Cinema at The Bower Launches Fall Film Series

Film programmer Kay Lynch brings bold visions, cult discoveries, and cinematic history to The Bower’s Black Box theater

This fall, The Bower at Montserrat College of Art presents Cinema at The Bower: a new film series curated by veteran film programmer Kay Lynch, founder of Salem Horror Fest and film lecturer at the Coolidge Corner Theatre.

Launching September 17 with a screening of cult classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965, dir. Russ Meyer), the series will present an eclectic selection of films chosen for their distinctive visual styles, unconventional characters, provocative themes, and particular relevance to artists and young people exploring the possibilities of visual storytelling.  

“I’m so eager and inspired by the opportunity to help open a new cinema space surrounded by resident artists, galleries, and community workspaces,” says Lynch. “It’s this spirit and energy that has informed our programming criteria. This fall will feature films with distinct visual style, resonant themes, and compelling points of view.”

The inaugural season spans three months of adventurous programming, moving from art-punk joy rides to cursed coastal towns and gothic noir. The series brings together contemporary independent films, cult classics, animation, genre cinema, and influential works from film history—creating unexpected connections between movies made decades apart.

SEPTEMBER — Artpunk Joy Rides

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
The People’s Joker (2023)
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

The series kicks off with three wildly different visions of outsiders on the move. From the treacherous absurdity of Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! to the genderbending superhero mythology of The People’s Joker and the anarchic Americana of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, September celebrates filmmakers and characters who refuse to fit neatly into the mainstream.

OCTOBER — Cursed Coastal Towns

Messiah of Evil (1974)
City of the Dead (1960)
Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost (1999)

October heads for the coast, where sleepy seaside communities conceal cults, curses, ghosts, and other unwelcome secrets. These films explore the uneasy relationship between outsiders and the places they enter, while offering three very different approaches to atmosphere, horror, and visual storytelling.

NOVEMBER — Gothic Noirs

The Seventh Victim (1943)
Corridor of Mirrors (1948)
Batman ’89: Film Noir Edition (2026)

November dives into the shadows with a program of gothic noir, psychological mystery, obsession, and occult intrigue. The lineup moves from the atmospheric studio horror of The Seventh Victim and the supernatural romance of Corridor of Mirrors to a new black-and-white fan edit of Batman that presents the 1989 film as though it were made in 1941, complete with noir-inspired aesthetics, editing, and sound.

For Lynch, the program is about more than screening movies. It is an effort to restore a sense of curiosity, community, and artistic attention to the experience of watching film.

“We need to reclaim cinema as an art form and reject the nomenclature of ‘content,’” says Lynch. “Social media, streamers, and AI evangelists are stripping the voice and vision of actual storytellers. The only way to combat this is to show curiosity outside of our phones and share space and time with others who are willing to do the same.”

Each program has been selected according to three core principles: distinctive visual style and/or subject matter of interest to artists; compelling themes worthy of observation and discussion; and the ability to serve as a gateway for young people to explore artistic styles, filmmaking craft, and creative concepts.

Lynch will host the screenings with opening remarks and occasional special guests, creating an environment where audiences can engage with the films beyond the screen.

About Kay Lynch

Kay Lynch is the founder of Salem Horror Fest and Film Program Director at The Bower by Montserrat College of Art. Named by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the world’s best genre festivals, Salem Horror Fest was founded by Lynch as a welcoming space for audiences to find truth and catharsis in the dark shadows of cinema.

Over the course of her career, Lynch has programmed and presented hundreds of films at venues including the American Cinematheque, Peabody Essex Museum, Coolidge Corner Theatre, and CinemaSalem, where she previously served as Creative Director. At the Coolidge Corner Theatre, she co-presented the Art House of Horror series and taught the sold-out five-week course Arthouse of Horror.

Her film commentaries for The City of the Dead and The Cell are featured on new restorations released by Severin Films and Arrow Films. Her programming and commentary have also been featured by Advocate Magazine, which described her work as “so queer it’s scary.”

About Cinema at The Bower

Cinema at The Bower is a new film program at Montserrat College of Art that invites the campus community and beyond to experience the artistry of film through the lens of bold visionaries, rich themes, and historical context.

Curated and presented by Kay Lynch, the program is housed in the Black Box theater at The Bower, Montserrat’s hub for arts and community in Downtown Beverly. The program is designed to foster discovery, conversation, and community while connecting cinema with Montserrat’s vibrant culture of visual art and creative practice.

Tickets:
$15 General Admission
$8 Students & Seniors

For tickets, dates, and times, please visit bower.montserrat.edu