Shapeshifters Cinema

About Us

SHAPESHIFTERS CINEMA is an experimental microcinema located in Oakland, CA. We provide a venue and support for contemporary artists working with experimental and artist-made film, video, sound, music and other types of mediated performance. We host regular, live events, offer workshops on experimental moving image and sound production and operate a storefront shop specializing in print publications, DVDs, sound recordings and other artist-made media.

SHAPESHIFTERS BREWERY makes a variety of small-batch, seasonal, hand-crafted beers, brewed on-site in a space right behind the cinema. These are served (to 21+) at all our events as well as some off-site events. Find out more at shapeshiftersbrewery.com

SHAPESHIFTERS CAFÉ, is right next door to our cinema! We offer freshly-made salads, sandwiches, coffee, tea, pastries and more. Open M-F, 6am-2pm and the first Saturday of every month, 11am-3pm. Find out more at shapeshifterscafe.com

Staff

Gilbert Guerrero - Operations Director & A/V Tech
Kathleen Quillian - Programming Director
Ellie Vanderlip - Education & Outreach Director

The Shapeshifters Membership program provides crucial, sustaining support for our small, DIY, volunteer-run organization. By joining the membership program, you become part of an engaged, diverse, creative community working in and around experimental moving image, sound and time-based art. Each level offers a range of access to members-only resources and events, discounts, comps and more. Find out more and join now!

Cinema

Upcoming Programs & Events

Do-Over Music Series - Kumi Maxon & Matais Arizmendi + Improvised Music & Film
Every First Thursday
7-9pm
Next program: Thursday, October 3, 2024
Admission: $10

The Do-Over Music Series at Shapeshifters Cinema, organized by Lisa Mezzacappa and Jordan Glenn, is a monthly series of sound performances presented by a rotating cast of local luminaries and special guests. The first set features performances of creative - improvised - composed - electronic - acoustic - music. The second set opens up to a live improvised collaboration of sound and visuals made using images culled from the Shapeshifters 16mm film collection.

Set 1 (7pm): Kumi Maxon & Matais Arizmendi (bass and guitar duo)

Set 2 (8pm): Improvised music & film:

Kumi Maxon, Matais Arizmendi, Jordan Glenn, Karl Evangelista and Ben Goldberg improvise to fun films + quirky found footage excavated from the Shapeshifters 16mm film collection.

Gravitational Lensing: Feminist Film Dialogues
Program 3: Self-Constructions
Friday, October 4, 2024
7pm
Admission: $18 (discount for members)

Pushing against dominant representations, the films in this program explore ways that the concept of self is constructed by internal desires and motivations. Playful, subversive, and intimate, these works invite viewers along to share in the struggles and complexities of both forming and representing oneself on one's own terms.

Program 3: Self-Constructions includes: Back Inside Herself (1983, 16mm film shown on DV) by S. Pearl Sharp, 5 Things For Sure (2020, DV) by Sydney Canty, JOY (2023, DV) by Julieta Tetelbaum, Mi Coro (2022, DV) by Moréna Espiritual, Chronicles of a Lying Spirit by Kelly Gabron by Cauleen Smith (1992, 16mm film), Girl Power (1992, Pixelvision shown on DV) by Sadie Benning, leafmold (2023, DV) by Benja Thompson, Shapeshifter with a Heavenly Secret (2021, VHS/Beta shown on DV) by Denisse Griselda Reyes, and Linda/Les and Annie (1989, SV shown in DV, file provided by PinkLabel.TV) by Annie Sprinkle, Johnny Armstrong and Albert Jaccoma.

Learn more about the Gravitational Lensing series.

Promotional Image from "JOY" by Julieta Tetelbaum

Uncanny Cabaret: Variety Show & Fundraiser
Sunday, October 6, 2024
5-7pm
Admission: $25 (proceeds to benefit Driveway Follies)

Come one, come all to revel in frights and delights at the Uncanny Cabaret — a special variety show and fundraiser for our friends at Driveway Follies, the long-running and beloved Oakland Halloween puppet show tradition.

This family-friendly event will include puppets of all shapes, sizes and dimensions + films, live music and more by Lisa Van Wambeck, Fred C. Riley III, Lydia Greer, Cindy Webster, David Wallace, Leonora Taylor-Wallace and Jacqui June Whitlock + Halloween-adjacent 16mm films from the collection of Zach Von Joo.

Workshops

We are working on scheduling more great workshops for you. Sign up on our mailing list and be the first to know about them!