Calendar: May 1-7, 2026
Our movie and media Calendar appears every Friday/Saturday on C-U Blogfidential and caters to the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.
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THE BLOGFIDENTIAL TELETYPE | Film News You Can Use, C-U
What we’re seeing on our beat this week … Once again, we’re going out on the town in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond, this time to investigate the second Savoy Lumierè at the Savoy 16 + IMAX over the weekend, so our crib notes will be compact and our observations marked with a fine point as we catch up on the developments in our cinema world. Do us a solid and inform all of your fellow Agents …
News of a casting call made the social media rounds at seemingly the last minute this week for a picture to be produced in the coming weeks by Sarah Sharp, a member of the brain trust behind Flyover Film Studios, for her own firm, The Line Film Co. Fortunately, the deadline to apply and audition for roles has been extended to Monday, May 4, so the industrious can inquire via the Compass Casting website about FIGHT TO THE DEATH, an MMA action drama written by Jacob Cooney and Jason White and to be directed by Brian Nowak. According to his professional site, Nowak is a Chicago native who schooled at Northern Illinois University and Columbia College, while the tree of IMDb knowledge tells us that White is a Carbondale native, so this arrangement feels like one part homecoming for folks with extensive credits in the kind of genre fare put out by The Asylum, MarVista Entertainment, VMI, SyFy, and so on. Local filming is set for a tight week beginning Thursday, May 6, in Rantoul at the Flyover complex …
With that said, lovely Judy Greer is going to make an appearance in the Windy City with filmmakers Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad for another CHILI FINGER get-together at the venerable Music Box Theatre on Tuesday, May 5, at 7 p.m. as part of this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival. If you want another look at the film after it’s packed-house showing at the Virginia Theatre last month as part of the final Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, then get your tickets and plan a trip. This gives us an excuse to drop additional details on you about the future of FINGER, which filmed on location all throughout Champaign County in 2025 as is well known, for we caught an article by Deadline about the rights to the film being acquired by Signature Entertainment for distribution in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Of course, this implies the possibility of our sights, sounds, and talents being seen all over the world. Archstone Entertainment of Los Angeles is the sales agent repping the picture and we’ll share when a US deal is reached …
The prolific folks at Acrostar Productions of Chicago have headed east for a change of scenery in which to film their latest yarn, THE LEGEND OF TINKER HELL. This fantasy-horror involves a family who is besieged by a smirking sprite with next-to-no good on her mind; Beth Metcalf stars in the title role and the Acrostar clan has gathered in Ohio for a week plus to film beginning today, Friday, May 1. They recently self-released a half-hour slasher parody, YET ANOTHER INDIE HORROR FILM, have the dark rural thriller PERFECT SOUL in the wings for distribution through BayView Entertainment, and are prepping to make REVENGE OF THE CORN ZOMBIES later this summer and close out the trilogy. Hopefully, they’ll come visit us again downstate to do the honors. We’ll keep an ear out on that one for you … and that’s what we can reveal for today. Always remember – this is not just movies, it’s our lives.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
20 Years Ago … Monday, May 1, 2006: Comedian and television writer Mark Roberts, a native of nearby Tolono and former resident of Urbana, begins production this week on his self-financed film WELCOME TO TOLONO. Based on the same-named play, written and directed by Roberts as an “artist-in-residence” production at the Station Theatre in Urbana the previous summer, TOLONO is filmed during a five-week schedule in its small town namesake. Much of the original stage cast appears including Brian Reedy, Mike Trippiedi, David Butler, Kay Bohannon Holley, Gary Ambler, and Barbara Evans, who are joined in this screen adaptation by Mike Harvey, Colleen Klein, Joi Hoffsommer, Anne Shapland Kearns, and Rien Rogers. A premiere of the darkly humorous drama, concerning disparate individuals who attend a weekly support group in the basement of a local church, would take place at the University of Illinois’ Foellinger Auditorium in June 2007 after which it played a smattering of regional festivals. TOLONO has yet to be issued on consumer formats or via streaming. As reported on 5/4/06, 5/14/06, 7/11/07, 8/19/07 at CUBlog. [R]
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Analog Wine Library, Urbana, IL
Film-Fanatic.Club presents Film Fanatic Movie Nights* feat. CHUNGKING EXPRESS (in Cantonese with English sub) (5/7, 8 p.m.)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
Heartland Community College presents the 2026 Heartland Hawk Film Festival* (5/6-5/7) Information
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents Savoy Lumierè 2026* (4/29-5/5) and post-shows feat. THE CHRISTOPHERS (5/6, 7 p.m.), EXIT 8 (5/7, 7 p.m., in Japanese with English sub) Information
@ Shake It Up Cocktail Lounge & Eatery, Bloomington, IL
“B-Movie Bingo” hosted by Paul A. Brooks feat. REPO MAN, REPO CHICK (5/7, 7 p.m.)
