Wexner Center Welcomes Trailblazing Filmmakers Behind Iconic Cinema This Fall

Academy Award honorees, Disney legends, and pioneering storytellers-including Euzhan Palcy, John Canemaker, John Musker, Sandi DuBowski, and more-bring their acclaimed works and rare insights to Columbus audiences.

COLUMBUS, OHIO / ACCESS Newswire / August 14, 2025 / This fall, the Wexner Center for the Arts is bringing some of the most influential voices in cinema to Columbus, offering audiences unprecedented access to Oscar-winning legends, groundbreaking storytellers, and boundary-pushing documentarians, all presented in an intimate setting.

This season includes a rare visit from trailblazer Euzhan Palcy, the first Black woman to direct a Hollywood studio film; Oscar-winning animator John Canemaker; Disney legend John Musker, the creative force behind The Little Mermaid and Moana; and acclaimed documentarian Sandi DuBowski, whose landmark works explore the intersection of faith and queerness. Additional filmmakers will be announced throughout the fall, making this one of the center's most dynamic visiting filmmaker lineups yet.

David Filipi, head of the department of film at the Wexner Center, says, "The Wex's history of bringing some of the world's most celebrated filmmakers to Columbus, often around premieres of new or rarely seen films, is unmatched. The opportunity for audiences in the Columbus and Ohio State communities to hear directly from these artists, whose work has changed cinema on a global scale, is an experience you won't find anywhere else in the region. Curiosity and conversation are core to the film program, and these moments with visiting filmmakers exemplify that."

This fall's lineup reflects the Wexner Center's commitment to showcasing cinema in all its forms-from groundbreaking documentaries to animated classics and newly restored international films. Below is a closer look at the visiting filmmakers and their upcoming events.

Retrospective: Sandi DuBowski
Sep 3-5

Over the course of his two landmark feature films (and a handful of shorts), Sandi DuBowski has become one of the leading documentarians examining the intersections of Jewish and queer communities. DuBowski will introduce two screenings and take part in a master class open to the public.

Trembling Before G-d
Preceded by Tomboychik
Wed, Sep 3 | 7 PM

Screening on its 25th anniversary, Trembling Before G-d is a landmark documentary about the spiritual lives and struggles of queer Orthodox Jews. The feature is preceded by DuBowski's short film Tomboychik about his relationship with his grandmother.

Sabbath Queen
Thu, Sep 4 | 7 PM
Note special pricing: $18 general public, $12 adults 55 and over, $10 Wex members, $6 for Ohio State students

An epic documentary following a man's journey from drag queen to influential rabbi of a God-optional, artist-driven synagogue. DuBowski will be joined by Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, the subject of the film, for this Columbus premiere.

Sandi DuBowski Master Class
Fri, Sep 5 | 11:30 AM
Free for all audiences with a ticket

DuBowski leads a master class about the challenging creative process of making Sabbath Queen over the course of 21 years.

Cartoon Crossroads Columbus: John Canemaker and John Musker
Sep 14-21

Two animation legends visit the Wex as part of the popular Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival. John Musker, the Oscar-nominated director of The Little Mermaid and Moana, and John Canemaker, Oscar winner and renowned animation historian, visit for screenings and conversations. As part of this special week of programming, don't miss big screen presentations of Cinderella on September 14, The Little Mermaid and The Princess and the Frog on September 20, and Alice in Wonderland and Moana on September 21.

John Canemaker: Animated Shorts
Tue, Sep 16 | 7 PM
Free for Ohio State students

Get ready for Canemaker's visit with three examples of his stunning hand-drawn animation: The John Lennon Sketchbook, the Oscar winning The Moon and the Son, and the Wexner Center-supported Hands.

John Canemaker: The Art and Flair of Mary Blair
Thu, Sep 18 | 4 PM
Free for all audiences with ticket

Canemaker presents on the life and work of artist Mary Blair, who left her mark on many Disney films of the 1940s and '50s (including Cinderella and Peter Pan), Little Golden Books, and more. Canemaker will sign books during a reception at 6 PM in the Wexner Center lobby following the talk.

