BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University Cinema returns Jan. 19 with an eclectic slate of beloved crowd-pleasers, new classics and little-known treasures. Among the films featured are a new series honoring one of the greatest Aboriginal actors in contemporary film, an exploration of pan-African and African diasporic films, and a spotlight on queer cultures across media, genre and global landscapes.
Supported by IU’s Queer Philanthropy Circle, Forever Queer: Community, Memory, Survival is a tribute to the endurance of film and media that broadens our understanding of queer media culture with film screenings, performances, workshops and visits from industry professionals. The series will kick off with a screening of Derek Jarman’s seminal “Jubilee,” which will be preceded by three shorts from up-and-coming queer filmmakers. Other events include:
- Screening of “Elements: A Short Anthology” with its filmmaker, IU alumnus Matthew Riutta.
- A reading with artist, performer and writer Dani Lamorte from their forthcoming book on queerness, art, media and rurality.
- Diva Legends Dance Party at local Bloomington queer bar The Back Door.
Women’s stories and their contributions to the film industry have become a cornerstone of IU Cinema’s programming. This is illustrated by both established and new series to the spring lineup, including:
- Recurring series Women on Top: Legacies of Women in Global Cinema.
- Native Women in Cinema, a new series that seeks to correct the erasure of Native women in film, particularly those who are queer.
- The series 5X: Lina Wertmüller, which pays homage to the groundbreaking Italian director who was the first woman nominated for a Best Director Oscar.
- Reproductive Justice on Screen, which features three films that look at the vital issue of reproductive rights.
- “Playing with Fire,” a documentary on Grammy-winning and barrier-breaking conductor Jeannette Sorrell, which will be shown with Sorrell in attendance.
From Roger Corman’s assistant to a full-fledged writer, director and producer of exploitation films throughout the ’60s and ’70s, Stephanie Rothman is a fascinating figure whose cult classics offer a unique feminist twist. As part of the ongoing Jorgensen Guest Filmmaker Series, Rothman will visit in April for an onstage conversation with IU Cinema director and Rothman scholar Alicia Kozma. Additionally, Rothman’s films “The Velvet Vampire,” “Terminal Island” and “The Student Nurses” will comprise the series Radical Acts: The Cinema of Stephanie Rothman.
International fare on IU Cinema’s screen this semester includes:
- 4K restorations of visionary films “Memories of Underdevelopment,” one of the first Cuban films to achieve significant success abroad, and Bernardo Bertolucci’s anti-fascist masterpiece “The Conformist.”
- The return of National Theatre Live.
- Three films curated by IU Chancellor Michael A. McRobbie featuring Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil.
- The Best of FESPACO, a series devoted to the Festival Panafricain du Cinéma de Ouagadougou, the largest and most prestigious film festival showcasing pan-African and African diasporic films.
A staple of IU Cinema’s spring programming, the International Art House Series is co-sponsored by the Ryder Film Series and highlights the cutting edge of independent filmmaking from around the globe. The series begins with Ruben Östlund’s wickedly funny Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness” and will include several overlooked festival gems, including:
- “Utama,” winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize.
- “Leonor Will Never Die,” winner of the Sundance Special Jury Prize.
- “Saloum,” Best Director, Fantastic Fest.
Park Chan-wook’s dazzling “Decision to Leave” and the Cate Blanchett-led “Tár” complete the lineup.
Also returning is Not-Quite Midnights, featuring bona fide cult classics and buzzy new films alike, starting with Tim Burton’s “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.” An assassin with brain-implant technology is the focus of Brandon Cronenberg’s sci-fi thriller “Possessor,” while Valley Girls fight zombies and evil scientists in the ’80s comedy “Night of the Comet.” Rounding out the series are “The Love Witch,” a spellbinding homage to the B-films of the ’60s, the recent black comedy “The Menu” with Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes, and Paul Verhoeven’s notorious satire “Showgirls.”
Additional upcoming programs at the cinema include:
- A 50th anniversary screening of Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets.”
- A special screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the City Lights Film Series.
- “The Card Counter,” with producer Braxton Pope scheduled to be present for a post-screening Q&A (rescheduled after its cancellation in the fall).
- The Art and a Movie series, a continuing partnership between IU Cinema and the Eskenazi Museum of Art, which will focus on a pair of controversial American photographers in collaboration with the Kinsey Institute.
For full information and film listings, and to download the cinema’s calendar, visit the IU Cinema website and follow @iucinema on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
