Videoheaven

media release: USA | DCP | 2025 | 173 min.

Director: Alex Ross Perry

Once so ubiquitous as to be taken for granted, now all but vanished, the video rental shop was a cultural fixture from the 1980s to the early 2000s. Whether the shelves contained a thoughtfully curated bounty or the frustration of a corporate shell stocking dozens of the same lousy title, browsing these aisles was a rite of passage for many cinephiles. Using narration read by Maya Hawke and a wealth of footage pulled from cinema, TV, instructional videos, and commercials, rental clerk turned filmmaker Alex Ross Perry (Pavements) charts the history and impact of home video before the streaming era. After basking in Videoheaven, you will surely be inspired to hit up Madison’s own Four Star Video, one of the few left standing. Presented with the support of Four Star Video.

The Premieres series continues with more early and exclusive looks at the very best in current arthouse cinema—on the big screen where they belong! This fall brings both of the grand prize-winners at this year's major European film festivals: Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident (Palme d'Or at Cannes) and Dag Johan Haugerud's Dreams (Golden Bear at Berlin). Gear up for the Cinematheque's October screening of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's cult classic Pulse by catching his latest acclaimed thriller, Cloud. Additional highlights include a found-footage hymn to video stores by Alex Ross Perry (Videoheaven), the latest whatsit from absurdist extraordinaire Quentin Dupieux (The Second Act), and the first feature directed by Greek New Wave fixture Ariane Labed (September Says). This series was made possible by a generous donation from an anonymous cinephile.

Admission free for all screenings, seating limited. No admission 15 minutes after scheduled start times. Please visit our website for a complete listing of programs and descriptions.