Grand Rapids Film Society

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Grand Rapids Film Society

The Grand Rapids Film Society builds a thriving film culture by presenting opportunities to appreciate independent, international and documentary cinema.

The Grand Rapids Film Society is a program of Wealthy Theatre & Grand Rapids Community Media Center -- a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization dedicated to building community through media.

06/18/2026

Don’t miss interviews with each of the filmmakers from Open Projector Night by Spencer Everhart in the latest issue of Beam From the Booth! Learn about what inspired each of them to make their films and the ways being a Michigan-based filmmaker impacts their work.

You can read them all over on our Substack, and while you’re there, make sure you subscribe to get new issues in your inbox every week!

06/16/2026

Here’s your preview of the incredible Michigan-made short films with twill be screening at ᴡᴇᴀʟᴛʜʏ ᴛʜᴇᴀᴛʀᴇ this Wednesday night!

Noah Reno (Noah Reno)| Made of Meat Ian Patrick Crowley | Superior Piracy David C Jones (David C Jones), Isis Diaz | Fretail Cam Layson (Cam Layson) | Bear Trap Harley Collar (Harley Collar) | Ca$h Cow$ Daniel Wylie-Eggert (Three Lyons Creative) | Heavy Lids Dustin Foster (Dustin Foster) | Sleeping Just Fine Jasper Fuentes | 40 Acres Send-Off Alex Perez (Al p) | Green Cement

A portion of each ticket sold goes to fund the prizes for the filmmakers, the Audience Award winner and the Jury Prize winners each receive $100.

We’ll also be hosting an after party at The Grey Rabbit, don’t miss your chance to connect with the filmmakers and enjoy a drink!

Tickets on sale now!

06/14/2026

We’re excited to announce our first OPN afterparty! We’ll be heading a few blocks down Wealthy to The Grey Rabbit after Wednesdays show for drinks and hanging out with the filmmakers. Make sure you don’t miss the chance to chat with the filmmakers and connect with other film lovers here in GR, all while enjoying the great space at The Grey Rabbit. We’ll see you there!

06/11/2026

The next Roundtable is coming up Wednesday, June 24th! Join fellow cinephiles, filmmakers, and people who just want to see what’s going on in the world of film in GR for a night of guided discussion and hanging out.

Doors open at 630PM, event starts at 7PM in the ᴡᴇᴀʟᴛʜʏ ᴛʜᴇᴀᴛʀᴇ annex (located right next door to the theatre.)

06/09/2026

Paris Is Burning is only 6 days away! Join us and the for a drag performance / screening double feature at on Monday, June 15th. Doors open at 6pm, performance begins at 7PM!

Tickets on sale now!

06/08/2026

What makes a good horror movie costume? breaks it all down in the latest issue of Beam From The Booth!

Read the full piece over on our Substack, and while you’re there make sure you subscribe to have the latest issues delivered to your inbox

06/07/2026

Grand Rapids Art Museum is collaborating with the Grand Rapids Film Society to showcase a selection of experimental films made by Michigan filmmakers for this Michigan Artist Series exhibition.

Inspired by their programming at Wealthy Theatre, entitled Open Projector Night, this exhibition celebrates the varied ways in which Michigan filmmakers are expanding the boundaries of the medium. This exhibition is curated by Spencer Everhart, Jackson Ezinga, and Nicholas Hartman of the Grand Rapids Film Society, in collaboration with the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

The selection of films will change midway through the exhibition period. Viewers can experience a selection of films beginning January 30 – April 25, 2027, and another selection from May 15 – August 15, 2027.
Wealthy Theatre and the Grand Rapids Film Society are supported by the Grand Rapids Community Media center.

Use the submission link on the GRFS profile to submit your work.

06/05/2026

Our screening of Paris Is Burning and drag performance with the GRPride center is coming up on Monday, June 15th! Stay tuned after the screening for a discussion hosted by Rumors own: Dee Dee Chaunte!

Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag ball scene. Made over seven years, Paris Is Burning offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion “houses,” from fierce contests for trophies, to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia and transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty.

Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women—including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza—Paris Is Burning brings it, celebrating the joy of movement, the force of eloquence, and the draw of community.

06/03/2026

The next Industry Panel is coming up next week on Tuesday, June 9th! The night will serve as an intro to working in the Art Department: special effects make-up, production design, set decoration, art direction, and props. Topics for the night will include roles within the department, finding gigs, and the differences between commercial and independent projects.

We’ve got some truly incredible panelists, check them out:

Hannah Scout Dunaway ()is a Michigan-based freelance filmmaker specializing in the art department and special effects for narrative and commercial projects. She has worked in various roles in the art department, including art assistant, set dresser, set decorator, and production designer.

Isabella Werschky ()is a production designer and art director based in Michigan. Working on narrative and commercial productions across the Midwest, her approach is rooted in artistic sensitivity and driven by a love for practical problem solving. She is passionate about connecting with those curious about building a career in the film industry.

Zachary Thomas (he/him) () is a Production Designer and SFX Makeup artist currently based in Michigan. He has Production Designed eight feature length films and dozens of narrative short films in and out of the state of Michigan. Zachary also has a background in silicone SFX creation, creature suits, prosthetic wounds, puppets and monsters. Zachary cares most about what makes each film or story he works on special from any other out there, celebrating the shared experience of creating art.

Jordan Han ()is a Michigan filmmaker with a blue-collar work ethic embedded in him thanks to his humble beginnings in life. The roots of his love for film have always been placed on the wonder of being able to share life experiences with people who otherwise would never have been able to experience it themselves.
Involving the community has always been a major approach to his filmmaking style and he hopes to help those without a voice in the game, find a voice in him to share their story.

05/31/2026

NEW SCREENING ANNOUNCEMENT: Gina Prince-Bythewood’s classic story of love and basketball, Love & Basketball, will hit the big screen at on Monday, August 31st!

Tickets on sale now!

Address

1130 Wealthy Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI
49503

Website

http://www.grfilm.org/

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