05/27/2026
Real 16mm short films coming to ! Free for all!
The folks over at Secret Cinema ( ) are bringing their Greatest Hits to Philadelphia Brewing Thursday June 11th! We are also teaming up with to feature a mid-century collage making workshop.. And lastly we'll have the newly-formed EKNA History committee in attendance to chat and show off some historic photos from the neighborhood! Neat!
Doors / Collaging at 7pm
Show at 8
Secret Cinema's program will serve as a primer for new audience members and a refresher course for old fans: THE SECRET CINEMA'S GREATEST HITS will include audience favorites from 34 years of screening obscure short films from the miscellaneous, most forgotten corners of film history. Campy educational reels, industrial films, TV commercials, cartoons, musical shorts and more will all be included. Housed in the Secret Cinema's large, private film archive, most are unavailable for viewing anywhere else.
Just a few highlights of THE SECRET CINEMA'S GREATEST HITS are:
THE STRANGER AT OUR DOOR (1940) - This dramatic two-reeler, made by a religious group to promote ethnic tolerance, shouldn't be funny -- but the outrageous overacting by Bowery Boys rejects and their non-specific European-born target make it surreally so.
HOW QUIET HELPS AT SCHOOL (1953) - The answer should be obvious, but the level of quiet expected by the uptight narrator of this classic '50s social guidance film probably had kids holding their breath in class.
PRO KLEEN commercial (1950s) - A mind-numbingly crass eight minute TV commercial in which an unappealing pitchman with a thick Baltimore accent extols the wonders of a new spot cleaner.
THE STORY OF BUBBLEGUM (1952) - This beautiful Kodachrome film sets out to answer the question, "Can bubblegum be good food?" Made at the old Fleer bubblegum plant in Olney, showing its giant vats of pink rubber, plant cafeteria and garden, and their amazing R&D department. Quite possibly THE GREATEST FILM EVER MADE, SHORT OR LONG.
Plus much more!
