Hippodrome Cinema Announces January Lineup: From Book Bans to Bruce Campbell
The Hippodrome Cinema in Gainesville, Florida, is set to launch a diverse January film schedule encompassing timely documentaries, international features, classic musicals, and engaging community events, offering “something for every film lover to start the new year,” according to cinema leadership.
The month’s programming kicks off with a focus on pressing social issues. The Librarians, a new documentary, examines the escalating nationwide crisis of book banning, sparked by the so-called “Krause List” originating in Texas – a list targeting approximately 850 books with themes of race and LGBTQIA+ depiction.The film follows librarians as they navigate harassment and threats while defending the freedom to read, presenting a stark warning about growing censorship efforts. The Hippodrome will host two special events surrounding the film: a Q&A session with film participants and representatives from the Texas Freedom to Read Project on January 10, and a resource and advocacy workshop with local bookstore The Lynx on January 11.
Shifting gears, the cinema will screen Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, a family drama starring Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Stellan skarsgård. The film explores the complex relationship between estranged sisters and their onc-celebrated director father.
For cinephiles, a highlight will be the return of Jim Jarmusch’s influential black-and-white classic, Stranger Than Paradise (winner of the 1984 Cannes Golden Camera Award and Sundance Special Jury Recognition) on Saturday, January 10 at 8:30 p.m. The film follows a New Yorker whose life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of his younger cousin.
Beginning January 16,the Hippodrome will present a double feature. Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk offers a poignant glimpse into daily life in Gaza through the lens of filmmaker Sepideh Farsi’s video calls with Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona. Paired with this is Park Chan-wook’s No other Choice, adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s novel The Ax, starring Lee Byung-hun as a man desperately seeking employment after a 25-year career is abruptly cut short.
The cinema’s programming also celebrates the Hippodrome Theatre’s mainstage production of Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein, opening January 30. To complement the theatrical run,the Hippodrome Cinema will screen two beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals: okaa Oklahoma! on January 18 and South Pacific on january 25.
The month culminates on January 24 with a “Cocktails & classics” screening of Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness, timed to coincide with the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire at depot Park. Starring bruce Campbell as the iconic Ash, battling the undead in England’s Dark Ages, the event will feature specialty cocktails for attendees.
“January’s programming reflects our commitment to films that both entertain and engage,” stated Naheed Mojadidi, Cinema Director at the H
