Silver State Storytellers is honored to carry on the legacy of C5, now reintroduced as Carson City Classic Cinema Collective. This slight name change reflects the spirit that has always defined the program: a shared love of film, collaboration, and community. While the word may be new, the heart of C5 remains the same. What began as a celebration of classic and influential cinema will continue as a monthly gathering for movie lovers, storytellers, and the curious—bringing film history to life on the big screen while inviting audiences to be part of a growing, engaged collective of cinephiles.
Beginning this season, C5 screenings will be held at the Brewery Arts Center on the final Thursday of every month—a consistent, can’t-miss tradition for Carson City’s film community. The only exceptions are November and December, when we’ll shift to a different Thursday to accommodate the holiday season. Each evening will feature thoughtfully curated programming that pairs iconic features with shorts, context, conversation, and community—inviting audiences not just to watch films, but to experience them.
Under the stewardship of Silver State Storytellers, C5: Carson Classic Cinema Club will expand into three-month seasonal studies, each one diving deep into a specific aspect of film history, genre, or cinematic technique. These curated mini-series are designed to spark curiosity and conversation—pairing thoughtfully selected films with talk-backs led by industry professionals, costume contests, and interactive experiences that make each screening feel like an event. While remaining rooted in education, accessibility, and a genuine love of cinema, C5 will blend scholarship with fun, honoring the past while inviting audiences to actively engage with the art, craft, and magic of movies—one unforgettable season at a time.
Join us on the final Thursday of each month at the Brewery Arts Center—and be part of the next reel in the C5 story.
Mark your calendars and save the dates, tickets on sale soon!
January – March:
The History of Film Animation
Once Upon an Animation: Origins of the Animated Feature
January 29, 2026
Step into a storybook come to life as we invite you to explore the magical beginnings of animated storytelling.
We’ll begin with the groundbreaking short Steamboat Willie (1928), a landmark moment in animation history that introduced synchronized sound and ushered in a new era of cartoons. Then, settle in for the enchanting feature Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (1937), the world’s first full-length cel-animated feature and a timeless milestone in film history.
It will be a nostalgic, fairy-tale-themed night celebrating imagination, innovation, and the origins of animated magic—on the big screen, where it belongs.
The Rise of the Rivals
February 26, 2026
Animation history is fueled by rebellion, rivalry, and artists bold enough to break away from the status quo. The Rise of Rivals dives into the moment when animators defected from the Disney machine, sparking fierce creative competition and giving rise to sharper humor, darker themes, and entirely new icons. As studios and storytellers pushed back against polished fairy tales, characters like Bugs Bunny emerged—witty, irreverent, and defiantly different—forever changing the tone and possibilities of animation.
We’ll kick things off with Looney Tunes: A Wild Hare (1940), the cartoon that officially introduced Bugs Bunny and defined Warner Bros.’ fast, anarchic style as a direct counterpoint to Disney’s approach. Then, experience the haunting artistry of The Secret of NIMH (1982), a visually rich and emotionally daring feature created by former Disney animators who set out to prove animation could be complex, mature, and uncompromising.
You’re in for an electrifying night celebrating the rivalries that reshaped animation—and the artists who dared to challenge the throne.
Ghosts in the Frames: Anime’s Journey
March 26, 2026
From hand-drawn satire to cyberpunk philosophy, Ghosts in the Frames: Anime’s Journey explores how Japanese animation evolved into one of the most influential cinematic art forms in the world. This screening traces anime’s roots in early 20th-century animation and follows its transformation into a medium capable of tackling identity, technology, and the nature of humanity itself.
We’ll begin with The Dull Sword (Namakura Gatana) (1917), a pioneering and playful silent short that showcases the early visual language and humor of Japanese animation. The evening culminates with Ghost in the Shell (1996), a landmark sci-fi anime that helped bring the genre to global audiences, blending philosophical depth with groundbreaking visuals and redefining what animated films could achieve.
Join us for a thought-provoking night that honors anime’s past, celebrates its artistic evolution, and examines the ideas that continue to shape its future—on the big screen, where these visions truly resonate.
