Special Events

The Film State of Union address co-hosted by Film Birmingham and the Sidewalk Film Center & Cinema will be a dynamic and informative event where industry professionals and filmmakers gather to discuss the current state of the film community in Birmingham. Join us to discuss recent achievements, challenges, and future plans as well as shedding light on the exciting developments in the local film scene. *This is a free event. Reservations are strongly recommended but not required. Seating is first come, first served*

Special screening of HOW TO RUIN THE HOLIDAYS with Writer/Producer Kevin Gillese and lead Amber Nash in attendance. The screening will be followed by an in-person Q & A. Film Synopsis: When a struggling comedian reluctantly returns home for the holidays, not only must she deal with her eccentric family, but she ultimately faces a life-changing decision about her special-needs brother.

Every third Thursday of the month, join us at the Sidewalk Cinema for Networking Nights from 5-7pm and then Monthly Movie Trivia from 8-10pm. Network, pitch ideas, school your contemporaries with movie trivia, and enjoy some drinks. We'll see you there!

Each month join us in the lobby to network with other filmmakers, local crew, industry professionals, and creatives. Come out, grab a drink, and network! Stick around afterward for Sidewalk's Monthly Movie Trivia at 8pm.

Join us for our last Soundtrack Karaoke of the year - the Holiday Movies Edition - all your favorite holiday songs and some unexpected titles from some of our favorite holiday films. This is a free event in our Cinema Bar.

Butterfly in the Sky tells the story of the beloved PBS children's series "Reading Rainbow," its iconic host LeVar Burton, and the challenges its creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television. Southern Circuit is made possible through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Hollow Tree follows three teenagers coming of age in their sinking homeland of Louisiana. For the first time, they notice the Mississippi River’s engineering, stumps of cypress trees, and billowing smokestacks. Their different perspectives — as Indigenous, white, and Angolan young women — shape their story of the climate crisis. Southern Circuit is made possible through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Winner of the SXSW 2022 Documentary Feature Grand Jury Award, Master of Light highlights George Anthony Morton, a classical painter who spent ten years in federal prison for dealing drugs. While incarcerated, he nurtured his craft and unique artistic ability. Since his release, he is doing everything he can to defy society’s unlevel playing field and tackle the white-dominant art world. George faces his demons when he returns to his hometown, Kansas City. He does so by painting his family members. Diving deeper into his soul with every brushstroke, George shines a bright light on racial injustice; on the intergenerational trauma that, inescapably, comes with it. What emerges is a deeply personal tour de force, and a powerful, positive portrait of an artist. Southern Circuit is made possible through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Join us for VHS Time Machine! Sidewalk programmers will randomly select a vintage title from their personal VHS library and we'll screen it directly from VHS. Deep cuts, rarities, out of print titles and classics - the wheel of fortune can land anywhere. Any and all genres are possible. Take a trip back to a simpler time before the algorithm had control. Beware tracking issues likely! *This is a free event. Reservations are strongly recommended but not required. Seating is first come, first served*