The Open Road

The road contains multitudes: a path to freedom and an alluring escape route; a space for deep introspection or an excuse to throw your troubles into the wind; a horizon line full of promise or a dead end to nowhere. Whether it be racing over cracked asphalt or trekking between fresh wagon ruts, filmmakers have long been hypnotized by the allure of the open road, sending characters careening down voyages of discovery while their wheels keep spinning. 

Characters hit the road in an effort to seek answers to questions they struggle to put to words. Lovers on the run yearn to preserve their passion, no matter the cost. Bumbling vacationers rely on the good graces of misfits sharing the same trail. Dreamers traverse treacherous terrain in a quest for new communities. Innocents flee their terrorizing pursuers across a road that never ends. All the while, identities remain in flux as one sees themselves change at every mile marker.

Embark on our road trip of 12 films racing from Pre-Code Hollywood to the late ‘90s, with pit stops for film noir, high (and low) comedy, horror, westerns, American independents, international art house, blockbuster animation, and quasi-documentary experimental monuments. 

Hitch a ride, toss your bag in the trunk, and gaze out the window as we drift along thousands of miles of existential terrain in this cinematic survey of the mind's highways and byways. 

Series curated by Ryan Saunders. 

Each film will be accompanied by an in-person introduction.