<\/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 THE BLOGFIDENTIAL TELETYPE | Film News You Can Use, C-U<\/strong><\/p>\n What we\u2019re seeing on our beat this week \u2026<\/em> Film festivals are the fan fave topics du jour<\/em> as our feverish fingers clack away at the Teletype<\/strong>! Up front is this weekend\u2019s forty-third iteration of the Insect Fear Film Festival<\/strong>, organized by the Entomology Graduate Student Association<\/strong><\/a><\/span> and overseen by its founder. Dr. May Berenbaum<\/strong>, which will take place tomorrow, Saturday, February 28<\/strong>, at its forever home on the University of Illinois<\/strong> campus, Foellinger Auditorium<\/strong>. The free all-ages event will begin at 5 p.m.<\/strong> with the children\u2019s art gallery as well as a live and mounted invertebrate exhibit in the foyer, expand with awards and activities at 6 p.m.<\/strong>, and segue into a \u201chuman-insect hybrid\u201d program at 7 p.m.<\/strong> The media being presented this round is an episode of the Eighties kidvid animation, SECTAURS<\/strong>, and a low-budget 2009 creature feature, INFESTATION<\/strong>, directed by Kyle Rankin<\/strong> and co-starring Ray Wise<\/strong>. Richard Leskosky<\/strong> writes in the News-Gazette<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a> about the (partly unfounded) fear to be faced at this entomological expos\u00e9 \u2026<\/p>\n Our next observation is about the promo spots blooming on the socials for the gang of annual spring showcases that present student work and are organized, to various degrees, by students. UI has the Illinois Student Film Festival<\/strong>, which is scheduled for May 1<\/strong> at the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures<\/strong> and is accepting material from enrolled students up until April 17<\/strong>; use either the link or QR code at this Facebook<\/strong> page to sign in and submit<\/a><\/span>. Illinois State University<\/strong> has the Foxtail Film Festival<\/strong>, set for April 23-26<\/strong> at the Normal Theater<\/strong> in Normal<\/strong>; young folks who quality to enter have until this Sunday, March 1<\/strong>, to do so using the guidelines and directions to be found on their FilmFreeway<\/strong> account<\/a><\/span>. And, Southern Illinois University<\/strong> has the venerable Big Muddy Film Festival<\/strong> on deck for their forty-eighth program to be presented March 19-21<\/strong> at the revitalized Varsity Theatre<\/strong> in Carbondale<\/strong>; their film selections are long set, but they program more broadly like a traditional festival<\/a><\/span> than the others mentioned here and always make room to highlight the work of both current students and SIU alumni working in media vocations \u2026<\/p>\n Chaz Ebert<\/strong> and Nate Kohn<\/strong> have revealed the first specifics about what \u201cThe Last Dance\u201d of Roger Ebert\u2019s Film Festival<\/strong> in Champaign<\/strong> will look like<\/a><\/span> when the house lights go down on April 17-19<\/strong> at the Virginia Theatre<\/strong>. Two of the eight features will be THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT<\/strong>, part in honor of its late director, Rob Reiner<\/strong>, and surely part in helping us remember what a competent if imperfect leader of democracy looks like, and NUREMBERG<\/strong>, part in respect of the tradition of compelling historical dramas, this one starring Russell Crowe<\/strong> and Rami Malek<\/strong>, and surely part in helping us remember what should happen when powerful individuals commit war crimes and spurn democracy. Also to be presented in a twist is a stage play in which the taping of an early episode of Roger Ebert<\/strong> and Gene Siskel<\/strong>\u2019s seminal television review show in Chicago<\/strong> is dramatized. Given today\u2019s date, soon we should learn more \u2026<\/p>\n To close, we caught a Facebook post from the all-but-dormant account<\/a><\/span> of the Dead in Decatur Film Festival<\/strong> that it is rising from the grave to bring its genre- and gender-friendly program back with a target event date of February 2027. The array of deadlines (if not quite the event description) has been updated on FilmFreeway<\/a><\/span> and it\u2019s unclear where the event might be held after the last one in 2022 was relegated to an online presentation. Check it out and send in your questions to returning director Zelda Tindell<\/strong> \u2026 and that\u2019s what we can reveal for today. Always remember \u2013 this is not just movies, it\u2019s our lives.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History<\/strong><\/p>\n 20 Years Ago \u2026<\/strong> Saturday, February 25, 2006:<\/em> After the seventh issue of the Champaign<\/strong> film journal MICRO-FILM<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span> is published, Opteryx Press<\/strong> adapts its \u201cC-U Confidential\u201d local-zine section into a new internet variation, C-U Blogfidential<\/span><\/strong>. The first entry written by editor and publisher Jason Pankoke<\/strong>, dated 8:57 p.m.