April – June:
The Evolution of Science Fiction
Cosmic Origins: The Birth & Rebirth of Sci-Fi
April 30, 2026
Travel from the earliest dreams of space exploration to the infinite unknown with Cosmic Origins: The Birth & Rebirth of Sci-Fi, a cinematic journey through the foundations of science fiction on film. This special screening traces how filmmakers first imagined the cosmos—and how those visions evolved into bold, philosophical meditations on humanity’s place in the universe.
We’ll begin with A Trip to the Moon (1902), Georges Méliès’ pioneering silent short that launched science fiction cinema with wonder, whimsy, and groundbreaking visual effects. The evening culminates with Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, a monumental work that redefined the genre through its stunning imagery, haunting score, and profound questions about evolution, technology, and the future of mankind.
Strap in for an awe-inspiring night that celebrates the origins of cinematic sci-fi, the rebirth of the genre as high art, and the enduring power of film to imagine worlds beyond our own—on the big screen, where these visions truly belong.
Journey to the Stars
May 28, 2026
Fasten your seatbelts and adjust your ray guns—Journey to the Stars is blasting off into the wonderfully weird, wildly campy side of space-alien cinema. This playful screening celebrates a time when sci-fi was equal parts imagination, spectacle, and pure, unfiltered fun, inviting audiences to embrace the absurd as we explore the cosmos.
We’ll begin with A Trip to Mars (1910), an early silent fantasy that captures humanity’s first cinematic flirtations with extraterrestrial worlds, complete with whimsical effects and wide-eyed wonder. Then, prepare for the ultimate cosmic camp classic: Barbarella (1968). Overflowing with psychedelic visuals, outrageous costumes, and tongue-in-cheek sensuality, this cult favorite turns space exploration into a glittering, groovy adventure unlike anything else in sci-fi history.
Blast off with a night of aliens, adventure, and unapologetic camp—where the stars are strange, the fashion is fabulous, and sci-fi doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The Dystopian Skyline
June 25, 2026
Towering cityscapes. Flickering neon. Futures shaped by power, technology, and inequality. The Dystopian Skyline explores how filmmakers have imagined urban futures where progress comes at a cost—and humanity is forced to reckon with the worlds it builds.
We’ll begin with a striking clip from Metropolis (1927), Fritz Lang’s silent-era masterpiece that introduced cinema to the towering, mechanized city as a symbol of social division and industrial excess. That vision echoes forward into Blade Runner (1982), Ridley Scott’s genre-defining neo-noir sci-fi epic, where rain-soaked streets and glowing skylines frame haunting questions about identity, memory, and what it truly means to be human.
It’s sure to be a a visually apealing and thought-provoking night that traces the evolution of dystopian worlds—from silent cinema to cyberpunk—and examines why these dark futures continue to reflect our deepest hopes and fears about the present.
July – September:
Rise of the Summer Blockbusters
The Summer That Changed Cinema
July 30, 2026
One movie didn’t just terrify audiences—it rewrote the rules of Hollywood forever. The Summer That Changed Cinema celebrates the birth of the modern blockbuster with a beach-party-meets-movie-night experience you won’t want to miss.
Join us on the lawn at Brewery Arts Center for a special outdoor summer screening, where surf vibes, sunshine, and cinematic history collide. We’ll warm things up with Looney Tunes: Hawaiian Aye Aye (1964)—a breezy, cartoon beach romp that sets a fun, carefree tone before the tide turns. As night falls, grab your blankets and beach chairs for Jaws (1975), Steven Spielberg’s legendary thriller that forever changed suspense, sound design, summer releases, and how audiences experience movies together.
Come dressed for the beach, soak up the summer atmosphere, and experience the film that made moviegoing an event—and made everyone think twice before going back in the water.
Truth, Justice, and the Blockbuster Way
August 27, 2026
Before cinematic universes ruled the box office, one hero taught Hollywood how to make audiences believe a man could fly. Truth, Justice, and the Blockbuster Way celebrates the rise of the modern superhero film—and the moment when spectacle, sincerity, and mythmaking collided on the big screen.