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
College of Media at Illinois presents the 2026 Illinois Student Film Festival* (5/2, 7 p.m.) Information
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
ANIMAL FARM (animation), DEEP WATER,THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2, HOKUM, ONE SPOON OF CHOCOLATE*, THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME – THE MOVIE: TEARS OF THE AZURE SEA (animé), THE DRAMA*, LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY*, MICHAEL, PROJECT HAIL MARY, THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation), “Relive the Horror” series feat. CABIN FEVER (5/1, 8 p.m.), Fan Faves: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE* (5/1-5/7) and PAST LIVES* (in Korean with English sub) (5/3, 5/6), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (5/3-5/4, 7 p.m.), BILLIE EILISH ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’ THE TOUR – LIVE IN 3D (concert film), MORTAL KOMBAT II, THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (5/7 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
ANIMAL FARM (animation), DEEP WATER, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2, HOKUM, ONE SPOON OF CHOCOLATE, THE STORY OF EVERYTHING* (documentary), THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME – THE MOVIE: TEARS OF THE AZURE SEA (animé), THE DRAMA, FUZE*, HOPPERS (animation), LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY, MICHAEL, OVER YOUR DEAD BODY*, PROJECT HAIL MARY, THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE (animation) (5/1 on), The Metropolitan Opera: Eugene Onegin (5/2, 12 p.m., simulcast; 5/6, 1 & 6:30 p.m., recorded), MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (5/3, 3 & 7 p.m.; 5/6, 7 p.m.), NORMAL* (5/4-5/7, 4:45 p.m.), BILLIE EILISH ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’ THE TOUR – LIVE IN 3D (concert film) (5/7 on) *single screenings daily
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2025 Weekend Films” feat. NO OTHER CHOICE (in Korean with English sub) (5/1-5/2, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
Mix 94.5 and Rewind 92.5 present KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (in Japanese with English sub) (5/7, 7 p.m.)
Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional “Now Playing” and “Coming Soon” listings appear after the jump!
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NOW PLAYING | The Cities Beyond
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 (Screen 1), MICHAEL (Screen 2) (5/1-5/2)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
MICHAEL (5/1-5/3), THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (5/7 on)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
ISU AsiaConnect presents BLUE BAYOU (5/1, 6 p.m.), WILD STYLE (music documentary) (5/1, 9:30 p.m.), STAR WARS: EPISODE 1 – THE PHANOM MENACE (5/2, 12 p.m.; 5/3, 3 p.m.), STAR WARS: EPISODE 2 – ATTACK OF THE CLONES (5/2, 3 p.m.; 5/3, 7 p.m.), STAR WARS: EPISODE 3 – REVENGE OF THE SITH (5/2, 5/4, 7 p.m.), Heartland Community College presents the 2026 Heartland Hawk Film Festival* (5/6-5/7)
@ Peoria Riverfront Museum, Peoria, IL
Film Society of the Giant Screen Theater presents “Art of Film: American Realism” curated by A. S. Hamrah feat. GOOD TIME (5/1, 5/3)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
PROJECT HAIL MARY (5/1-5/3)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2, READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME (Screen 1), MICHAEL, PROJECT HAIL MARY (Screen 2) (5/1-5/2)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ Music Box Theatre, Chicago, IL
2026 Chicago Critics Film Festival (5/1-5/7) Information
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
NEW! 5/9
2026 MACS Student Showcase*
@ UI Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.
5/14
Vermilion County ROSC presents ROADS TO RECOVERY* docuseries
@ Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL, 5 p.m., free
NEW! 5/16
Halloran Family Foundation presents
FischerFest* “Big Stories, Short Films”
@ Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL, 3-10 p.m., free
9/7-9/17
44th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
@ Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema + Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Chambana Film Society presents “Savoy Lumierè 2026 pre- and post-screenings”
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
5/8: “Identities: Jewish American” short film program (7 p.m.), 5/15: “Identities: The Soul of Black Folk” short film program w/discussion (7 p.m.), 5/22: TIGHT & NERDY (documentary) w/burlesque performance, MAYBE IT’S THIS short film preview (7 p.m.)
Film Society presents “Art of Film: American Realism” curated by A. S. Hamrah
@ Giant Screen Theater, Peoria Riverfront Museum, Peoria, IL
5/8, 5/10: THE BLING RING; 5/15, 5/17: BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD; 5/22, 5/24: BLESS THEIR LITTLE HEARTS; 5/29, 5/31: HUSTLE; 6/12, 6/14: DANCER IN THE DARK; 6/19, 6/21: STROSZEK; 6/26, 6/28: KAJILLIONAIRE; 7/3, 7/5: LEAVE NO TRACE
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
© 2026 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential
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