Through the Porthole: A Cinematic Cavalcade for Dennis Nyback
January 10, 2023
Grand Illusion CinemaSeattle, WA
Part of the Grand Illusion Cinema’s series A Week at the Movie House: Tribute to Dennis Nyback
An evening-length memorial tribute to film archivist, programmer, and scholar Dennis Nyback, who passed away on October 2, 2022 after a long battle with cancer.
This all-16mm show drew from the Sprocket Society vault to present shorts included in some of Dennis’ programs, as well as some of his personal favorites.
All proceeds were donated to the American Cancer Society in Dennis’ honor.
Dennis Nyback (1953-2022) was an American independent film archivist, found footage filmmaker, historian and writer. He operated the Dennis Nyback Film Archive, with over 13,000 short films made from 1895 onward, mostly on 16mm. Working from his archive, Nyback created over 300 found footage film programs that he showed extensively in Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and the United States. He was a guest at film festivals across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Nyback owned and operated movie theaters in Seattle, New York, and Portland, Oregon.
Dennis’ first job in cinema was when he was hired as a projectionist in 1973 at The Movie House theater in Seattle, while he was student at the University of Washington. That theater later became the Grand Illusion Cinema, where this memorial screening was held.
A film tribute with shorts of all sorts, humbly presented in honor of the late great collector, programmer and inspiration, Dennis Nyback. Drawing from their own secret archives, The Sprocket Society will assemble a two-part evening of films, all on 16mm, celebrating the spirit of Dennis’ legendarily far-flung programming.
This memorial double header will include animation, surrealism, jazz, comedy, strange curios, rarities, some of Dennis’ favorites — and subversive and naughty stuff, too, of course. Almost anything goes! We hope Dennis would like it, and we hope you do, too. All proceeds from this screening will be donated to the American Cancer Society in Dennis’ name.