<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, describes an intention of \u201c[making] a minor splash creating a community history through cinema, one that we can definitely call our own,\u201d with CUBlog<\/span><\/strong> as its potential epicenter. Topics to be covered in the following months include the Danville<\/strong> fantasy-comedy SHOW;<\/strong> Dreamscape Cinema<\/strong>\u2019s first features, CRAB ORCHARD<\/strong> and DISCONNECTED;<\/strong> the fan- and convention-favorite spoof of video game tropes, PRESS START<\/strong>, from Dark Maze Studios<\/strong> of Champaign; the second episodes of BrainSmart Productions<\/strong>\u2019 WEREWOLF CEMETERY<\/strong> and THE ADVENTURES OF THE SCREAMING APE<\/strong>, directed by Jason Butler;<\/strong> the infamous UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS VS. A MUMMY<\/strong> and lesser-known ROBOTMAN<\/strong>, made by the UIUC students of Illini Film & Video<\/strong> and directed by Chris Lukeman;<\/strong> a video adaptation of Antigone<\/span><\/strong> by the Creative Dramatics Workshop<\/strong> and its director, Robert Picklesimer;<\/strong> an empowering documentary called AN UPHILL CLIMB<\/strong> from Callan Films<\/strong> of Effingham;<\/strong> Blue Bassoon Pictures<\/strong>\u2019 darkly funny crime spoof MERRY CHRISTMAS!;<\/strong> visits from UI alumni working in professional media like Fred Rubin<\/strong> and Michael Wiese;<\/strong> and numerous community and campus screenings such as a run of MICRO-FILM<\/span> Movie Shows<\/strong> at the beloved bar Mike \u2018n Molly\u2019s<\/strong> in downtown Champaign. As of January 2026<\/a><\/span>, CUBlog<\/span><\/strong> has published content keyed in to the movies of Champaign, Urbana<\/strong>, and the cities beyond in every single month since its launch over more than 1,700 postings. [R]<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n LOCAL FILMS & EVENTS | Support Your Media Storytellers<\/strong><\/p>\n @ Foellinger Auditorium, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong> @ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL<\/strong> @ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, 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> @ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL<\/strong> @ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, 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 @ AMC Classic 12, Springfield, IL<\/strong> @ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL<\/strong> @ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL<\/strong> @ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL<\/strong> @ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n NOW PLAYING | Midwest<\/strong><\/p>\n 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 3\/9-3\/13<\/strong> NEW! 3\/13-3\/23<\/strong> 3\/16-3\/19<\/strong> NEW! 3\/19<\/strong> NEW! 3\/19-3\/21<\/strong> 3\/20-4\/12<\/strong> 4\/3-4\/10<\/strong> 4\/9-4\/12<\/strong> 4\/17-4\/19<\/strong> NEW! 4\/23-4\/26<\/strong> NEW! 5\/1<\/strong> 9\/7-9\/17<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area<\/strong><\/p>\n Illini Union Board presents \u201cSpring 2025 Weekend Films\u201d<\/strong> Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies events<\/strong> Springfield Art Association presents the 31st annual Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series<\/strong> ~~~~~<\/p>\n Compiled by Jason Pankoke.<\/em><\/p>\n ~~~~~<\/p>\n \u201cCalendar du C-U\u201d Select movie listings for February 27-March 5, 2026 in Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond! Don\u2019t forget to inspect the Blogfidential Teletype! Also, have you memorized the 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":[869,1836],"tags":[870],"class_list":["post-16913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-calendar-du-c-u","category-confidential-almanac","tag-cinema-calendar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16913","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=16913"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16913\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16915,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16913\/revisions\/16915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16913"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16913"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16913"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nUI Entomology Graduate Student Association presents 43rd Insect Fear Film Festival* feat. SECTAURS, INFESTATION (2\/28, 5 p.m. doors and activities, 6 p.m. announcements and awards, 7 p.m. cartoon and feature, free)<\/p>\n
