Cinema Series Is Back: Experimental Artists Tackle Global Issues at MOCA
MOCA Artist Film Series Returns for 2026 Season
The MOCA Artist Film Series is set to resume at MOCA Grand Avenue, running on selected Saturdays from May through August 2026. Launched in spring 2023 and presented by The Edward F. Limato Foundation, the series continues to create a vital space for exploring the intersection of contemporary art and moving-image practices.
This upcoming season features compelling works by artists Danielle Dean, Aimee Goguen, Carolyn Lazard, and Tiffany Sia. Clara Kim, chief curator and director of curatorial affairs at MOCA, expressed enthusiasm for the series’ continued success. "We are thrilled to continue the MOCA Artist Film Series, now in its fourth year," Kim said. "These programs highlight the expansive narrative possibilities and evolving formats of the moving image, creating space for meaningful exchange between artists and audiences. We are deeply grateful to The Edward F. Limato Foundation for their ongoing support."
Situated in the center of the cinema capital, the series fosters dialogues among artists, curators, and thinkers on pressing contemporary issues. Anna Katz, senior curator, and Michele Huizar, production coordinator, have organized the 2026 series, with screenings held on Saturday afternoons in the Ahmanson Auditorium.
"This season brings together artists whose works unsettle divisions between fiction and documentary," Katz noted. "From Carolyn Lazard’s examination of care to Aimee Goguen’s animations that explore the uncanny, the films encourage viewers to consider how constructed images shape our understanding of the world."
All screenings are free with advance reservations, with tickets released on a rolling basis up to 21 days in advance. MOCA Members have early access to ticket reservations.
Schedule of May Screenings
The series opens on May 23 at 3 p.m. with Carolyn Lazard, presenting the West Coast premiere of four video works: “Fiction Contract,” “Vital,” “CRIP TIME,” and “Pre-Existing Condition.” These films delve into the complex relationships between the human body, medical institutions, and the structures of surveillance governing care. Notably, “Fiction Contract” and “Vital” were produced in 2025 at a simulation center in Elmhurst Hospital, Queens, providing critical commentary on medical education and institutional surveillance.
Lazard, a San Bernardino-born artist and MacArthur Fellow, explores themes of debility and the body’s resistance to interpretation. Their work has gained recognition at major exhibitions, including the Whitney Biennial and the Venice Biennale.
Following on June 20 at 3 p.m., the series features the West Coast premiere of Danielle Dean’s film “Hemel” (2024). This personal essay connects the town of Hemel Hempstead, England, with its history as a planned community. Dean merges fiction and documentary in her narrative, critiquing colonial influences in a post-Brexit context.
Dean is an associate professor at UC San Diego, whose multidisciplinary work reflects on themes of global capitalism and colonialism. She will discuss her film with filmmaker Cauleen Smith, focusing on the intersections of media and political identity.
On July 11 at 3 p.m., Tiffany Sia will present her short film “A Child Already Knows” (2024), which recounts a child’s escape from Shanghai through fragmented memories and appropriated animations. Following the screening, Sia will engage in a conversation with artist Simon Leung.
Sia, known for her exploration of exilic cinema, has been showcased at significant film festivals and is the recipient of the 2024 Baloise Art Prize.
The series concludes on August 1 at 3 p.m. with Aimee Goguen’s work, featuring the world premieres of “INTERIOR HOUSE NIGHT” and “La Lámpara.” The program emphasizes themes of vulnerability and societal dynamics, culminating in a post-screening discussion between Goguen and curator Suzy Halajian.
Goguen’s innovative blend of analog and digital formats critiques conventional exploitation, and her work has appeared in notable exhibitions and publications.
The MOCA Artist Film Series promises to be an essential forum for contemporary artistic expression throughout its 2026 season.
