OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Films from around the world will come to Ocala this fall and spring as the College of Central Florida’s Ira Holmes International Film Series returns for its 65th season.
The 2026-27 season will feature films ranging from Broadway musical about one of America’s founding fathers to international dramas, documentaries and family-friendly classics. The season also includes a lecture on Florida’s film history and screenings accompanied by film talks. The series is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, with several selections connected to themes of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The season opens Oct. 13 with “Hamilton,” the filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical about founding father Alexander Hamilton. CF political science professor Jay Thompson will give a special introduction before the screenings. The film will be shown at 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art and 7 p.m. at the CF Ocala Campus.
The fall lineup continues with “The Emigrants,” a 1971 Swedish film about a family seeking a new life in America; “Avalon,” a 1990 film about an immigrant family in Baltimore; “Come as You Are/Hasta la Vista,” a Belgian coming-of-age road-trip comedy; and “Minari,” a 2021 Korean-American drama about a family building a new life in rural Arkansas.
The series continues in February with a look at Florida’s own film history. On Feb. 8, film historian Dr. David Morton will present “Motion Picture Paradise: A History of Florida’s Film and Television History” at the CF Ocala Campus. The following day, Morton will give film talks accompanying screenings of “The Flying Ace,” a 1926 film.
The international lineup continues with “The Wound,” a 2017 South African film that explores Xhosa culture and an ancient coming-of-age ritual in the Eastern Cape. March brings “An American Tail,” the 1986 animated family film about an immigrant mouse searching for his family in 1800s New York City; “Cinema Sabaya,” a 2023 documentary following Palestinian and Israeli women as they learn to document their lives through filmmaking; and “Perfect Days,” a 2024 Japanese-German film about a Tokyo toilet cleaner who finds joy in his daily routines.
Regular film screenings are held at 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., and at 7 p.m. at the CF Ocala Campus, 3001 SW College Rd., Building 8, Ira Holmes Classroom. The exception is “Avalon” and “An American Tail,” which will both be shown at 2 p.m. at the Historic Marion Theatre.
Films at the CF Ocala Campus and the Historic Marion Theatre are free and open to the public. Appleton screenings are free for museum, film series members and staff and students of the college, while nonmembers pay regular museum admission. Some films may contain mature content.
For the complete schedule and additional information, visit the Ira Holmes International Film Series webpage.