Columbia University School of the Arts presents Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, a directing thesis production by current student Emilio Cerci and written by Dave Malloy.

Zoom-In 2026 is a public-facing, dynamic thesis showcase presented by the MA Film and Media Studies Class of 2026. The ninth iteration of this grand annual conference will be held at the Lenfest Center for the Arts. This year’s event features panel-based thesis presentations, a guest keynote speaker, curated screenings of feature and short films, as well as networking receptions.

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, translator, and editor Forrest Gander is the author of more than a dozen books, including Be With, Mojave Ghost, and Core Samples from the World. Reading followed by a conversation with Associate Professor Dorothea Lasky, Writing.

Lady is Jim Dear and Darling’s pampered pup—until the arrival of a new baby turns her world upside down. When Lady meets Tramp, a stray Schnauzer on the run from the dog-catcher, she is swept into a tail-wagging adventure that teaches her all about freedom, family, and love.

Laurie Anderson '72 (BC '69) and Ocean Vuong in conversation. Moderated by Dominique Townsend, Director of the Center for Buddhist Studies, Department of Religion. Introduced by Professor of the Arts and Dean Emerita Carol Becker.

Originally advertised as “The Greatest Airplane Mystery Thriller Ever Produced,” The Flying Ace is a testament to the enduring cultural significance of silent-era race films. The film will be presented with live accompaniment by internationally-acclaimed DJ Parlé, whose eclectic music style will span the century since the film’s release, bringing The Flying Ace into the here and now.

“Inspired by the harrowing true story, Lucy Liu transforms in a riveting, career-redefining performance as an ailing woman who takes drastic measures to protect her troubled teenage son.” Screening followed by a conversation between Screenwriter Marilyn Fu '03, Director Eric Lin, and Producer Mynette Louie, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice of Film. Moderated by Qin Gao, Acting Director of the Asian American Initiative.

Columbia University School of the Arts presents Is God Is, a directing thesis production by current student Brittany Vi-King and written by Aleshea Harris.

Teenage Haru dives to save a stray cat on a busy road, and is surprised to learn that she rescued the Cat Prince. She is showered with rewards, and unexpectedly spirited away to the magical Cat Kingdom. Can Haru summon her courage and rely on her new cat friends to find her way back home?

How does one study memory? How do we use it to reconstruct the past in stories, memoir, and dramatic work? Playwright and Alan Kanzer Writer-in-Residence Sarah Ruhl in dialogue with Daphna Shohamy, Neuroscience, and Professor of the Arts and Dean Emerita Carol Becker. Introduced by Brian Kulick, Chair of the MFA Theatre Program.

Join us for an evening with Olga Ravn as part of Columbia’s Art + Life series, a programme of intimate conversations with poets and writers organized by Columbia’s Undergraduate Creative Writing Program for majors and aficionados.

The Swimmer is a haunting, surreal journey through suburban America, starring Burt Lancaster as a man determined to swim his way home through a chain of backyard pools. As his odyssey unfolds, sunlit affluence exposes the fractures beneath a carefully constructed life. Adapted from John Cheever’s celebrated short story, this 1968 classic is a bold, unsettling meditation on identity, denial, and the cost of illusion.

A newcomer to a London alley is swept into a mysterious feline celebration, the Jellical Ball, in this live action adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway classic. This playful, high-energy spectacle is full of song, dance, and larger-than-life feline personalities, featuring an all-star cast including Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Idris Elba and Taylor Swift.

Assistant Professor of Writing Jaquira Díaz discusses This is the Only Kingdom, her “powerful love letter to mothers, daughters, and the barrios that make them” with Edwidge Danticat, African American and African Diaspora Studies. Introduced by Sarah Cole, Dean of Columbia University School of the Arts and Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature.

Based on the novel by James Jones, Some Came Running is a sweeping, emotionally charged drama about a troubled WWII veteran returning home to confront family wounds, love, and his own restless soul.

This stunning animated film follows a lone cat navigating a flooded world, forming unexpected bonds with dogs, birds, lemurs, capybaras, and more as they struggle to survive their new world.

When all canines are banished to Trash Island, Atari sets out on a daring journey to find his lost dog, Spots. In this star-studded stop-motion animation adventure, a courageous pack of dogs proves that loyalty, courage, and teamwork can overcome even the most outrageous challenges.