As part of Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque, we continue our October screenings with a film that explores immortality, decay, and the terrible cost of cheating death. Blending gothic horror with unexpected tenderness, it asks what we're willing to become, and who we're willing to hurt, in the pursuit of living forever.

Cronos follows Jesús Gris, an aging antique dealer who discovers a centuries-old device that grants eternal life, at a price far worse than dying. As Jesús begins to change and a dying, ruthless businessman closes in to claim the device for himself, the film explores obsession, mortality, and the bond between a grandfather and the granddaughter who loves him no matter what he becomes.

Join us for a discussion following the film.

Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque
Cronos [R]
Thursday, October 8th, 2026
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Closing our September Double Feature, American Psycho shifts from earnest self-discovery to biting satire, asking what happens when identity becomes nothing more than a performance of status and surface. Together with The Truman Show, these films examine the masks we wear and the terrifying gap between appearance and authentic selfhood.

American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman, a wealthy Wall Street executive whose polished exterior conceals a growing, murderous void beneath. Through its dark satire, the film explores identity, consumerism, and the emptiness of a life built entirely on image.

Join us for a discussion following this unsettling cinematic experience.

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature
American Psycho [R]
Thursday, September 24th, 2026
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: Double Feature, we conclude our September screenings with a film that explores identity, free will, and the courage to question reality. Set in a meticulously constructed world, it reminds us that authentic living requires the willingness to face the unknown.

The Truman Show follows an ordinary man who slowly discovers that his entire life has been staged as a television show, secretly broadcast to the world since birth. Beneath its satire is a story about autonomy, self-discovery, and what it truly means to be free.

Join us for a discussion following the film.

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature
The Truman Show [PG]
Thursday, September 24th, 2026
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque, we continue our September screenings with a film that explores logic, language, and the loss of human feeling in a world ruled by reason. Through science fiction and film noir, it asks whether love and poetry can survive in a society governed by pure computation.

Alphaville follows secret agent Lemmy Caution as he infiltrates a distant city controlled by the all-powerful computer Alpha 60, where emotion is outlawed and words like "love" are being erased from language itself. As Lemmy searches for a missing agent and a way to free the city's inhabitants, the film examines free will, conformity, and what makes us human.

Join us for a discussion following the film.

Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque
Alphaville [R]
Thursday, September 10th, 2026
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Live music is returning to the Studio inside Downey City Library with a series that transforms the library into an intimate concert venue featuring stripped-down performances filmed live in the library.

Join us for our third Tiny Shelf Concert featuring Luna Lluvia, an intimate live set blending dreamy textures, electronic sounds, and vulnerable songwriting into an atmospheric one-night-only experience.

Saturday, August 29, 2026

Doors 4:30 PM. Show 5:00 PM.

The Studio at Downey City Library

Free admission. All ages welcome.

Limited capacity. Early arrival strongly recommended.

Come experience the library in a completely different way.

Closing our August Double Feature, Children of Men shifts from action to quiet urgency, asking what hope looks like when the future itself seems to have disappeared. Together with Edge of Tomorrow , these films imagine humanity at the edge of extinction while offering different visions of resilience.

Children of Men follows a reluctant man who must protect the world's first pregnant woman in nearly two decades. Through its powerful storytelling, the film explores compassion, sacrifice, and the enduring belief that even in the darkest moments, hope can survive.

Join us for a discussion following this powerful cinematic experience.

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature

Children of Men [R]

Thursday, August 27th, 2026

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: Double Feature, we conclude our August screenings with a film that explores resilience, learning, and the power of second chances. Set in a future at war, it reminds us that growth often comes through failure.

Edge of Tomorrow follows an unprepared soldier caught in a time loop, reliving the same battle until he learns how to change its outcome. Beneath its thrilling action is a story about perseverance, courage, and the possibility of becoming someone new.

Join us for a discussion following the film, then stay for Children of Men , another vision of humanity facing an uncertain future.

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature

Edge of Tomorrow [PG-13]

Thursday, August 27th, 2026

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Following 12 Monkeys , Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque concludes the evening with the landmark short film that inspired it. Though radically different in style, both films share a fascination with memory, time, and the fragile hope of changing the future.

La Jetée tells the story of a man haunted by a childhood memory who is chosen to travel through time after a devastating war. Told almost entirely through still photographs, it transforms a simple premise into a profound meditation on memory, loss, and destiny.

Join us for a discussion following this unforgettable short film.

Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque

La Jetée [PG-13]

Thursday, August 13th, 2026

7:30 PM – 8:00 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque, we continue our August screenings with a film that explores memory, time, and the uncertainty of the future. Through science fiction, it asks whether we are trapped by history or capable of changing it.

