising range of works—including Frozen, THE BABADOOK, and CEMETERY OF SPLENDOR—as launchpads to explore recurring themes and emerging motifs, from the evolution of film language, to technology’s role in moviemaking today, to shifting identities in 21st-century world cinema. Cousins seeks out films, filmmakers and communities under-represented in traditional film histories, with a particular emphasis on Asian and Middle Eastern works, as well as boundary-pushing documentaries and films that see gender in new ways. And as the recent pandemic recedes, Cousins ponders what comes next in the streaming age: how have we changed as cinephiles, and how moviegoing will continue to transform in the digital century, to our collective joy and wonder. 

“For those who appreciate the director’s wide-eyed and open-hearted way of looking at cinema, the documentary is brimming with clips sure to expand their horizons.” – Variety 

“What sets it soaring is the discerning guide at its helm, one whose curatorial exultation and rigor are also calming, reassuring—a welcome voice in cacophonous times.” – The Hollywood Reporter 

Take a deeper dive with the hosts of The Brattle Film Podcast! In our latest episode, Ian, Ned and Ivy explore Mark Cousins’ new documentary and discuss more than a dozen films it highlights, including a handful of the films featured in our sidebar series – tune in now!