In the wake of 2001: A Space Odyssey and its establishment of science-fiction as an “A” genre, as well as the tenor of the times, Hollywood developed a taste for dystopias: Silent Running, Soylent Green, the Planet of the Apes sequels, and The Omega Man, to name a few. At the same time, the burgeoning American independent scene took on the genre with less spectacle, more artistry, and much more urgency, informed by the oppressive nature of Nixon’s America, the fracturing of the left, and the growing environmental movement. As radical, prescient, and powerful as when they were made, these four films examined the present through the eyes of the very near future, using innovative modes of production and filmmaking to warn, observe, and meditate on things that were, and things to come.

Guest programmer Brian Belovarac works in theatrical distribution at Janus Films. While at Janus, he has worked on such restorations and releases as House, Jeanne Dielman, and Cameraperson. As a programmer, he has curated series at venues including Anthology Film Archives, the 92nd Street Y, Light Industry, and the George Eastman House.