Cinema Salem

Thu, Sep 17 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Critter Fest Opening Night Film: SECOND NATURE

Critter Fest Opening Night Film

Did you know that clownfish change sex from male to female? (So if Nemo’s mom had died in real life, his dad would have become his mom!) Did you know that albatross, penguins and swans parent in same sex pairs? Or that bonobos, who are just as closely related to us as chimps, are matriarchal and have same-sex sex every day?!

Elliot Page narrates SECOND NATURE, a hilarious and heartening romp through the animal world, led by brave scientists fighting censorship as they reveal the truth about our nature.

Thu, Sep 17 11:30 PM – 6:10 PM

Salem CritterFest

4000 minutes

Cinema Salem Festivals Animal Events

Friday, September 18, 2026

Fri, Sep 18 4:30 PM – 6:40 PM

Practical Magic 2

PG-13 | 130 minutes

Fri, Sep 18 7:30 PM – 9:40 PM

Practical Magic 2

PG-13 | 130 minutes

Fri, Sep 18 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM

An Evening of Hocus Pocus! A Spelltacular Cabaret

90 minutes

Fri, Sep 18 10:00 PM – 11:30 PM

Critter Fest Late Show: HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS

What is Hundreds of Beavers? Is it the tale of a drunken applejack salesman battling hundreds of beavers? Yes! Is it a winter western? Yes! Is it a glorious tribute to classic Looney Tunes shorts? Yes! Is it a legit homage to the earliest days of silent film comedies in beautiful black and white? Yes! Is it a spectacularly immature, bro-centric epic of outrageous proportions? Yes!

“Hundreds of Beavers exists at the crossroads of Looney Tunes, Benny Hill, Cannibal: The Musical, Blazing Saddles, and Adult Swim mindsets”

Saturday, September 19, 2026

Sat, Sep 19 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Critter Fest: Better Call Babs

BETTER CALL BABS takes you on a ride-along with Babs Fry, exploring both her renowned work as a vigilante pet detective and the personal struggles that have made her the inspiration she is today. From high-stakes rescue missions to intimate moments of reflection, this documentary captures the chaos she embraces daily as a recovering addict turned hero.

If you’ve ever posted about a lost dog in San Diego, chances are you’ve heard the words echoed back to you time and time again: “Call Babs.”

That phrase exists for a reason.

Babs Fry — a Red Cross Award recipient, local legend, and undeniable badass — has become the face of pet recovery in San Diego because she shows up when others don’t know what to do next.

The Better Call Babs Film takes you into the passenger seat of her iconic van and along for the ride — not just through the field work, but through the personal challenges, grit, and determination that shaped the woman behind the mission.

Sat, Sep 19 1:30 PM – 3:40 PM

Practical Magic 2

PG-13 | 130 minutes

Sat, Sep 19 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Critter Fest: The Ark

The Ark is an improbable tale of the transcendent relationship between a people and their land, as amid constant danger, a Ukrainian family’s home transforms into a refuge for chickens, donkeys, horses, emus and hundreds of displaced animals abandoned by war.

Zhenye and Anatoly Pilipenko’s dream of a quiet place in the country is shattered overnight as a Russian missile explodes over their house on the first night of war. As rockets fall and fires rage, they face an impossible choice: flee the violence at their doorstep or stay and protect the home they dreamed of building for years. When a soldier on his way to the frontline asks the couple if they could care for his goats – all 37 of them – while he fights in the trenches; Practically overnight, Anatoly an Zhenye’s home transforms into the largest animal sanctuary in Eastern Ukraine. From rescued chickens, displaced donkeys, wandering horses and even emus, Anatoly and Zhenye risk their lives and livelihoods to rescue any part of Ukraine they can – including the wounded and defenseless animals scattered across the country from the war.

Told primarily through verité, amidst constant danger, heartbreaking loss and improbably an inextinguishable reservoir of hope, Zhenye and Anatoly’s sanctuary stands as a defiant testament to the unbreakable bond between a nation, its people, and the land they refuse to surrender.

Sat, Sep 19 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

An Evening of Hocus Pocus! A Spelltacular Cabaret

90 minutes

Sat, Sep 19 4:30 PM – 6:40 PM

Practical Magic 2

PG-13 | 130 minutes

Sat, Sep 19 7:30 PM – 9:40 PM

Practical Magic 2

PG-13 | 130 minutes

Sat, Sep 19 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM

An Evening of Hocus Pocus! A Spelltacular Cabaret

90 minutes

Sat, Sep 19 8:30 PM – 9:58 PM

Night of the Creeps

R | 88 minutes

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Sun, Sep 20 1:30 PM – 3:40 PM

Practical Magic 2

PG-13 | 130 minutes

Sun, Sep 20 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

An Evening of Hocus Pocus! A Spelltacular Cabaret

90 minutes

Sun, Sep 20 4:30 PM – 6:40 PM

Practical Magic 2

PG-13 | 130 minutes

Sun, Sep 20 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Critter Fest Closing Night Film: Unspoken Bond

Unspoken Bond is a feature documentary that explores the deep connection between humans and animals through three touching stories demonstrating how animals enrich our lives beyond measure.

Shannon Dueck, a top dressage rider, grieves deeply after losing her Olympic-hopeful horse Angel to a severe injury. Yet, she gradually finds her way back, supported by her community and new equine friendships.

Nicole Navarro overcame 18 years of addiction to establish Pawsitive Beginnings Fox Sanctuary in the Florida Keys, where rescued foxes from fur farms and the exotic pet trade now aid trauma survivors in their healing journey.

Jason Gaver, a veteran dealing with PTSD and significant loss, reconnects through Woodrow, his service dog, who helps him be present for his young daughter and reintegrate into everyday life.

Guided by top experts, the film delves into the science and soul of the human-animal bond — a relationship that provides unconditional acceptance, healing, and happiness.