ADG Film Society Presents CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE THIRD KIND On 6/23

"We are not alone." The Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) Film Society's 2019 Screening Series will present the Oscar®-winning classic CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) and pay tribute to its Oscar-nominated Production Designer Joe Alves, ADG, at the Egyptian Theatre on Sunday, June 23 at 5:30 pm. Following the screening, Mr. Alves will explore the making of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS and behind-the-scenes challenges including creating the massive alien ships, moderated by Thomas A. Walsh, ADG, Production Designer and ADG Film Society Co-chair. The annual 2019 Screening Series "Production Design: Designers On Design," highlighting the work of renowned Production Designers and their creative collaborations, is in association with American Cinematheque.

"Joe Alves' LIFE STORY is that of a tenacious survivor and veteran of Hollywood's studio system as a master Artist, Set Designer, Illustrator, Art Director, Production Designer, Producer and Director. His insatiable need for discovery resulted in a unique and inspired life's journey, one rich in achievement, and we are excited to pay tribute to his creative repertoire," said Walsh.

Director Steven Spielberg's thrilling, suspenseful and human speculation on the possibility of alien contact with mankind was one of the blockbusters of the 1970s. Ray Bradbury declared CLOSE ENCOUNTERS of the Third Kind as the greatest Science fiction film ever made, and it remains one of Joe Alves' seminal works. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS stars Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François Truffaut. It tells the story of Roy Neary, an everyday blue-collar worker in Indiana, whose life changes after an encounter with an unidentified flying object (UFO). Director Jean Renoir compared Spielberg's storytelling to that of Jules Verne and Georges Méliès.

Joe Alves motion picture career began as a young visual-effects Disney animator assigned to the 1956 MGM classic, Forbidden Planet. His confidence and creative growth were nurtured by many challenging and diverse television and feature film experiences, including Hitchcock's Torn Curtain, Rod Serling's Night Gallery, Steven Spielberg'sSugarland Express, Jaws, and Close Encounters; John Carpenter's Escape from New York and Starman; Freejack and Geronimo: An American Legend.

Mr. Alves is an innovator and advocate for in-camera and visual effects solutions. His 64-year career transverses analog-to-digital filmmaking. His design leadership on CLOSE ENCOUNTERS and Jaws are both analog examples of mastering the challenges inherent in pre-digital filmmaking.

Representing the Art Directors Guild are John Muto ADG, Film Society Founder and Chair; Thomas A. Walsh ADG Film Society Co-Chair, John Iacovelli ADG, and Debbie Patton, ADG Director of Awards and Events. Working with them are the American Cinematheque's Gwen Deglise and Margot Gerber.

General admission: $12. American Cinematheque members: $8. Students/Seniors with valid ID: $10. All screenings start at 5:30 PM; 24-hour information is available at 323-466-FILM (3456). Advance tickets can be purchased on Fandango.com. Search by zip code (Egyptian Theatre 90028) to locate respective theatre listings. Tickets are also available at the Box Office at the theater.

For Information about the 2019 ADG Film Series click here.
For ticket information, go to American Cinematheque's website.
For CLOSE ENCOUNTERS photos: http://bit.ly/2Qd9Q1b

Established in 1937, the Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) represents 2,700 members who work throughout the world in film, television and theater as Production Designers and Art Directors; Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists; Set Designers and Model Makers; and Illustrators and Matte Artists. The ADG's ongoing activities include a Film Society screening series, annual "Excellence in Production Design Awards" gala, bimonthly craft magazine (PERSPECTIVE), figure drawing and other creative workshops, extensive technology and craft training programs and year-round Gallery 800 art exhibitions. For the Guild's online directory and website resources, go to www.adg.org. Connect with the Art Directors Guild on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


Established in 1981, the American Cinematheque is a non-profit viewer-supported public film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to the celebration of the Moving Picture in all of its forms. At the historic Egyptian and Aero Theatres, the Cinematheque presents regular film and digital programming, which ranges from the classics of American and international cinema, to sneak previews of new independent and studio films, Pop culture gems and cult cinema in all genres. Fascinating post-screening discussions with the filmmakers who created the work, are a Cinematheque tradition that keep audiences coming back for once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences. Exhibition of rarities, archival 35mm prints and special formats such as 70mm and nitrate highlight the programming. The American Cinematheque's membership program provides additional benefits for film lovers.

The American Cinematheque renovated and reopened (on December 4, 1998) the historic 1922 Hollywood Egyptian Theatre This includes a state-of-the-art 616-seat theatre housed within Sid Grauman's first grand movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922.

In early 2005 the American Cinematheque expanded its programming to the Westside with the January 5th re-opening of the 1940 Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. For more information about American Cinematheque, visit the website at http://www.americancinematheque.com. Follow the American Cinematheque on Twitter: @sidgrauman and on Facebook: Egyptian Theatre, Aero Theatre.