Indiana University Cinema is marking its 15th anniversary with a series of events and special screenings this spring. Since opening, the cinema has distributed over 366,000 tickets for 3,500 programs and has hosted numerous visitors and film events, earning national recognition in film culture and arthouse cinema.
The anniversary celebration begins on January 13 with an event featuring a secret screening. Attendees can participate in a Golden Ticket contest by guessing the film to be shown; the first 15 correct participants will receive an IU Cinema Golden Ticket, granting free admission to any screening for the next 15 years. The event will also offer free popcorn, special guests, and giveaways from the collections of filmmakers Peter Bogdanovich and Michael Uslan.
To further commemorate the milestone, IU Cinema will host a four-movie marathon titled “Hoosiers on Screen,” highlighting the contributions of Midwest creatives to film. Several well-known actors from Indiana will be featured. The season’s programming includes visits from writer/director Jennifer Reeder, Academy Award-nominated actor and director Michael Shannon, and writer Brett Neveu.
Jennifer Reeder’s visit will include an onstage conversation as part of the Jorgensen Guest Filmmaker Series and screenings of her films “Knives and Skin” and “A Million Miles Away,” as well as “Night’s End,” written by Neveu with a supporting role by Shannon. Brett Neveu and Michael Shannon will attend a screening of Shannon’s directorial debut “Eric LaRue,” which includes an artist conversation before the film and a Q&A session afterward. Other films starring Shannon to be screened are Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” Jeff Nichols’ “Take Shelter” (with a Q&A), and William Friedkin’s “Bug.”
The International Art House series returns this semester with films such as Edward Yang’s restored “Yi Yi” and Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague.” The Not-Quite Midnights series features Yorgos Lanthimos’ new film “Bugonia” starring Emma Stone, Ryan Coogler’s Oscar contender “Sinners,” as well as cult classics like “Ms. 45” and “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” presented on 35mm.
Additional programming includes an open house for IU faculty and staff on February 5 with refreshments and previews of upcoming events; new restorations of three Akira Kurosawa films starring Toshiro Mifune; Sunday marathons of season two of David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks”; Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” alongside its making-of documentary “Megadoc”; a five-film tribute to Robert Redford; and a special screening of “Beetlejuice” in partnership with IU Auditorium’s performances of “Beetlejuice: The Musical.”
For more details about programming or to download the calendar, information is available at IU Cinema’s website or through their social media channels @iucinema on Instagram, X, Bluesky, and Facebook.
