BALBOA + 4-STAR
Robert Townsend
Artist in Residence
FILMMAKER · ACTOR · WRITER · PRODUCER
A pioneering independent filmmaker whose work includes Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats, & The Meteor Man.
August 5 – August 9, 2026
Join us for nine films, live introductions, audience conversations, and a celebration of independent filmmaking with an American original.
AUG 5
Balboa
HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE (1987) – 7:00 pm
AUG 6
Balboa
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967) – 4:30 pm
THE GREAT WHITE HOPE (1970) – 7:30 pm
AUG 7
4-Star
A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957) – 4:30 pm
NETWORK (1976) – 8:00 pm
AUG 8
4-Star
CLAUDINE (1974) – 4:30 pm
THE FIVE HEARTBEATS (1991) – 7:30 pm
AUG 9
4-Star
B*A*P*S* (1997) – 4:00 pm
THE METEOR MAN (1993) – 7:00 pm
FEATURED GUESTS
Meet the filmmakers, actors, directors, musicians, journalists, and Bay Area cinema voices joining Robert Townsend for this five-day residency.
Robert Mailer Anderson
American novelist · screenwriter
An American novelist, screenwriter, playwright, Grammy-nominated producer and activist.
Wednesday, August 5 · 7:00 PM
Hollywood Shuffle · Balboa
Robert Townsend in conversation with Robert Mailer Anderson.
Carl Franklin
DIRECTOR · WRITER · PRODUCER
Acclaimed filmmaker known for character-driven cinema, including One False Move and Devil in a Blue Dress.
Thursday, August 6 · 4:30 PM
In the Heat of the Night · Balboa
Robert Townsend in conversation with Director Carl Franklin.
Jane Alexander
ACTOR · AUTHOR · ARTS ADVOCATE
A celebrated stage and screen actor recognized for The Great White Hope and decades of distinguished performances.
Thursday, August 6 · 7:30 PM
The Great White Hope · Balboa
Taped Q and A – Robert Townsend with Actor Jane Alexander.
Adam Bergeron
CINEMASF
An advocate for neighborhood theaters, repertory programming and the communal experience of cinema.
Friday, August 7 · 4:30 PM
A Face in the Crowd · 4-Star
Robert Townsend in conversation with CinemaSFbay’s Adam Bergeron.
Jesse Hawthorne Ficks
FILM JOURNALIST · PROGRAMMER
A Bay Area film journalist and programmer known for championing adventurous, overlooked and cult cinema.
Friday, August 7 · 8:00 PM
Network · 4-Star
Robert Townsend in conversation with Chronicle journalist Jesse Hawthorne Ficks.
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
ACTOR · DIRECTOR · MUSICIAN
An acclaimed actor and singer known for his roles in Claudine, Cooley High and the television classic, Welcome Back, Kotter.
Saturday, August 8 · 4:30 PM
Claudine · 4-Star
Robert Townsend in conversation with Actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs.
Joel Shepard
journalist
A San Francisco film journalist and curator recognized for championing independent cinema and conversations with filmmakers.
Saturday, August 8 · 7:30 PM
The Five Heartbeats · 4-Star
Robert Townsend in conversation with Journalist Joel Shepard.
Troy Byer
ACTOR · WRITER · DIRECTOR
A celebrated actor, writer, and filmmaker whose screenwriting credits include Robert Townsend’s comedy BAPS.
Sunday, August 9 · 4:00 PM
B*A*P*S · 4-Star
Robert Townsend in conversation with Actor Troy Byer.
Welcome
CinemaSFbay is a registered 501(c)(3) California non-profit public benefit corporation with a mission to educate the general public in the art and science of motion pictures, including independent, documentary, classic, foreign-language, underrepresented, and other culturally diverse and significant films, entertainment, and arts education and to ensure long-term sustainability of our historic neighborhood cinemas — Balboa Theater (1926), the Vogue Theater (1912), and the 4-Star Theater (1913). CinemaSFbay EIN: [99-1949270]
Three Theaters. One Love for Cinema.
Discover quality films for quality people at San Francisco’s historic independent theaters.
Choose your theater and see what’s playing.
