Steven Spielberg: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – Film screening

An alien, an extraordinary friendship, and a film that has moved generations: Steven Spielberg's E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial from 1982 is one of the most famous classics of science fiction cinema. On November 12, 2026, the film will be shown as part of a screening at the HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark in Graz.

The story begins in a suburb of Los Angeles. Young Elliott grows up in a family marked by tension and uncertainty. When a friendly alien is left behind after the landing of a UFO, an unusual friendship develops between the two. Spielberg merges science fiction with fairy-tale elements and tells a story of loneliness, trust, belonging, and growing up.

Upon its release, E.T. became the most commercially successful film of all time – a record that was only surpassed by Spielberg's Jurassic Park in 1993.

A special connection exists with the artist Katherine Bernhardt. As a child, she saw E.T. 18 times in theaters. During her art studies, the character became one of her first pop motifs and has accompanied her artistic work to this day.

In her exhibition Neonfarbblendluminanzwuchtgemaeldenetzhautkollisionsgefahr, the alien can also be discovered in several works. The film screening thus offers an exciting look at the connection between popular film culture and contemporary painting.