Calendar: September 18-24, 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
Surprise … the local film culture news is still piling up, we’re aware. But, we’re keeping a couple of promises to highlight some of the movie activity in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond with our bonus posts this week and, like everything that winds up here on our weblog, it takes time and care to bring the content to fruition. That, plus other extraneous and paying creative work that Ye Ed needs to corral and put out to pasture after it all herds together, such as right now, means we’re stretching it thin.
That said, three points of interest for you, dearest readers. First, please enjoy our interview that we posted on Friday with Vijay M. Rajan about his new and filmed-in-C-U-area feature film DARK SOUL RIVER, which will have its premiere showing on Saturday night at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign. And then, folks interested in giving good face in the future productions, whether or not they swing through the cavernous confines of Flyover Film Studios in Rantoul, need to jump on it. We somehow keep missing the last-minute (or, so it seems) calls for extras and minor speaking roles, such as with the recent films GABLE, THE BOY CODE, and FIGHT TO THE DEATH that have recently come and gone, so be sure to get on the lists of firms like Bokeh Background or Forge Film Acting and socials like Experience Champaign-Urbana, Champaign County Film Office, and Champaign Casting Call. The latter is where we just found a notice for what looks like the next large-scale project, TESSELLATION, and a link in the post comments will lead to a Google Doc you can use to apply. And finally, watch this space for our notes on the Jacksonville-based indie HOLLER, which will soon resume under the direction of Devin Smock and Samuel David after an unexpected break and could use a hand with their budget to help take care of the base costs as well as their loyal cast and crew who will return to work on the “apocalypse Western.”
We should also remind you that Champaign Movie Makers has been providing a space for local camera creatives to comingle and collaborate for nearly twenty years; you can meet the current members during their monthly get-together at the Esquire Lounge in downtown Champaign on this Monday, September 21, starting at 7 p.m., where they will probably still be aglow post-Pens to Lens. The CMM Facebook group and an e-newsletter keep up with the local doings as well, so you would do well to sign up. Onward.
LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers
@ Esquire Lounge, Champaign, IL
Champaign Movie Makers* mixer (9/21, 7 p.m.)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
Chambana Film Society* presents a special 100th CFS show feat. MORRIS FROM AMERICA and filmmaker Chad Hartigan via Zoom (Thurs., 9/23, 7 p.m., free w/ticket reservation) Information
@ Shake It Up Cocktail Lounge & Eatery, Bloomington, IL
“B-Movie Bingo” hosted by Paul A. Brooks* feat. LISA FRANKENSTEIN, FRANKENHOOKER (9/24, 7 p.m.)
@ School of Information Sciences, UIUC, Urbana, IL
UI Center for East Asian & Pacific Studies and UI Mortenson Center for International Library Programs present “AsiaLENS”/Mortenson screening feat. ONE BIG HAPA FAMILY w/filmmaker Jeff Chiba Stearns (9/24, 5:45-8:15 p.m.)
@ WEFT 90.1 FM, Champaign, IL
“Frame Noise” film music program hosted by Przemek (9/23, 7-8 p.m.) Streaming | Archive
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
DAAYRA (in Hindi with English sub), IF I GO WILL THEY MISS ME*, RESIDENT EVIL, SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM* (animation), THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 40th anniversary (animation re-release), THE WEIGHT, BUDDY*, BY ANY MEANS*, HOPE* (in Korean with English sub), INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER, OASIS: DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER* (music documentary), PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, RUNNER, SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY, THE UPRISING (9/18 on), Fan Faves: DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD* (9/18, 9/20-9/24, 4 p.m.), BATMAN* (9/18-9/19, 6:45 p.m.), THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE* (animation) (9/19-9/20, 1 p.m.), BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM* (animation) (9/19, 4 p.m.), HEAVEN IN STONE AND GLASS (religious documentary) (9/20, 7 p.m.; 9/23, 4 & 7 p.m.), AMC “Screen Unseen” (mystery movie) (9/21, 7 p.m.), THE PARADISE (in Telugu with English sub) (9/23, 1:30, 5:30 & 9:30 p.m.), AVENGERS: ENDGAME – ENCORE (re-release), FORGOTTEN ISLAND (animation), HEART OF THE BEAST, PRIMETIME (9/24 on) *single screenings daily
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
DON’T MOVE*, GHOST IN THE SHELL 30th anniversary (animé, in Japanese with English sub or English dub, re-release), HANUMAN ASH (in Hindi with English sub), RESIDENT EVIL, SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM* (animation), THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 40th anniversary (animation re-release), THE UPRISING, THE WEIGHT, BUDDY, COYOTE VS. ACME, THE END OF OAK STREET*, THE FIX*, HOPE (in Korean with English sub), INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER, OASIS: DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER* (music documentary), THE ODYSSEY, PAW PATROL: THE DINO MOVIE (animation), PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, RUNNER, SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (9/18 on), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (extended) (9/19-9/20, 9/23, 3 & 7 p.m.), UFC 331: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja, more (mixed martial arts) (9/19, 8 p.m., simulcast), HEAVEN IN STONE AND GLASS (religious documentary) (9/20, 3 & 7 p.m.; 9/23, 7 p.m.), AVENGERS: ENDGAME – ENCORE (re-release), FORGOTTEN ISLAND (animation), HEART OF THE BEAST, PRIMETIME (9/24 on) *single screenings daily
@ Courtyard Café, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2026 Weekend Films” feat. SUPERGIRL (9/19-9/20, 7 p.m.; free w/i-card)
@ Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL
UI Center for East Asian & Pacific Studies presents “AsiaLENS” feat. OUR MR. MATSURA w/filmmaker Beth Harrington (9/14, 5:30 p.m., free)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
DARK SOUL RIVER* feature film “workprint premiere” w/filmmaker discussion (9/19, 7:30 p.m.)
Events featuring locally produced movies or organized by local groups 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 Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
Danville Library Foundation, etc., present “How to Sell Out a Haunted Theater: An Evening with Grady Hendrix” (9/23, 6 p.m. doors, 6:30 p.m. show, free)
@ The Harvest Moon Twin Drive-in, Gibson City, IL
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 (Screen 1), RESIDENT EVIL (Screen 2) (9/18-9/19)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 (9/18-9/20), HEART OF THE BEAST (9/24 on)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
POST AMERIKAN: THE NEWSPAPER THAT WOULDN’T DIE* w/filmmaker Gary Fritz (9/18, 7 p.m., free), ONCE (9/19, 3 p.m.; 9/20, 7 p.m.), STEEL MAGNOLIAS (9/19, 7 p.m.; 9/20, 3 p.m.), Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 129 and the Normal present RED TAILS (9/23, 7 p.m.), HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (9/24, 7 p.m.)
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
COYOTE VS. ACME (9/18-9/20)
@ The Route 66 Drive-in Theater, Springfield, IL
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2, BUDDY (Screen 1), RESIDENT EVIL, SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (Screen 2) (9/18-9/19)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
@ ACX Harper Theater – Hyde Park + Gene Siskel Film Center, SAIC, Chicago, IL
33rd Chicago Underground Film Festival (9/23-9/27) Information
@ Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema + Chicago Filmmakers + Music Box Theatre, Chicago, IL
Chicago Filmmakers presents the 44th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (through 9/27) Information
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
9/25
Film-Fanatic.Club* presents
THE IRON GIANT moderated by Chuck Koplinski
@ Anita Purves Nature Center, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m., outdoors
10/3
9 TO 5
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
10/8-10/18
35th Heartland Film Festival
@ various venues, Indianapolis, IN
10/16-10/17
Show and Tell presents
“We Interrupt This Program” feat. Bob Odenkirk
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7:30 p.m.
10/23
“Behind the ‘Scream’: A Live Conversation with David Arquette”
feat. 30th anniversary screening of SCREAM (1996)
@ Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Bloomington, IL, 7 p.m.
10/27
An evening with ‘Partially Devoured’ author Daniel Kraus
feat. screening of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
10/31
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW w/shadow cast
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, doors 7:30 p.m., event 8:30 p.m.
11/5-11/15
Cinema St. Louis presents
35th Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival
@ The Hi-Pointe Theatre, St. Louis, MO
11/8
Film-Fanatic.Club* presents
SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS moderated by Sam Veremchuk
@ Pizzeria Antica, Champaign, IL, time TBA
11/13
Inter-Pygmalion* presents
David Cross
@ The City Center, Champaign, IL, 8 p.m.
11/20-11/22
25th anniversary Route 66 Film Festival*
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
4/8-4/11, 2027
37th Onion City Experimental Film Festival
@ Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse, Chicago, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
Chambana Film Society presents “2026 Doctoberfest”
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
HANGING BY A WIRE (10/2, 7 p.m.), THE LAST MOVIE CRITIC* (10/8, 7 p.m.), ALL SKATE (10/9, 7 p.m.), COOKIE QUEENS (10/10, 1:30 p.m.), JOYBUBBLES (10/10, 3:30 p.m.), THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS (10/10, 6 p.m.), PINBALL: BEYOND THE BUMPERS (10/10, 8 p.m.), SILVER SCREAMERS (10/11, 12 p.m.), A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHASING STORMS (10/11, 2 p.m.), “CatVideoFest 2026” (10/11, 4 p.m.), THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE (10/12, 7 p.m.), THE LORRAINE (10/17, 2 p.m.), ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM (10/17, 4 p.m.), TIME WARP (11/1, 4 p.m.) | Information
Film-Fanatic.Club, etc., present “Shocktober Horror Film Festival”
@ various locations & times, Champaign-Urbana, IL
10/8: THE BLACK CAT (1934) @ The Scratching Post, U.; 10/17: SANTA SANGRE @ Cloud Mountain Kombucha, U.; 10/20: THE HUNGER @ Amy’s Place, C.; 10/24: THE FLY (1986) @ Analog Wine Library, U.; 10/27: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) @ The Virginia Theatre, C.; 10/31: THE WITCH @ The Literary, C. | Information
Illini Union Board presents “Fall 2026 Weekend Films”
@ Courtyard Café, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Sat. & Sun., free w/i-card
9/26-9/27: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU; 10/3-10/4: OBSESSION; 10/10-10/11: MINIONS & MONSTERS; 10/17-10/18: HOCUS POCUS; 10/24-10/25: THE SHEEP DETECTIVES; 10/31-11/1: COCO; 11/7-11/8: THE END OF OAK STREET; 11/14-11/15: SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY; 11/21-11/22: TOY STORY 5; 12/5-12/6: THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
Pygmalion 2026 x Chambana Film Society collab
@ Old Tiernan Hall, Urbana, IL, free to the public (unless otherwise noted)
STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE! feat. filmmaker Carl Deal via Zoom (9/25, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $10 + fees advance, $15 door, Knight Auditorium, UI Spurlock Museum, Urbana, IL), THE GREEN MILL: A REAL CHICAGO JOINT feat. filmmaker Paul L. Carr in person (9/26, 6 p.m.), “Animation After Dark” (9/26, 8 p.m.), DEATH OF A ROCKSTAR (9/26, 10 p.m.), “Shorts: Jewish-American” (9/27, 4 p.m.), “Shorts: Homegrown” (9/27, 6 p.m.), SLOUCHING TOWARDS BRANSON (9/27, 8:30 p.m.) Information
UPDATE! Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies* event series
@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Center for World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m., free to the public (unless otherwise noted)
10/22: 2026 Roger Ebert Lecture by Alison Nadia Field on “early Black affection on screen” (4 p.m.); 10/29: “DCP inauguration” screening feat. SUSPIRIA (1977)
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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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