Killer of Sheep Sunday, June 15, 2025 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m.


Killer of Sheep examines life in Watts, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, in the mid-1970s through the eyes of Stan (Houston native Henry G. Sanders), a sensitive dreamer who is growing detached from the psychic toll of working at a slaughterhouse. Frustrated by money problems, he finds respite in moments of simple beauty: the warmth of a teacup against his cheek, slow dancing with his wife, holding his daughter. MacArthur Genius Award–winner Charles Burnett’s acclaimed debut—his UCLA thesis film, screening in a stunning new restoration—combines lyrical elements with a starkly neorealist, documentary-style approach that chronicles the unfolding story with depth and riveting simplicity. The film’s outstanding score has never sounded better.

Tickets

  • Tickets available soon.
  • $9 general admission; $7 MFAH members, students with ID, seniors (65+)

Plan Your Visit

"Killer of Sheep" has been digitally restored to 4K and remastered by UCLA Film & Television Archive, Milestone Films, and the Criterion Collection. Picture Restoration: Illuminate Hollywood. Photochemical Film Preservation: Film Technology Company. Sound Mix and Restoration: John Polito of Audio Mechanics and Larry Blake. Audio Transfers: DJ Audio, Endpoint Audio Labs. Music Rights: Chris Robertson, Global ImageWorks, and Milestone Films. Restoration supervised by Ross Lipman and Jillian Borders in consultation with Charles Burnett.


Underwriting for the Film Department is provided by Tenaris and American Friends of Fundacion Proa Inc., The June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation, and the Vaughn Foundation.

Generous funding is provided by The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea; Foundation for Independent Media Arts; Nina and Michael Zilkha; Lois Chiles; Franci Neely; Carrin Patman and Jim Derrick; Ms. Laurence Unger; and ILEX Foundation.

Killer of Sheep

Directed by Charles Burnett
(USA, 1977, 80 minutes, in English)
Brown Auditorium Theater, 4K digital restoration

More Dates/Times

Location

Caroline Wiess Law Building
1001 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77005
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