12 Monkeys follows a prisoner sent back in time to uncover the source of a global pandemic. As memory and reality begin to blur, the film examines fate, free will, and the consequences of human action.

Join us for a discussion following the film. Stay afterward for La Jetée the groundbreaking French short that inspired 12 Monkeys .

Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque

12 Monkeys [R]

Thursday, August 13th, 2026

5:00 PM – 7:15 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: Double Feature, we continue our July screenings with a film that explores capitalism, code-switching, and the cost of ambition. Set against the backdrop of a surreal, exploitative telemarketing world, this story reflects on how systems of power push individuals to abandon their values for success.

Sorry to Bother You follows Cassius Green, a struggling telemarketer whose adoption of a "white voice" propels him up a corporate ladder built on exploitation and moral compromise. Blending satire with science fiction, the film examines how race, labor, and identity collide under capitalism. Join us for a discussion following this bold and subversive cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Sorry to Bother You [R]
Thursday, July 30th, 2026
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: Double Feature, we continue our July screenings with a film that explores nostalgia, conformity, and the awakening of individual consciousness. Set within the idealized black-and-white world of a 1950s sitcom, this story reflects on how comfort and control can mask the absence of freedom.

Pleasantville follows two modern teenagers transported into a fictional television town, where their presence gradually introduces color, desire, and dissent into a rigidly ordered world. Blending fantasy with social commentary, the film examines how change, art, and self-expression disrupt manufactured harmony. Join us for a discussion following this vibrant and thought-provoking cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Pleasantville [PG-13]
Thursday, July 30th, 2026
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque, we continue our screenings with a film that explores identity, exile, and the struggle to remain true to oneself amid political upheaval and social change. Told with humor, honesty, and striking visual simplicity, this story reflects on growing up between cultures and carrying one's history across borders.

Persepolis follows a young girl coming of age during and after the Iranian Revolution as she navigates family, rebellion, war, and self discovery. Through its distinctive black and white animation, the film offers an intimate perspective on life under authoritarianism while celebrating resilience, individuality, and the enduring power of memory.

Join us for a discussion following this poignant and beautifully crafted cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque

Persepolis [PG-13]

Thursday, July 9th, 2026

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: Westerns Double Feature, we conclude our June screenings with a film that explores justice, vengeance, and the enduring mythology of the American West. Positioned between history and legend, this story examines how violence becomes inseparable from identity on the frontier.

Tombstone dramatizes the escalating conflict between lawmen and outlaws in a town defined by ambition, corruption, and survival. Through its iconic performances and larger than life characters, the film reflects on friendship, masculinity, and the cost of living by personal codes in a lawless world.

Join us for a discussion following this iconic and fiercely entertaining cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Tombstone [R]
Thursday, June 25th, 2026
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

As part of Theater Thursdays: Westerns Double Feature, we continue our June screenings with a film that explores outlaw mythology, loyalty, and the blurred line between legend and history. Set in the fading days of the Old West, this story reflects on how rebellion becomes romanticized long after the violence has passed.

Young Guns II follows Billy the Kid and his surviving companions as they evade capture while confronting betrayal, mortality, and the stories told about them. Blending action with reflection, the film examines how the western hero is constructed through memory, exaggeration, and cultural mythmaking.
Join us for a discussion following this energetic and revisionist cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Young Guns II [PG-13]
Thursday, June 25th, 2026
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

The Tiny Shelf Concerts are back.

Live music is returning to the Studio inside Downey City Library with a series that transforms the library into an intimate concert venue featuring stripped-down performances filmed live in the library.

Join us for our second Tiny Shelf Concert featuring Micah Giovanni with an intimate acoustic set with dark romantic textures, vulnerable songwriting, and a one-night-only atmosphere.

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Doors 4:30 PM. Show 5:00 PM.

The Studio at Downey City Library

Free admission. All ages welcome.

Limited capacity. Early arrival strongly recommended.

Come experience the library in a completely different way.

As part of Theater Thursdays: Double Feature, we continue our May screenings with a film that turns to satire to examine cycles of conflict, ideology, and human contradiction. Mixing political satire, family drama, and propulsive action, it follows a former radical pulled back into conflict when his past resurfaces.

One Battle After Another follows a former radical pulled back into conflict when his past resurfaces. When Pat’s hidden past is exposed, he and his daughter are forced into a desperate flight across California, with set-pieces that blend absurd humor and paranoid political intrigue.

