C-U Biz-en-scène: 05.06.2011
“C-U Biz-en-scène” appears every Thursday/Friday on C-U Blogfidential to give our readers a succinct snapshot of the cinema activity in and near Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA. Please support the artists and their work, attend screenings and events, and otherwise become active in our esoteric little world!
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MFHQ & YOU:
Tiny Overtures
We’re going to keep things swimmingly short this week, at least until you hit the bullet points below:
- We’ve learned from Facebook chatter that locally-filmed dance dramedy LEADING LADIES will be released domestically at summer’s end by Wolfe Distribution! No word yet on whether Wolfe will send the feature direct to video or add it to their theatrical roster;
- Our man Jason Lindsey is looking for a video editor with “contemporary sensibility and good esthetic” to join his photography business, preferring an on-site employee in the C-U or an eventual Chicago satellite office but willing to accommodate long-distance talent. Contact him at perceptivevisions [at] gmail [dot] com to inquire or apply;
- Those who missed the student-made science fiction short FALLING UP will get another chance tomorrow, Saturday, May 7, 4:30 p.m., in Room 160 of the English Building on the University of Illinois Main Quad. Admission is free for this 43-minute drama directed by Ryan Marzolph about a young man who fears his mother will use technology to keep his deceased father “alive;”
- Don’t forget that Indianapolis-based producers of the untitled indie feature film shooting mostly in Champaign-Urbana this summer will be casting on Sunday, May 8, 12-7 p.m., in Room 409 at the UI Illini Union, also on the Main Quad;
- The non-profit media arts hub Chicago Filmmakers is looking for used filmmaking equipment in working order to have on hand for classes or include in their “Trash or Treasure” garage sale on May 21-22. In their words, “film, video, and audio electronics of all kinds will be accepted: cameras, tripods, decks, projectors, film reels, cans, cores, unexposed film, 16mm and Super 8mm accessories, microphones, mixers, amplifiers, computers, hard drives, monitors, electronics of all kinds!” Write coop [at] chicagofilmmakers [dot] org to ask about delivery options;
- Finally, we’d like to remind you that as of last week, the MICRO-FILM/CUBlog post office box 45 has been retired. All snail-mail correspondence should be directed to the address listed here!
Hopefully, we’ll graduate from a 25-yard sprint to the 100-yard relay as the summer commences!
MEDIA LINKS
We don’t have much to point you towards this week but as they say, something is better than nothing. The Herald & Review reports the city of Charleston granted local landmark status this past Tuesday to the Will Rogers Theater, currently in operating limbo since owner AMC put it up for sale, which protects it from being physically changed or destroyed without prior approval. H&R also published this interesting Associated Press (!) article about UI graduate student Dusan Katic, the lead actor in New Art Film Festival selection HANJAN, who studies philosophy but also bakes French style gourmet bread and pastries on the side! Speaking of the NAFF, here is a combination Weblog post/audio segment featuring your humble editor and ONCE UPON A TIME IN 1972 guiding light Anne Lukeman, interviewed by UI Broadcast Journalism major Clarrie Johnson for a class project. Last but hardly least, a new area organization called Solders From Above intends to produce a television series centered on rehabbing three Danville properties for use as transitional housing for homeless military veterans, according to the News-Gazette; more information about the non-profit group can be found here.
PLAYING THIS WEEK
@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL: JANE EYRE (5/6 on), SITA SINGS THE BLUES (5/6-5/8, 5/12), The Magic Flute (5/7-5/8, 12 p.m., opera)
@ Room 160, English Building, UIUC, Urbana, IL: FALLING UP* encore screening (5/7, 4:30 p.m., free)
@ Room 409, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL: Film Firm Casting audition for untitled indie film* (5/8, 12-7 p.m.)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL: THOR, SOMETHING BORROWED, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (5/6 on)
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL: BLUE VALENTINE (5/5-5/8, 7 p.m.), BN Short Film Festival* (5/10-5/11, 7 p.m.)
@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL: THOR, FAST FIVE (5/6 on)
@ Gemini Cinemas, Villa Grove, IL: THOR, SOUL SURFER (5/6 on)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL: THOR (5/6, 7 p.m.; 5/7-5/8, 2 & 7 p.m.; 5/11, 7 p.m.)
@ Princess Theatre, LeRoy, IL: SOUL SURFER (5/6-5/8)
@ Harvest Moon Drive-In, Gibson City, IL: THOR, FAST FIVE (5/6-5/8)
@ Route 66 Drive-In, Springfield, IL: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, RIO, THE CONSPIRATOR (5/6-5/7)
@ That’s Rentertainment, Champaign, IL: THE GREEN HORNET, THE DILEMMA, FROM PRADA TO NADA, WAITING FOR FOREVER, more! (5/3 on)
@ Centerbrook Drive-In, Martinsville, IN: THOR, RANGO (5/6-5/8)
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Locally produced movies and events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Go see ‘em!
COMING SOON
5/17: Champaign Movie Makers meeting
@ Class Act Interactive, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
UPDATE! 5/19: Central Illinois Film Commission meeting
@ Centrum Café, Springfield, IL, 7 p.m.
5/19-5/28: “Vincentennial” (Vincent Price celebration), St. Louis, MO
NEW! 5/27: THE UNINVITED (1944) w/Troy Taylor
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL, 10 p.m., free
6/2-6/9: Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, IL
6/23-6/26: Onion City Experimental Film and Video Festival, Chicago, IL
7/19-7/24: Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival, Palatine, IL
9/16-9/18: Route 66 International Film Festival
@ Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, IL
10/6-10/20: Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
10/28-10/30: Freeky Creek Short Film Festival
@ Sleepy Creek Vineyards, Fairmount, IL
11/10-11/12: Embarras Valley Film Festival
@ EIU campus/Will Rogers Theater/etc., Charleston, IL
11/10-11/20: St. Louis International Film Festival, St. Louis, MO
COMMUNITY FILM SERIES
The News-Gazette Film Series 2011
@ The Virginia Theater, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
5/14: REAR WINDOW; 6/4: MOULIN ROUGE!; 7/23: BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S; 8/6: ARSENIC AND OLD LACE; 9/10: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT; 10/8: THE EXORCIST; 11/5: THE GODFATHER; 12/3: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
WILL-TV/Independent Lens “Community Cinema” series
@ Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL, 6:30 p.m.
5/10: WELCOME TO SHELBYVILLE; 6/11: TWO SPIRITS (@ Art Theater)
UNIVERSITY FILM SERIES
Global Lens 2011: International Films
@ Latzer Hall, University YMCA, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 5:30 p.m.
5/19: THE INVISIBLE EYE, Argentina; 6/16: THE LIGHT THIEF, Kyrgyzstan; 7/21: SOUL OF SAND, India; 8/18: STREET DAYS, Georgia; 9/15: THE TENANTS, Brazil; 10/20: A USEFUL LIFE, Uruguay; 11/17: WHITE MEADOWS, Iran
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That’s it for the “business of our scene” this week!
If you have relevant news, opportunities, dates, or promotions that you would like included in CUBiz, please forward the who, what, where, when, and how much to cuconfidential [at] gmail [dot] com.
Compiled by Jason Pankoke
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“C-U Biz-en-scène” no.41 © 2011 Jason Pankoke/C-U Blogfidential.