ArtsEmerson Unveils Spring 2026 Film Programming

ArtsEmerson, Boston’s presenter of contemporary world theater and film and the professional presenting and producing organization of Emerson College, has announced its Spring 2026 film programming.

The lineup features a slate of documentaries and narrative works that aim to explore identity, history, cultural exchange, and the power of storytelling across communities.

Running from February through May 2026, the season sees the return of the Shared Stories series, Projecting Connections: Chinese American Experiences, and a set of Special Presentation events, including an offsite screening at the Museum of Science. Many screenings will feature post-film conversations with filmmakers, scholars, artists, and community leaders.

ArtsEmerson’s Shared Stories series returns with three works that examine cross-cultural identity, political truth, and representation in media. Highlights include Diamond Diplomacy, an exploration of baseball as a bridge between the U.S. and Japan; ORWELL: 2+2=5, a provocative documentary by Raoul Peck on the enduring relevance of George Orwell; and Beam Me Up, Sulu, a portrait of George Takei’s legacy and the impact of inclusion in popular culture, presented offsite at the Museum of Science.

The Projecting Connections: Chinese American Experiences series continues to use film as a lens to reflect on the vast and varied lived experiences of Chinese Americans, featuring screenings paired with curated discussions. Co-presented by Boston Asian American Film Festival.

“These films ask us not just to watch, but to listen… to history, to one another, and to the voices that have too often gone unheard,” says Susan Chinsen, ArtsEmerson Creative Producer and Founding Director of the Boston Asian American Film Festival. “Spring 2026 is about creating space for shared reflection and meaningful conversation, using cinema as a bridge between communities and generations.”

ArtsEmerson film event tickets may be purchased 24/7 here or by calling 617-824-8400 (Tue-Sat from 12:00PM ET - 6:00PM ET). The Paramount Center Box Office (559 Washington Street, Boston) is open for walk-up service Thu-Sat from Noon - 6:00 PM ET Individual tickets are available for select screenings; pricing varies by event. Most screenings include a post-film Q&A.

Spring 2026 Film Programming

Projecting Connections: Chinese American Experiences

Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee & the Making of Asian America, Jeff Chang, Author
Preceded by Be Water (excerpt), Bao Nguyen, Director)
FEB 06 at 6:30PM
Projecting Connections | Author Talk with Jeff Chang followed by book sale and signing 
A revelatory portrait of Bruce Lee and the emergence of Asian America. Jeff Chang’s first book, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation was named one of the best American nonfiction books of the last quarter century.

Chris Grace: As Scarlett Johansson, Jonah Ray Rodrigues, Director
MAR 07 at 3:00PM
Projecting Connections |
A genre-bending performance interrogating race and representation.

Family Matters, Ke-yin Pan, Director
APR 04 at 7:00PM
Projecting Connections
A family drama exploring generational tension and resilience.
Co-presented by Taiwan Film Festival of Boston

Love, Chinatown, Lukas Dong, Director
preceded by Hong Far Low, Aaron Wong, Director 
MAY 16 at 3:00PM
Projecting Connections
Two short documentaries celebrating Boston’s Chinatown.

Shared Stories

Diamond Diplomacy, Yuriko Gamo Romer, Director
MAR 06 at 6:30PM
Shared Stories
A documentary exploring baseball as a cultural bridge between Japan and the U.S.

ORWELL: 2+2=5, Raoul Peck, Director
APR 03 at 6:30PM
Shared Stories
Raoul Peck examines George Orwell’s enduring relevance.

Beam Me Up, Sulu, Timour Gregory, Sasha Schneider, Co-Directors
MAY 15 at 6:30PM
Shared Stories | Offsite at the Museum of Science
A portrait of George Takei and the legacy of inclusion.

Special Presentations