PREVIEW: The Sound of Cinema Returns to Tanglewood’s Cinematics Series
**This article originally appeared in our April 2026 print issue**
“Ever since movies stopped being silent, music has been part of the experience.”
The Tanglewood Learning Institute in Lenox, MA is bringing film and music together through its Cinematics series, a collaboration with The Triplex Cinema and the Berkshire International Film Festival that runs through April 26 at Studio E inside the Linde Center. The program blends iconic films with conversations that extend the experience beyond the screen, creating something closer to a cultural movement than a standard movie night.
For Mark Rulison, artistic administrator at the Tanglewood Learning Institute, the revival of the Cinematics series feels like both a return and a renewal. The program first launched in 2019 alongside the opening of the Linde Center before the pandemic interrupted its momentum. “We introduced Cinematics when the Linde Center opened,” Rulison explains. “Like so many things, it paused for a while. Now we’re rebuilding those programs and continuing to grow our year round presence.”
That rebuilding effort carries a clear philosophy. Rulison believes the strongest cultural programming happens when local institutions collaborate rather than compete. Thus, working with The Triplex Cinema and the Berkshire International Film Festival was an easy decision. “One of the things we try to do a lot at TLI is work with our neighbors,” he says. “Any time we can bring people together in the community and build something jointly, it makes the region stronger.”
Their spring lineup reflects that joint spirit while also highlighting the powerful link between film and music. “Ever since movies stopped being silent, music has been part of the experience!” he exclaims. “Some of the greatest music of the last several decades has come from film scores.”
That idea drives the selection of this season’s films. The series opened with the 1986 historical drama, The Mission, starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons. Known as much for its sweeping score as for its story of Jesuit missionaries protecting the Guaraní people from colonial forces, the screening included a talkback with regional religious leaders, inviting audiences to discuss the moral questions raised by the film.
On April 11, the focus shifts toward music itself with the documentary “The Music of Strangers: Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble,” directed by Academy Award winner Morgan Neville. The film explores the groundbreaking international collective created by Yo Yo Ma and the cultural conversations sparked through its performances. Following the screening, original Silk Road Ensemble member and tabla virtuoso Sandeep Das joins the audience for a discussion, bringing firsthand insight into the musical collaboration at the center of the film.
The series concludes April 26 with the visually stunning “Koyaanisqatsi,” the pioneering non-narrative film scored by minimalist composer Philip Glass. Built entirely from striking images of natural landscapes and urban life, the film becomes a reflection on humanity’s relationship with the environment. The screening arrives as part of a weekend of environmentally-focused programming connected to Earth Day, with environmental experts joining the talkback conversation.
For Rulison, these post-screening discussions are imperative to the Cinematics experience. “We’re not a traditional movie house,” he says. “What we can do is create conversations.” The talkbacks bring artists, scholars, and community leaders into the room, encouraging audiences to linger after the credits and explore the ideas raised on screen.
That commitment to dialogue reflects the broader mission of the Tanglewood Learning Institute. Rulison often describes the space as belonging to the community itself. “We’re building a community of people who want to engage with each other,” he said. “Sometimes the best thing we can do is meet people where they are and invite them into the experience.”
It is a philosophy that resonates beyond the Berkshires. For the local arts lover, the Cinematics series represents the kind of cross-cultural harmony that strengthens the entire regional arts landscape. Film lovers, music fans, and curious newcomers all find something to enjoy, whether through a legendary film score or the chance to hear artists discuss their craft in person. Rulison hopes audiences leave the screenings feeling connected not only to the films but to each other.
“We want to create opportunities for people to talk,” he says. “Not just about the film they watched, but about the ideas behind it.” At Tanglewood this spring, that conversation begins with music, continues through cinema, and ends with a congregation of people still thinking about what they have just experienced together.
For tickets and full program details, visit Tanglewood Learning Institute online at bso.org