The Spook Who Sat by the Door

One of the most radical, revolutionary statements in film history, Ivan Dixon’s explosive adaptation of the novel by Sam Greenlee follows the fictional first Black CIA agent (Cook), who uses his specialized training to build a guerrilla army intent on government overthrow. So potent is the film’s call to revolution that it was pulled from theaters within days of opening. BAM is thrilled to present this long-unavailable masterwork of American cinema, a treasured classic and 2012 National Film Registry selection. Presented in collaboration with Film Desk.

Restored by The Library of Congress and The Film Foundation. Funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.




SPECIAL EVENTS

Following the screening on Friday, August 23 at 7pm:

Join us for “Revolutionary Storytelling for Revolutionary Times: A discussion about The Spook Who Sat by the Door,” a conversation with acclaimed artists and storytellers, including rapper Buckshot (Black Moon and Boot Camp Clik), screenwriter Bonsu Thompson (Story Ave), and actor and founder of Moving Mountains Jamie Hector, moderated by Dr. Keith White, Esq (The Brooklyn Combine).

Following the screening on Friday, August 30 at 7pm:

Join us for a discussion with Brandon King and Brother D, moderated by Melissa Lyde, about the intertwined legacy of the film and Black August, an annual commemoration of Black resistance against racial, colonial, and imperialist oppression. Co-presented with Alfreda’s Cinema.

Following the screening on Saturday, August 31 at 7pm:

The Film Comment Podcast records a live discussion called “The Rebel’s Cinema—Frantz Fanon on Screen” with Adam Shatz, Devika Girish, and more.