On the Road with the Criterion Mobile Closet

Since the inception of our Closet Picks series in 2010, hundreds of filmmakers and other artists have stopped by the Criterion offices to browse our releases and champion their favorite movies. In celebration of our fortieth anniversary last year, we decided to build a replica of the Closet inside a delivery van and take it out on the road, opening up our collection of over 1,000 important classic and contemporary films to the public for the very first time.

After launching in the fall with what the New York Times called “the hottest event at this year’s New York Film Festival,” the Mobile Closet made an appearance in Brooklyn at St. Ann’s Warehouse and is about to head next to Austin, Texas.

We’ve gathered some memorable moments in the videos below, and we’ll be updating this roundup as the Mobile Closet continues touring the country. Follow us on Instagram, X, or Facebook for news on our upcoming destinations! 

Austin

For its third stop (and its first outside of New York City), the Criterion Mobile Closet headed to Austin, Texas, and opened its doors to film lovers at SXSW. Over the course of four days, more than a thousand visitors had their moment in the Closet, and among the editions that sold out are World of Wong Kar Wai, Y tu mamá también, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Seven Samurai, and WALL·E.

Brooklyn

In October 2024, the Criterion Mobile Closet parked for two days outside St. Ann’s Warehouse, a performing-arts venue located in Brooklyn Bridge Park. We welcomed nearly four hundred guests, including actor Ethan Hawke, author Isaac Butler, and video creator Kemio. The most popular titles included The Before Trilogy, Tampopo, and Paris, Texas.

Manhattan

We launched the Criterion Mobile Closet with a two-weekend engagement at the 62nd New York Festival. Despite rainy weather, the events attracted over nine hundred fans—some of whom you’ll see in these videos, along with special guests including directors Ari Aster and David Cronenberg; dancer Misty Copeland; musician Devonté Hynes; and actor Isabella Rossellini.