Discover the Art of Film
At the Peoria Riverfront Museum, our Giant Screen Theater is a gallery for another art form—the art of film. Here, movies aren’t just watched; they’re experienced. Through curated screenings, conversations, and exclusive Film Society events, we invite audiences to dive deeper into the stories, craft, and creative voices that shape cinema.
A Reimagined Series. A Bold New Vision.
The museum’s newly reimagined Art of Film series brings fresh perspectives to our cinematic programming, guided by an extraordinary lineup of guest curators from across the country. Together, they represent some of the most dynamic and diverse expertise in film today.
Meet our Guest Curators of Film
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Carlos Valladares
Writer, critic, and curator based in New York City. His work appears in Gagosian Quarterly, n+1, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more. He is a doctoral candidate in Film and Art History at Yale University.
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J. B. Kaufman
Author and film historian specializing in Disney animation and American silent cinema. He has presented at major festivals including the TCM Classic Film Festival and Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, and is a 2020 Jean Mitry Award recipient.
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Allyson Unzicker
Curator and Ph.D. candidate in Film and Media at UC Berkeley. Former Associate Director and Curator of the University Art Galleries at UC Irvine, contributor to major Getty PST projects, and programmer with LA Filmforum and BAMPFA.
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A.S. Hamrah
Film critic for n+1 and author of The Earth Dies Streaming, with two new titles forthcoming in 2025. His writing appears in Harper’s, The Nation, the Criterion Collection, and more. He is also the producer of the feature documentary Bunker.
The Peoria Riverfront Museum Welcomes A.S. Hamrah
A new Art of Film series opens Friday, April 24, 2026, with American Realism.
This curated cycle of films tells our national story with a selection as diverse and complex as America itself.
American Realism comes just in time for the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, with special exhibitions of American art, science, history and achievement on display throughout the entire year.
A.S. Hamrah is a film critic for n+1 and author of The Earth Dies Streaming, with two new titles forthcoming in 2025. His writing appears in Harper’s, The Nation, the Criterion Collection, and more. He is also the producer of the feature documentary Bunker.
