Ink Films, the newly launched theatrical distribution arm of The Beverly Theater, has dropped the first teaser trailer for its debut release, Animation Mixtape, presented and curated by two-time Academy Award nominee Don Hertzfeldt (bitterfilms.com). The feature-length collection of animated shorts will premiere in select theaters beginning Fall 2025, with initial bookings in major cities including New York, Las Vegas and Austin.
The theatrical rollout will expand throughout the year (and beyond), with new dates and cities added regularly. Keep up with announcements at www.inkfilms.com for the most up-to-date city listings as Animation Mixtape continues its tour across North America.
Created by Hertzfeldt himself, the teaser offers a quick-fire glimpse into the strange, beautiful and hilariously twisted tone of Animation Mixtape — featuring his signature hand-drawn characters and brand of existential absurdity. Hertzfeldt also designed the poster for the theatrical event.
Synopsis: A feature-length collection of 12 animated short films, Animation Mixtape is a dazzling, genre-defying journey through the minds of some of the world’s most exciting animators. Flying cows, mysterious gods, existential gags, and lyrical chaos collide in a lineup that blends influential classics with bold new works — many of which have never been widely screened in theaters.
As curator, Hertzfeldt has crafted a program that spotlights both rising talents and the artists that originally inspired him to begin animating more than 30 years ago. Featured filmmakers include:
- Richard Condie
- Bruce Bickford
- Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis
- Mark Baker
- Corrinne James
- David OReilly
- Jesse Moynihan
- Takeshi Murata and Christopher Rutledge
- Maks Rzontkowski
- Kasia Nalewajka
- Nicolas Ménard
- Jonatan Schwenk
As a theatrical-only release, Animation Mixtape will not be available on streaming platforms. Box office profits from the release will be distributed directly to the featured filmmakers, creating a new model for supporting independent animation talent on a global stage.
The initial theatrical launch schedule is:
- Aug. 29 – Sept. 4 — IFC Center, New York, NY
- Sept. 5 — Screenland Armour, Kansas City, MO
- Sept. 6 — Plaza Theatre, Atlanta, GA
- Sept. 6-12 — Austin Film Society, Austin, TX
- Sept. 6 — Cinema Moderne, Montreal, Canada
- Sept. 7-9 — Revue Cinema, Toronto, Canada
- Sept. 11 & 14 — Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, Cleveland, OH
- Sept. 13 — Digital Gym, San Diego, CA
- Sept. 18-24 — The Beverly Theater, Las Vegas, NV
- Sept. 23 — Roxie, San Francisco, CA
- Sept. 26-28 — The Ross, Lincoln, NE
- Sept. 27-28 — UCR Arts, Riverside, CA
- Sept. 28 — The Little Theatre, Rochester, NY
- Oct. 3-9 — Hollywood Theater, Portland, OR
- Oct. 6-7 — Majestic Theaters, Tempe, AZ
