Cameron Art Museum and Cucalorus launch new film series connecting art and cinema

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new film series aimed at deepening conversations around art, history, and storytelling is coming to Wilmington this summer through a collaboration between the Cameron Art Museum and the Cucalorus Film Foundation.

Titled CAM at the Movies, the series will pair film screenings with live conversations featuring artists, curators, and cultural leaders. All programs will take place at Jengo’s Playhouse, creating a space where audiences can engage more deeply with themes explored in the museum’s exhibitions.

“By pairing film with live dialogue, we’re creating additional points of entry for our audiences—deepening engagement with the artists, stories, and themes on view,” said September Krueger, CAM’s curator of education and public programs.

The series launches June 26 with Legacy, a short film by filmmaker Adam Alphin that explores the oral histories of descendants of the United States Colored Troops. Produced by Daniel Jones and CAM CEO Heather Wilson, the film highlights stories rooted in the Cape Fear region. A post-screening discussion will feature Alphin and Jones, offering insight into the film’s research and its connection to CAM’s ongoing interpretive work.

Additional screenings will continue throughout the year. On Aug. 28, the series presents Andy Warhol’s Flesh for Frankenstein, produced by Andy Warhol, alongside a talk exploring its ties to CAM’s Silver Clouds exhibition. The final program, set for Dec. 11, features Always Looking: Titus Brooks Heagins, a documentary examining the photographer’s work capturing marginalized communities and addressing systemic inequities, in connection with CAM’s Echoes of Us: NC Storytellers exhibition.

Cucalorus Executive Director Dan Brawley said the partnership highlights the shared mission of both organizations. “This series gives audiences a chance to engage with local experts who spark dialogue about storytelling and encourage us to think deeply about what we see,” he said.

Organizers say CAM at the Movies represents a new platform for conversation—using cinema as a lens to expand the museum experience beyond its walls. With its intimate, 65-seat setting, Jengo’s Playhouse offers a unique venue for these screenings and discussions in Wilmington’s Soda Pop District.

Tickets for all screenings will be available through Jengo’s Playhouse.