\nChambana Film Society* presents \u201c2026 Oscar-Nominated Short Films\u201d series: 2\/27: Animation (7 p.m.), 2\/28: Documentary (7 p.m.), 3\/1: Live Action (3 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nUI Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies presents ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER w\/discussion (3\/5, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nEPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT (music documentary), K-POPS!, PEGASUS 3* (in Mandarin with English and Chinese sub), SCREAM 7, UMAMUSUME: PRETTY DERBY \u2013 BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA* (anim\u00e9) (in Japanese with English sub), CRIME 101, GOAT (animation), HOW TO MAKE A KILLING*, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE 2, MIDWINTER BREAK*, PSYCHO KILLER, WUTHERING HEIGHTS (2\/27 on), TWENTY-ONE PILOTS: MORE THAN WE EVER IMAGINED* (music documentary) (2\/26-2\/28), Fan Faves: GET ON THE BUS* (2\/27-3\/5), THE WOMAN KING* (2\/27-3\/5), and FRUITVALE STATION* (2\/27-3\/5), DOLLY sneak preview (3\/3, 8 p.m.), THE BRIDE!, DOLLY, HOPPERS (animation), PROTECTOR (3\/5 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nSCREAM 7, VISHU VINYASAAM (in Telugu with English sub), AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, CRIME 101, EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT (music documentary), GOAT (animation), GOOD LUCK HAVE FUN DON\u2019T DIE*, HOW TO MAKE A KILLING, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE 2, IRON LUNG, PSYCHO KILLER, SEND HELP, SOLO MIO, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, ZOOTOPIA 2 (animation) (2\/27 on), HOPPERS sneak preview (2\/28, 1 p.m.), SPIDER-MAN 2 (2\/28, 7 p.m.; 3\/1, 3 & 7 p.m.; 3\/ 4, 7 p.m.), THE BRIDE!, HOPPERS (animation) (3\/5 on) *single screenings daily<\/p>\n
\nIllini Union Board presents \u201cSpring 2025 Weekend Films\u201d feat. FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY\u2019S 2 (2\/27-2\/28, 7 p.m.; free w\/i-card)<\/p>\n
\nThe News-Gazette<\/span> Film Series presents HOOSIERS (2\/28, 2 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nSpringfield Art Association presents Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series feat. NIGHT CALL (3\/1, 1 & 4 p.m.; 3\/3, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nTHE WIZ (2\/27, 7 p.m.), \u201cTour the Fischer!\u201d (3\/1, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m.)<\/p>\n
\nGOAT (animation) (2\/27-3\/1), HOPPERS (animation) (3\/5 on)<\/p>\n
\nSINNERS (2\/27-3\/1), \u201cLocked Inside: Exploring How School Restraint and Seclusion Harm Families\u201d community discussion moderated by Dr. Charles Bell, Criminal Justice Sciences, ISU (3\/3, 2 p.m.), ISU Queer Coalition, etc., present \u201cFired Up: The American AIDS Crisis on Film\u201d feat. POISON w\/discussion (3\/4, 7 p.m., free), THE SECRET AGENT (3\/5)<\/p>\n
\nGOAT (animation) (2\/27-3\/1)<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSpring Break (SB1) Camera Department Intensive\u201d
\n@ Flyover Film Studios, Rantoul, IL<\/p>\n
\n16th annual Lake County Film Festival
\n@ College of Lake County\/Gorton Center\/Antioch Theatre, Grayslake, IL<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSpring Break (SB2) Camera Department Intensive\u201d
\n@ Flyover Film Studios, Rantoul, IL<\/p>\n
\nFilm Fanatic Movie Nights* presents THE MAN WHO WASN\u2019T THERE
\n@ Analog Wine Library, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
\n48th Big Muddy Film Festival*
\n@ The Varsity Center, Carbondale, IL<\/p>\n
\n20th Asian Pop-Up Cinema festival
\n@ AMC Newcity 14, Chicago, IL<\/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: \u201cThe Last Dance\u201d*
\n@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL<\/p>\n
\n2026 Foxtail Film Festival*
\n@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL<\/p>\n
\n2026 Illinois Student Film Festival*
\n@ UI Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
\n44th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
\n@ Landmark\u2019s Century Centre Cinema + Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL<\/p>\n
\n@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w\/i-card<\/strong>
\n3\/6-3\/7: THE RUNNING MAN; 3\/13-3\/14: THE HOUSEMAID; 3\/27-3\/28: WICKED: FOR GOOD; 4\/3-4\/4: ANACONDA; 4\/10-4\/11: MERCY; 4\/17-4\/18: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE<\/p>\n
\n@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. (unless noted otherwise)<\/strong>
\n3\/30: THE WIZ screening<\/p>\n
\n@ AMC Classic Springfield 12, Springfield, IL, 1 & 4 p.m. Sunday + 7 p.m. Tuesday<\/strong>
\n3\/8, 3\/10: THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND<\/p>\n
\n\u00a9 2026 Jason Pankoke\/C-U Blogfidential<\/span>
\n[T \u221277]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"