Join us for a discussion following this sharp and thought provoking cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature

One Battle After Another [R]

As part of Theater Thursdays: Double Feature, we continue our May screenings with a film that uses satire to confront power, paranoia, and the absurd logic of war. Rather than offering straightforward drama, this story exposes the fragility of political systems through humor that is as unsettling as it is incisive.

Dr. Strangelove follows a chain reaction of decisions that escalate toward nuclear disaster, revealing how ideology, ego, and miscommunication can override reason. With sharp wit and unsettling humor, the film dissects the machinery of war, asking how rational systems can produce irrational outcomes.

Join us for a discussion following this darkly comedic and enduringly relevant cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature

Dr. Strangelove [PG]

🎓📸 For the grads, the milestones, and the memories to last a lifetime 🏫✨

The Downey City Library Studio is celebrating the Class of 2026 with a free drop-in graduation photo shoot for grads of all ages, whether you're crossing the stage or stepping up from Pre-K, come capture the moment with friends, family, or a solo shot that's all yours.

📱 Bonus! Photos can be airdropped directly to your cell phone so you can share and save your favorite graduation memories instantly 📸✨

🗓️ Wednesday, May 27th

📸 Open Studio Hours

⏰ 10:30 am – 4:30 pm

🎟️ Free | No registration required

🏁 Walk-in friendly

⭐ All ages welcome

📱 For more info contact (562) 904-7360

As part of Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque, we continue our screenings with a film that explores chance, consequence, and the invisible threads that connect lives across a vast and unequal city. Set against the intensity of urban life, this story reflects on how love, loss, and survival intersect in moments that alter everything.

Amores Perros weaves together three narratives linked by a single car crash, tracing the emotional and moral fallout that follows. Through its raw and unflinching lens, the film examines loyalty, violence, and desire, revealing how human connection persists even in the midst of fracture and desperation.

Join us for a discussion following this powerful and uncompromising cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque

Amores Perros [R]

Thursday, May 14th, 2026

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

💕📸 For the moms, the moments, and the memories 💐✨The Downey City Library is offering a Mother’s Day drop-in photo shoot celebrating the everyday magic of motherhood, love, connection, and all the little moments in between.

💝Make it extra heartfelt! After your photo shoot, stop by the Children’s area to make a lovely spring flower keepsake.🌷Craft time: 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm ✂️While supplies last✂️ Click for more info➡️ CRAFT

📱 Bonus! Photos can be airdropped directly to your cell phone so you can share and save your favorite shots instantly 📸✨

🗓️ Friday, May 8th 

📸 Open Studio Hours ⏰ 10:30 am – 4:30 pm

🎟️ Free | No registration required

🏁 Walk-in friendly

⭐ All ages welcome

❤️ Caregiver supervision required

🗓️ Visit our calendar for more information:

✅ Downeylibrary.org/calendar 

📱 For more info contact (562) 904-7360

Featured Film 🎥 Begonia [PG-13] imagines a world shaped by ecological imbalance and alien observation, where the boundaries between nature and the unfamiliar begin to dissolve. Moving between science fiction and quiet reflection, the film invites us to reconsider what it means to belong to a planet in crisis, and whether change comes from within or beyond.

📅 Thursday, April 30th, 2026

⏰ 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

📘 In the Cormack Room

📋 FREE—No registration required

🎬 Love movies? ✨ Take the experience home! Explore our DVD & Blu-ray collection 📀 or stream standout titles anytime on Kanopy, free with your Downey City Library card 📚.

🎥🍿 From the screen to your sofa, great films are always within reach!

Featured Film 🎥 Okja [PG-13] follows a young girl and her bond with a genetically engineered animal, set against the forces of a powerful multinational corporation. Blending satire, adventure, and emotional intimacy, the film exposes the contradictions of environmentalism within global capitalism, asking what it means to protect life in a world driven by profit.

📅 Thursday, April 30th, 2026

⏰ 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📘 In the Cormack Room

📋 FREE—No registration required

🎬 Love movies? ✨ Take the experience home! Explore our DVD & Blu-ray collection 📀 or stream standout titles anytime on Kanopy, free with your Downey City Library card 📚.

🎥🍿 From the screen to your sofa, great films are always within reach!

Join us for our next Vinyl Swap & Listening Session on Saturday, April 11, 12–4 PM at the Downey City Library. This is a free community event where people can buy, sell, trade records, and hang out listening to music together.

Free

All Ages

No Registration

We’re curating the vibe for our next Vinyl Swap & Listening Session and looking for artists with crafts or zines, gardeners with plants or flowers, collectors with toys or comics, and food vendors with popsicles, churros, baked goods, or other treats.

Reach out for limited spots. Email studio@downeyca.org for details.