John Musker: Hercules
Thu, Sep 18 | 7 PM
Free for all audiences with ticket
Mershon Auditorium

One of the most beloved Disney films of the 1990s, Hercules is celebrated for its stunning design and sharp humor. Following the screening, prolific Disney animation historian John Canemaker joins Musker for a discussion about the film's artistry. The film screens in a 35mm print.

John Musker: The Making of I'm Hip
Fri, Sep 19 | 7 PM
Free for all audiences with ticket

Musker presents a rare opportunity to learn about the process of making his charming, hand-drawn short I'm Hip about a jazz-obsessed cat trying to prove his "coolness" to anyone he meets. A Q&A follows.

Visiting Filmmaker: Euzhan Palcy
Sep 22-26

The recipient of an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, the groundbreaking filmmaker Euzhan Palcy visits the Wex for the first time. Palcy's career is marked by firsts: She is the first woman and first Black director to win a César Award (France's Academy Award) and a Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival, both for Sugar Cane Alley (1983); she is also the first Black woman to have a feature film produced by a Hollywood studio with A Dry White Season (1989). Palcy will introduce Sugar Cane Alley and A Dry White Season.

L'île veilleuse (The Vigilant Island)
Mon, Sep 22 | 4 PM
Free for all audiences with ticket

Palcy's thoughtful portrait of author and anti-colonial activist Aimé Césaire.

Sugar Cane Alley
Wed, Sep 24 | 7 PM
Note special pricing: $20 general public, $18 non-Ohio State students and adults 55 and over, $15 Wex members, free for Ohio State students

Palcy introduces and discusses her first feature, a searing critique of colonialism in her home country of Martinique. A Q&A follows the screening. The film is presented in French and Martinican Creole with English subtitles.

A Dry White Season
Fri, Sep 26 | 7 PM
Note special pricing: $20 general public, $18 non-Ohio State students and adults 55 and over, $15 Wex members, free for Ohio State students

Donald Sutherland, Winston Ntshona, Susan Sarandon, and Marlon Brando star in this unflinching critique of apartheid in South Africa. This is the first film directed by a Black woman for a Hollywood studio. A Q&A follows the screening.

Sneak peek: Unorthodocs 2025
Nov 6-10

The Wex's annual celebration of the best in documentary filmmaking returns for its ninth year. This year's lineup is the boldest and most adventurous yet, showcasing at least a dozen new films with visits from filmmakers. This year's festival includes premieres and conversation with filmmakers including Jesse Moss, David Osit, Jennifer Reeves, and Brittany Shyne. More filmmaker visits will be announced closer to the festival.

Visitor information: Unless otherwise noted, tickets for individual screenings are $12 for the general public, $9 for adults 55 and over, $8 for Wexner Center members, and $6 for students. All screenings, unless otherwise noted, take place in the Wexner Center's Cinema. Tickets are available in advance at wexarts.org, by calling 614-292-3535, or purchasing in person at the Wex's ticket office. Ticket prices include all fees; fees are waived for members and in-person purchases. Wex members receive free parking validation with ticket purchase. General public parking is $5 with a ticket purchase.

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FILM PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Wexner Family
Ohio Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts
CampusParc
The Columbus Foundation
Every Page Foundation
Mellon Foundation
Axium Packaging
Nationwide Foundation
Michael and Anita Goldberg
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease, LLP

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Joyce Shenk
Rebecca Perry and Ben Towle
Lachelle Thigpen

SUPPORT FOR RETROSPECTIVE: SANDI DUBOWSKI PROVIDED BY
Adrienne and Sidney Chafetz Fund
Melton Center for Jewish Studies
Columbus Jewish Film Festival
Presented with Ohio State's Melton Center for Jewish Studies and Columbus Jewish Film Festival.

Support for John Canemaker and John Musker's visits provided by The Ohio State University Office of Academic Affairs.

Contact Information

Lexi Sweet
Director of Communication Strategy
lexisweet@gebencommunication.com

Erik Pepple
Director of Content Marketing
epepple@wexarts.org

SOURCE: Wexner Center for the Arts

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