ComicsDC: PR: SPX Announces Funny Pages at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

Wednesday, April 02, 2025

PR: SPX Announces Funny Pages at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

Contact: Warren Bernard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Small Press Expo and AFI Silver Theatre Announce Funny Pages on April 13 and Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borscht Belt on May 18.

Bethesda, MD (April 2, 2025) – The Small Press Expo (SPX) is pleased to announce two more comics-related films with the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in their ongoing film series celebrating comics and their impact on storytelling. This special series will feature screenings of acclaimed films and documentaries, culminating in the highly anticipated SPX 2025 weekend, that will occur September 13-14.

The SPX-AFI Silver series continues on Sunday, April 13, at 3:45 PM at the AFI Silver Theatre with a showing of Funny Pages.

Director Owen Kline made an auspicious debut as a filmmaker with this quirky and blackly comic coming-of-age tale. Kline's love for comic book art shines through, as does an awareness that genuine underground and outsider art does not come from corporate workplaces or well-adjusted people.

The film will be screening in 35mm with a special appearance by director Owen Kline.

For more info and tickets visit the AFI Silver web site.

The series continues with a showing of the documentary Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borscht Belt that will be held on May 18 at 3:15 PM.

This in-depth documentary traces Drew Friedman's evolution from underground comics to the cover of the New Yorker through interviews with Friedman's friends and colleagues. It also features a rare peek into his private "Jewseum," perhaps the world's largest collection of artifacts devoted exclusively to Jewish comedians.

For more info and tickets visit the AFI Silver web site.

Throughout the year, the SPX-AFI Silver film series will continue with a diverse lineup of films celebrating comics, cartoonists, and their unique storytelling power.

"We're incredibly excited to partner with AFI Silver to bring these films to the DC-area audience," said SPX Executive Director Warren Bernard. "This series not only showcases the artistry and storytelling of comics but also celebrates the creators who have shaped the medium."

Further screenings and guest appearances will be announced in the coming months. For tickets and additional information, please visit AFI.com/Silver.

Small Press Expo (SPX) is the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels, and alternative political cartoons. SPX is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that brings together more than 650 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers, and distributors each year. Graphic novels, mini comics, and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators. The expo includes a series of panel discussions and interviews with this year's guests.

The Ignatz Award is a festival prize held every year at SPX recognizing outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, with the winners chosen by attendees at the show.

For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.smallpressexpo.com.