As part of Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque, we continue our screenings with a film that explores language, memory, and the fragile ties that bind communities across time. Set against the backdrop of cultural disappearance, this story reflects on what is lost when a language fades, and what can be recovered through connection, reconciliation, and care.

I Dream in Another Language follows a young linguist who travels to a remote region of Mexico to document a nearly extinct Indigenous language. There, he encounters the last two living speakers, whose decades long silence with one another holds the key to the language’s survival. Blending realism with myth, the film reveals how language carries not only words, but memory, identity, and unresolved histories.

Join us for a discussion following this poetic and deeply moving cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

Theater Thursdays: International Cinémathèque

I Dream in Another Language (Sueño en otro idioma) [NR]

Thursday, April 9, 2026

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Featured Film 🎥 Before Midnight [R] picks up nine years after the events in Paris, finding Jesse and Celine in Greece as they navigate the complexities of long-term commitment. In a series of deeply personal and raw conversations, the film strips away the romantic idealism of youth to explore the grit, humor, and compromise required to sustain a life together. It is a masterful, unflinching look at love’s endurance and the reality of "happily ever after."

📅 Thursday, March 26, 2026

⏰ 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

📘 In the Cormack Room

📋 FREE—No registration required

🎬 Love movies? ✨ Take the experience home! Explore our DVD & Blu-ray collection 📀 or stream standout titles anytime on Kanopy, free with your Downey City Library card 📚.

🎥🍿 From the screen to your sofa, great films are always within reach!

Featured Film 🎥 Shrek [PG] is a fractured fairy tale that flips the script on classic legends with irreverent humor and heart. When a grumpy but lovable ogre finds his swamp overrun by fairytale misfits, he embarks on a quest to rescue a princess and reclaim his peace. Accompanied by a fast-talking Donkey, this journey is packed with pop-culture wit, stunning animation, and a reminder that true beauty is found within.

📅 Thursday, March 26, 2026

⏰ 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📘 In the Cormack Room

📋 FREE—No registration required

🎬 Love movies? ✨ Take the experience home! Explore our DVD & Blu-ray collection 📀 or stream standout titles anytime on Kanopy, free with your Downey City Library card 📚.

🎥🍿 From the screen to your sofa, great films are always within reach!

Enjoy an opportunity to explore and appreciate cinema from different cultures and regions around the world at our monthly International film screening! This month, join us to watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire [R] by Céline Sciamma

Admission is free, and no sign-ups are required.

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature

Featured Film 🎥 Before Sunset [R] unfolds in real time as two former lovers reconnect in Paris nine years after a brief, life-changing encounter. Told almost entirely through conversation, the film captures the quiet intensity of unfinished stories, second chances, and the fragile space between memory and possibility. It is an intimate, thoughtful exploration of time, love, and the choices that shape our lives.

📅 Thursday, February 26, 2026

⏰ 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

📘 In the Cormack Room      📋 FREE—No registration required

🎬 Love movies? ✨ Take the experience home! Explore our DVD & Blu-ray collection 📀 or stream standout titles anytime on Kanopy, free with your Downey City Library card 📚.

🎥🍿 From the screen to your sofa, great films are always within reach!

Theater Thursdays: Double Feature

Featured Film 🎥 The Princess Bride [PG] is a timeless fairy tale adventure that blends romance, comedy, and swashbuckling action. Framed as a story lovingly read aloud, the film follows Westley and Buttercup through improbable rescues, clever sword fights, unforgettable characters, and endlessly quotable moments. It’s a witty, heartfelt celebration of true love, friendship, and the joy of storytelling itself.

📅 Thursday, February 26, 2026

⏰ 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📘 In the Cormack Room      📋 FREE—No registration required

🎬 Love movies? ✨ Take the experience home! Explore our DVD & Blu-ray collection 📀 or stream standout titles anytime on Kanopy, free with your Downey City Library card 📚.

🎥🍿 From the screen to your sofa, great films are always within reach!

In recognition of Black History Month, we present our first documentary screening as part of Theater Thursdays. Throughout February, we turn our focus to documentary cinema, opening with a film that confronts history, identity, and the unfinished work of racial justice in America.

I Am Not Your Negro draws from the unfinished writings of James Baldwin to examine race in America through memory, resistance, and moral clarity. Rather than offering a conventional biography, the film weaves Baldwin’s words with images of past and present, revealing how unresolved histories continue to shape the world we live in.

Join us for a discussion following this deeply moving cinematic experience. Admission is free, and no sign ups are required.

I Am Not Your Negro [PG-13]

Thursday, February 12th, 2026

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM