<\/p>\n
Our movie and media Calendar appears every Friday\/Saturday on <\/em>C-U Blogfidential<\/span><\/strong> and caters to the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!<\/strong><\/p>\n 12\/21: Max Libman (founder\/host, CU International Film Festival, Urbana, IL) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said<\/strong><\/p>\n This week\u2019s Report<\/strong> brings you a set of three wise updates about when and how you can see indies created by local makers. First, Kimberly Conner<\/strong> from Predestined Arts & Entertainment<\/strong> finished up a five-city tour of nightly premieres for her latest feature, LIPSTICK<\/strong>, after which she announced it was available to stream; filmed in Los Angeles<\/strong>, apparently a long-standing goal for the filmmaker, the crime thriller starring Camille Winbush<\/strong> (THE BERNIE MAC SHOW<\/strong>) can be viewed on Amazon Prime<\/strong><\/a><\/span> with presumably more options to come. Conner is also hosting a seminar called \u201cHow to Make a Movie in Fifty Bite Size Steps<\/strong>\u201d that will be offered on Saturday, January 3<\/strong>, from 11 a.m.<\/strong> to 1 p.m.<\/strong>, and you can register for the two-hour Zoom<\/strong> session by visiting this PayPal<\/strong> link<\/a><\/span>. THE L.A.F. KIDS<\/strong>, an orphanage children-versus-mobsters caper that was filmed across central Illinois<\/strong> by the folks at Northend Empire LLC<\/strong>, is now available through Prime<\/a><\/span> as well as on YouTube<\/strong><\/a><\/span>; director Nate L. Morris<\/strong>\u2019 \u201clost-and-found kids\u201d adventure was seemingly lost for a full year after its public debut at the Fischer Theatre<\/strong><\/a><\/span> in Danville<\/strong>, but it\u2019s now clear the L.A.F. were merely AWOL until a they found a new home. To close, seemingly moments after Fathom Events<\/strong> and Simeon Faith<\/strong> dropped a forty-second teaser for their gangland drama MOSES THE BLACK<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, filmed in Chicago<\/strong> and the Rantoul-Champaign<\/strong> region, they came right back with a pulsing three-minute trailer<\/a><\/span> for the release, which will hit theaters nationwide for a minimum one-week run beginning on Friday, January 30<\/strong>. The story juxtaposes an attempt to go straight by Malik, played by Omar Epps<\/strong>, with the life of St. Moses the Black<\/strong>, an Egyptian monk living in the fourth century A.D. who had given up a life of thievery along the River Nile<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n IMAGERY DU C-U | Picturing Our Scene on the Screen<\/strong><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n Continuing on our run of \u201cshorts reports,\u201d we turn to check in with our friends at Acrostar Productions<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. They are deep in post-production for PERFECT SOUL<\/strong>, the commune vs. supernatural yarn they filmed over 2025, and also deep in pre-production on THE LEGEND OF TINKER HELL<\/strong>, which will star Beth Metcalf<\/strong> in the title role as the thorn in an average family\u2019s side, but that has not stopped the company from exercising those creative muscles on set. In the space of the last six weeks, they have premiered on their YouTube channel not one, not two, but three<\/em> new projects that all hinge on dark twists of fate.<\/p>\n Starting with the most prominent, \u201cLeap of Faith<\/strong>\u201d is a giant-sized episode<\/a><\/span> of their series SPLINTERED LOVE<\/strong> and also serves as its finale; Metcalf\u2019s Cupidity, a buxom sprite with a curt Elvira<\/strong> tongue, narrates as always and foreshadows a love going wrong between a couple, played by Joanna Ferbrache<\/strong> and Steve Morris<\/strong>, who meet at a local dive bar and a young man in a liquor store, played by Leonard Peterson III<\/strong>, who later figures into the scheme. Apart from closing that Acro-chapter, the team has also turned a pair of founder Steve Hermann<\/strong>\u2019s stories into stand-alone pieces. The first, THE LAST STOP<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, sees a runaway named Kasey (Julia Nurenberg<\/strong>) browse an antique store and share a conversation with the warmhearted owner, Mr. Hansen (Michael Steen<\/strong>), who promises comfort but not of a kind she yearns for. And in ROOM 176<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, a self-assured trick named Lala (Jaylee Hein<\/strong>) and a perennial john (Hermann) get into a discussion about following different paths in their lives that throws them both for a devastating loop. That\u2019s all we\u2019re at liberty to disclose so as to avoid spoilers. Go check them out at the respective links.<\/p>\n Hermann directed THE LAST STOP<\/strong> and Ann Myrna<\/strong> directed ROOM 176<\/strong> and the concluding SPLINTERED LOVE<\/strong>, which features an appearance by Chicago-based actress and producer Katharin \u201cLadie K\u201d Mraz<\/strong> (YOU\u2019RE OUT!<\/strong>). As per the Acrostar acumen, all of the above were filmed in central Illinois, SPLINTERED LOVE<\/strong> and ROOM 176<\/strong> in Gibson City<\/strong> and THE LAST STOP<\/strong> in Farmer City<\/strong>. And as usual, we\u2019ll do our best to keep up with everything on their plate including the features and the imminent return of their early web series, BLOOD SISTERS<\/strong>, for which they just filmed a teaser.<\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History<\/strong><\/p>\n 15 Years Ago \u2026<\/strong> Friday, August 13, 2010:<\/em> After several years\u2019 worth of production dating back to 2005 and the premieres of three previous installments, WEREWOLF CEMETERY Episode IV<\/strong> receives a hero\u2019s welcome and caps off an extremely hairy undertaking by the friends behind BrainSmart Productions<\/strong>. Ultimately filmed at dozens of locations in Champaign<\/strong> and Vermilion<\/strong> counties and starring a who\u2019s-who of amiable neighbors drafted from the local service industries, University of Illinois<\/strong> college scene, and townie hangouts like Mike \u2018n Molly\u2019s<\/strong>, a close-knit drinking establishment that is tucked away on Market Street<\/strong> in downtown Champaign, CEMETERY<\/strong> sees the brewing fight between the rural gravediggers whose numbers are decimated, newly risen furbags led by the power-hungry Thane, and the befuddled denizens of Amnesia Falls coming to a head. Brought to life through blood, sweat, beers, and duct tape by Jason Butler, Mark Peaslee, Bob Henne<\/strong>, and other moonlighting technicians with a colorful cast led by Steve Ucherek, Ann Fitzgerald, Bill Turner, Lacie Ucherek, Scott Kimble, Dr. Erik Martin, Owen M. Anderson<\/strong>, Henne, and Butler, the most elaborate go-round to date wows a late-night crowd at Mike n\u2019 Molly\u2019s. C-U Blogfidential<\/span><\/strong> editor Jason Pankoke<\/strong> made his BrainSmart debut in this project, appearing several times throughout the two-hour duration in various disguises, and took set photographs on a handful of occasions. Episode IV is reprised on Sunday, August 15<\/strong>, with a bonus attraction \u2013 ONE ROACH FOR SEAMUS<\/strong>, a monochrome short finished by its creator, Karl Bauer<\/strong>, nearly twenty years after he and high school friends had first set up a camcorder and pressed \u201crecord.\u201d Other than to burn the occasional copies for fundraising groups in Champaign-Urbana<\/strong> from his adopted home of Portland, Oregon<\/strong>, CEMETERY<\/strong> director Butler has never released the series in full on any medium and only dangles a few entrails on YouTube<\/strong> in the form of trailers and bloopers<\/a><\/span>. As reported on 8\/13\/10<\/a><\/span>, 5\/26\/16<\/a><\/span> at<\/em> CUBlog<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n @ Channing-Murray Foundation, Urbana, IL<\/strong> @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area<\/strong><\/p>\n @ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL<\/strong> @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional \u201cNow Playing\u201d and \u201cComing Soon\u201d listings appear after the jump!<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | The Cities Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n @ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL<\/strong> @ Golden Ticket Cinemas Ale House, Bloomington, IL<\/strong> @ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL<\/strong> @ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL<\/strong> @ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL<\/strong> @ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | Midwest<\/strong><\/p>\n @ Chicago Filmmakers Firehouse Cinema, Chicago, IL<\/strong> For detailed and curated listings of Chicago-area film presentations and related events, please visit the fine folks at<\/em> Cine-File<\/strong> and subscribe to their definitive \u201cCine-List\u201d weekly blast<\/a><\/span>. And for northern Illinois industry news, be sure to read<\/em> Reel Chicago<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>,<\/em> Screen Magazine<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>, and the <\/em>Chicago Reader<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n COMING SOON | Area-wide Events<\/strong><\/p>\n 1\/16-1\/18, 2026<\/strong> 4\/3-4\/10, 2026<\/strong> 4\/9-4\/12, 2026<\/strong> NEW! 4\/17-4\/19, 2026<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area<\/strong><\/p>\n Chambana Film Society presents \u201cThe Savoy Arthouse\u201d<\/strong> ~~~~~<\/p>\n Compiled by Jason Pankoke.<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n \u201cCalendar du C-U\u201d Select movie listings for December 19-25, 2025 in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond! Don\u2019t forget to peruse this week\u2019s Field Report! And, did you take a peek at the Images of the week? Also, have you memorized the BRAND-NEW Confidential Almanac for today?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[869,1922,1836,53,19,10,3071,2264,2198],"tags":[2749,2751,870,3073,317,1868,2683,3055,2678,3075,2833,3072,3024,2856,3074],"class_list":["post-16787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-calendar-du-c-u","category-chicago-stories","category-confidential-almanac","category-educationclasses","category-images-du-cu","category-production-updates","category-release-dates","category-streaming-cinema","category-zoom-du-c-u","tag-acrostar-productions","tag-ann-myrna","tag-cinema-calendar","tag-fathom-events","tag-kimberly-d-conner","tag-lipstick","tag-local-filmmaking","tag-moses-the-black","tag-northend-empire-llc","tag-room-176","tag-s-j-hermann","tag-simeon-faith","tag-splintered-love","tag-the-l-a-f-kids","tag-the-last-stop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16787"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16802,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16787\/revisions\/16802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n12\/21: Linda McElroy (volunteer, Route 66 International Film Festival, Springfield, IL)
\n12\/24: Owen Anderson (actor\/stunt coordinator, WEREWOLF CEMETERY, Brainsmart Productions, Portland, OR)
\n12\/25: Shea Kelly (writer\/director, A MAN OF CHARACTER, A Thousand Yard Stare Productions, Decatur, IL)
\n12\/27: Bill Turner (actor\/set guru, WEREWOLF CEMETERY, Brainsmart Productions, Portland, OR)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nTHE TRAVIS WAYNE HURT CHRISTMAS SPECIAL THE 13TH (12\/21, doors 7:30 p.m., specials 8 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nChambana Film Society* presents \u201cThe Savoy Arthouse\u201d feat. LOCKE w\/guest Sanford Hess (12\/21, 3 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nAVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, DAVID (faith animation), HAMNET, THE HOUSEMAID, THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (animation), FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY\u2019S 2, SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT*, WICKED: FOR GOOD, ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation) (12\/19 on), ELLA MCCAY* (12\/19-12\/23), AMC \u201cScreen Unseen\u201d (mystery movie) (12\/22, 7 p.m.), ANACONDA, MARTY SUPREME, SONG SUNG BLUE (12\/24 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nAVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, DAVID (faith animation), HAMNET, THE HOUSEMAID, THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (animation), ELLA MCCAY*, ETERNITY*, FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY\u2019S 2, JUJUTSU KAISEN: EXECUTION* (anim\u00e9) (in Japanese with English sub or English dub), SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT*, WICKED: FOR GOOD, ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation) (12\/19 on), Indian cinema: BHA BHA BA* (in Malayalam with English sub; 12\/19) and DHURANDHAR (in Hindi with English sub; 12\/19-12\/23), HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS 25th anniversary (re-release) (12\/19-12\/23, 10:15 a.m.), The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker<\/span> (12\/21, 3 p.m.; 12\/22, 7 p.m.; recorded), IT\u2019S A WONDERFUL LIFE (12\/21, 11:45 a.m., 3, 7 & 10 p.m.; 12\/24, 12:15, 3 & 7 p.m.), ANACONDA, MARTY SUPREME, SONG SUNG BLUE (12\/24 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nTHE SANTA CLAUSE (12\/22, 2 p.m.), THE SANTA CLAUSE 2 (12\/22, 5 p.m.), THE GRINCH (animation) (12\/23, 2 p.m.), THE HOLIDAY (12\/23, 5 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nAVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, DAVID (faith animation), THE HOUSEMAID, THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (animation), ELLA MCCAY*, FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY\u2019S 2*, WICKED: FOR GOOD, ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation) (12\/19 on), THE POLAR EXPRESS (animation) (12\/19-12\/21, 10 a.m.), SONG SUNG BLUE (12\/24 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nAVATAR: FIRE AND ASH (12\/19-12\/21, 12\/25 on)<\/p>\n
\nIT\u2019S A WONDERFUL LIFE, CHRISTMAS BLOODY CHRISTMAS (12\/19), THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, A CHRISTMAS STORY, WHITE CHRISTMAS, DIE HARD (12\/20), MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, THE SANTA CLAUSE, ELF (12\/21), THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, HOME ALONE, NATIONAL LAMPOON\u2019S CHRISTMAS VACATION (12\/22), ELF, IT\u2019S A WONDERFUL LIFE, WHITE CHRISTMAS (12\/23), NATIONAL LAMPOON\u2019S CHRISTMAS VACATION, WHITE CHRISTMAS, IT\u2019S A WONDERFUL LIFE (12\/24)<\/p>\n
\nTHE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (animation) (12\/19-12\/21)<\/p>\n
\nDAVID (faith animation) (12\/18-12\/21)<\/p>\n
\nChicago Filmmakers presents \u201cPicture ReStart\u201d short film series feat. final program, \u201cBringing It All Back Home\u201d (12\/20, 6 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nChampaign Movie Makers* \u201c48-Hour Film Competition\u201d
\n@ Lincoln Square, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
\n28th annual Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI<\/p>\n
\n36th Onion City Experimental Film Festival, Chicago, IL<\/p>\n
\n26th Roger Ebert\u2019s Film Festival*
\n@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL<\/p>\n
\n@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL, 3 p.m. unless noted otherwise<\/strong>
\n12\/28: \u201cShort Docs\u201d program<\/p>\n
\n\u00a9 2025 Jason Pankoke\/C-U Blogfidential<\/span>
\n[T \u221287]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"