Few people have contributed more to cinema and cinephilia in the last 50 years than Dave Kehr. He’d have some claim to this title solely as a major critical voice, his work remaining currency decades hence––just look at the popular Not Dave Kehr Letterboxd account for a symbol of his enduring prominence. As a film curator at the Museum of Modern Art, however, Kehr has emboldened one of the world’s foremost cinema cultures with year-round programming that combines classic titles with far-flung finds.

With the third edition of Silent Movie Week beginning at MoMA on July 30, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dave about their lineup, the major advancements made in digital restoration, a discussion of how exactly one puts together a series like this, and (lest you think this is all about my ego) why a presumption of mine was, in fact, incorrect. Plus: his pick––surprising to some, not to me––for the best film to premiere in recent years.