The Projectionist will be this year’s Closing Night Film at the 2026 New/Next Film Festival, organizers announced today.
It’s the new project from Alexandre Rockwell, a major figure in independent film since his 1992 breakthrough In the Soup, who returns with arguably his greatest work since.
The Projectionist is many things at once: a resonant character study about family, love, and fatherhood; a stylish thriller in the tradition of noir classics like Out of the Past and neo-noirs like Ghost Dog and The Limey; and a poetic ode to the enduring power of cinema and moviegoing.
For The Projectionist, which premiered as the Opening Night Film at Slamdance 2026, Rockwell has assembled an incredible cast including Vondie Curtis-Hall (the director of Gridlock’d and actor known for such films as Crooklyn, Mystery Train, and Drop Squad); Karyn Parsons (actress known for such works as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Major Payne, and The Ladies Man); and Kasi Lemmons (the director of Eve’s Bayou, and actress known for films including School Daze, The Silence of the Lambs, and Candyman).
New/Next is thrilled to welcome Rockwell, Curtis-Hall, Parsons, and Lemmons to Baltimore to celebrate this exceptional film for our closing night selection.
The Projectionist screening and Q&A will be followed by our Closing Night party featuring DJ Mills (open to all-access passholders and all ticketholders for The Projectionist who select the film & party ticket option).
8:30PM Sunday Oct. 4 in The Charles Theatre’s Auditorium 1, party across the street at Metro Gallery starts when the screening ends.