We’ll begin with Superman: “The Mad Scientist” (1941), a thrilling Fleischer Studios animated short that set a new standard for superhero animation with its dynamic action, cinematic scale, and groundbreaking visuals. That legacy soars forward with Superman: The Movie (1978), Richard Donner’s landmark feature that redefined the blockbuster by treating its hero with epic grandeur, emotional weight, and unwavering heart.
Take flight an electrifying night honoring the hero who showed audiences—and filmmakers—that comic book stories could be larger than life, deeply human, and worthy of the big screen. Up, up, and away!
Before Time… and Back Again!
September 24, 2026
Long before DeLoreans hit 88 miles per hour, cinema was already dreaming up ways to bend time, revisit the past, and imagine impossible worlds. Before Time… and Back Again! pairs an early special-effects marvel with one of the most beloved time-travel adventures ever put on screen.
We’ll begin with The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (1918), a groundbreaking silent short that amazed early audiences with its stop-motion dinosaurs and imaginative storytelling—offering one of cinema’s earliest glimpses at bringing the distant past to life through visual effects. Then, buckle up for Back to the Future (1985), Robert Zemeckis’ iconic blockbuster that blends sci-fi, comedy, and heart into a perfectly tuned time-travel thrill ride.
Celebrate how filmmakers have used technology, imagination, and sheer movie magic to take us backward—and forward—through time. Great Scott!
October – December:
Lights, Camera… Holidays!
Foundations of Fear
October 30, 2026
Before slashers, jump scares, and modern horror tropes, filmmakers were already learning how to frighten audiences with shadows, suggestion, and the power of the unknown. Foundations of Fear traces the origins of cinematic terror—from its earliest trick films to one of the most shocking and influential thrillers ever made.
We’ll begin with The Haunted Castle (1896), one of the earliest horror films in history. This short silent fantasy used stage magic, visual effects, and eerie imagery to prove that cinema itself could be a tool for fear. That legacy reaches its chilling peak with Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), a landmark film that shattered audience expectations, redefined suspense, and forever changed how horror stories are told on screen.
Join C5: Carson Classic Cinema Club for a spine-tingling October screening that explores how fear was born in cinema—and how it evolved into something unforgettable. Lock the doors, dim the lights, and prepare for the foundations of fear.
Home for the Holidays
November 19, 2026
The holidays have always had a way of bringing out the chaos, comedy, and heartfelt moments of coming home—and Home for the Holidays celebrates that timeless tradition on the big screen. This special screening pairs an early silent-era comedy with one of the most beloved (and relatable) holiday road-trip films of all time.
We’ll begin with His Mother’s Thanksgiving (1910), a charming silent short that captures the early days of cinematic comedy and the universal desire to make it home in time for the holidays. Then, buckle up for Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987), John Hughes’ classic Thanksgiving comedy that turns missed connections, travel disasters, and unlikely friendships into a surprisingly tender holiday story.
This holiday season, join us for a laughter-filled evening about family, frustration, and finding your way home—just in time for the holidays.
Bah, Humbug! A Century of Holiday Cinema
December 17, 2026
From flickering lantern-lit ghosts to felt-covered frogs and singing rats, Bah, Humbug! A Century of Holiday Cinema celebrates the enduring power of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol to warm even the coldest hearts.
We’ll begin with Scrooge; or Marley’s Ghost (1901), one of the earliest literary adaptations ever put on screen. This short silent film captures the novelty and magic of early cinema while introducing audiences to the now-iconic spirits of Christmas past, present, and future. That tradition carries joyfully forward with The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), a beloved modern classic that blends humor, heart, and surprisingly faithful storytelling into a holiday favorite for all ages.
It will be a festive finale that honors cinema’s past, celebrates its present, and reminds us why this story—and this season—continue to endure. Come for the ghosts, stay for the Muppets, and leave with your heart two sizes larger.
