What’s Happening? Film Series: Get on the Bus: Community Filmmaking in NYC

Thu May 21 2026 at 06:30 pm to 08:30 pm UTC-04:00

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts -Bruno Walter Auditorium | New York

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Publisher/HostNew York Public Library for the Performing Arts
What\u2019s Happening? Film Series: Get on the Bus: Community Filmmaking in NYC
Advertisement
Join us for an evening of curated films from the Reserve Film and Video Collection and discussion with special guests.
About this Event

This month, as part of the US250 celebration, the What’s Happening? film series looks at community and participatory mediamaking as an important extension of the American credo.  Director/Producer and Arts Administrator Duana Butler joins NYPL Film Collection Specialist Elena Rossi-Snook in presenting and discussing New York’s vibrant history of über-independent film production in community workshops.  Come see rare 16mm films made throughout New York City by its residents over the past 60 years, including That Rotten Teabag (1964), a satiric look at patriotism and protest made at the Mosholu - Montefiore Community Center, and Domestic Tranquility (1973), on feelings of isolation and unmet potential in motherhood.

What's Happening is a film series dating back to 1972 that centers on new and historic films in the Reserve Film and Video Collection at the Library for the Performing Arts. Screening a selection of curated titles from the collection—including documentaries, animations, and even films never commercially released—the series provides information on timely and public topics, in order to spark conversation with the audience and with special guest panelists.

Photo Credit: Photograph by Hella Hammid, courtesy of Julia Hammid.



SEATING POLICY | Programs are free and open to all, but registration is requested. Check-in line forms 45 minutes before the advertised start time. Registered guests are given priority check-in 15 to 30 minutes before start time. Five minutes before the advertised start time, all seats are released, regardless of registration, to our patrons in the stand-by line. If you arrive after the program starts, you will be seated at the discretion of our front-of-house staff.

STANDBY LINE | If registration is sold out or has ended, do not fret! We welcome you to come to the Library regardless of registration status and wait in our standby line, which forms 45 minutes before the advertised start time. Five minutes before the program starts, all remaining seats are released. While this is not guaranteed, we will do our best to get you into any of our programs.

ASSISTIVE LISTENING AND ASL | ASL interpretation and real-time (CART) captioning available upon request. Please submit your request at least two weeks in advance by emailing [email protected].

BRUNO WALTER POLICY | Please note that any unoccupied seat will be released five minutes before the show begins and holding seats for anyone beyond that is prohibited. There is no food or drink allowed inside the venue.

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING | Programs may be photographed and recorded by and at the discretion of the Library for the Performing Arts and will post signs indicating as such. If you would prefer your image not be captured, please let us know and we can seat you accordingly. Attending any program indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any and all purposes of the New York Public Library.

PRESS | Please send all press inquiries to Alex Teplitzky at [email protected]. Please note that all recording, including professional video recordings, are prohibited without expressed consent from the Library.

Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts -Bruno Walter Auditorium, Enter via 111 Amsterdam Ave. between West 64th and 65th Street, New York, United States

Tickets

USD 0.00

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in New York

Joey Ama Dio | Albi
Thu, 21 May at 06:00 pm Joey Ama Dio | Albi

Berlin

Drayton Farley at Mercury Lounge - NY
Thu, 21 May at 06:00 pm Drayton Farley at Mercury Lounge - NY

Mercury Lounge - NY

NSEAL IN NYC
Thu, 21 May at 06:00 pm NSEAL IN NYC

20 W 23rd St

Acupuncture & Yoga | Set Your Intention to Flow and Receive (May 21, 2026)
Thu, 21 May at 06:00 pm Acupuncture & Yoga | Set Your Intention to Flow and Receive (May 21, 2026)

Set Your Intention (SYI) Acupuncture

Paws & Purpose: A Conversation On Healing
Thu, 21 May at 06:00 pm Paws & Purpose: A Conversation On Healing

Our Saviour Church

Electro Dance Cardio
Thu, 21 May at 06:05 pm Electro Dance Cardio

752 West End Ave

Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer
Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer

Church of the Heavenly Rest

Harry Connick Jr.
Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm Harry Connick Jr.

Carnegie Hall - Isaac Stern Auditorium

Belle and Sebastian
Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm Belle and Sebastian

The Rooftop at Pier 17

Belle and Sebastian - 2 Day Pass
Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm Belle and Sebastian - 2 Day Pass

The Rooftop at Pier 17

New York Empire State Tattoo Expo
Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm New York Empire State Tattoo Expo

Hilton New York City

#AmsterYardSoundsClassical: Baroque Echoes from Bolivia & Per\u00fa
Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm #AmsterYardSoundsClassical: Baroque Echoes from Bolivia & Perú

Instituto Cervantes - Nueva York

New York is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore New York Events