Saratoga Film ForumSaratoga Springs, NY — Saratoga Arts is bringing back the Saratoga Film Forum, a beloved film series dedicated to showcasing independent, foreign, and documentary films. 

The series returns Thursday, April 9 at 7:00 PM in the Dee Sarno Theater at Saratoga Arts, launching a twelve-week run of weekly screenings curated for audiences who love cinema that goes beyond the multiplex. With 110 seats, the theater offers an intimate setting for audiences to discover compelling films and connect with fellow moviegoers in a shared cultural experience.

Spencer Sherry, Grants Coordinator at Saratoga Arts and organizer of the series, was convinced of its potential after seeing the success of the annual Saratoga Film Showcase, which fills the same theater by screening short films. “Our community clearly has an interest in supporting this medium,” he said. “We want to offer movies at the Forum that they either missed, or never had the opportunity to see at all. We’re especially excited to do so in a newly upgraded space, so that folks can see these films how they’re meant to be seen: on a big screen, with big sound, in the company of others.”

The first three films in the series include Sorry Baby, It Was Just An Accident, and Blue Moon, representing the diverse range of themes and genres audiences can expect throughout the program. Films are selected by a programming committee made up of Saratoga Arts staff, board members, former organizers of the original Film Forum, and longtime attendees, ensuring the revived series honors the spirit of the original while bringing fresh perspectives to the lineup.

Amy Godine, a leader in its original iteration, is actively involved in the new series. “A hometown arthouse for great indie films was a terrific idea when the Saratoga Film Forum was founded in 1993, and it's still a great idea” she said. “All hail to Saratoga Arts for reviving it! We need brilliant, fresh, provocative new movies in downtown Saratoga more than ever.”

 

Field Horne, a local historian and “frequent flier” of SFF back in the day, was one of the first people to spearhead its return to the arts center. He comments: “The 'old’ film forum was a wonderful community-building event and we intend to revive that aspect as well as presenting films that we cannot otherwise see this side of New York City or at best Albany.”

Some screenings will also include post-film discussions, and Saratoga Arts hopes to welcome filmmakers and guest speakers whenever possible to deepen conversations around the themes presented on screen.

Originally held at Saratoga Arts, the Film Forum once served as a vibrant gathering place for local film lovers. Its revival marks a return to that tradition, while helping establish the arts center as a consistent destination for film culture in the region.

“We’re hoping this series once again becomes a regular social event for people in our community,” Sherry said. “Saratoga is renowned for its arts and culture, and film is a medium with so much depth and potential to connect the artists with their patrons- which is good for the filmmakers as well! Our goal is to build the reputation of the Forum so that they know that if they bring their work here, they’ll find an engaged audience.”

Tickets are $10 per screening, with a $100 pass available for the full 12-week series. Tickets can be purchased online at www.saratoga-arts.org/events or at the door.

Fresh popcorn will be available at every screening, with additional food and beverage offerings planned as the series grows. Saratoga Arts also anticipates exploring themed collaborations and special programming tied to future films. If attendance is strong, Saratoga Arts hopes the Saratoga Film Forum will continue well beyond its initial twelve-week run, becoming a cornerstone of the organization’s film programming and a hub for independent cinema in the region.

Screenings begin Thursday, April 9 at 7:00 PM with Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby at Saratoga Arts, located at 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY.

For more information, visit www.saratoga-arts.org/events or follow @saratogaarts on social media.