For an updated listing of upcoming events, please visit our website at https://arts.unl.edu.
• Continuing through May 28: “Blue Heron.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Sasha and her family relocate to a new home on Vancouver Island, but their fresh start is interrupted by increasingly dangerous behavior from the eldest son, Jeremy. At wit’s end, their parents are presented with a shattering choice. Award-winning director Sophy Romvari’s feature debut is a lyrical and profound testament to the things we carry with us, masterfully chronicling the haze of a languid summer and the hyaline clarity of the moments that defined it.
• Continuing through June 4: “Mr. Burton.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Based on a remarkable true story, discover how the poor son of a miner became Richard Burton, one of the greatest actors the world has ever known, with the help of an unlikely mentor. In the Welsh town of Port Talbot, 1942, Richard Jenkins (Harry Lawtey) lives as a wayward schoolboy, caught between the pressures of his struggling family, a devastating war, and his own ambitions. However, a new opportunity arises when Richard’s natural talent for drama catches the attention of his teacher, Philip Burton (BAFTA winner Toby Jones). Taking Richard under his wing, the young man thrives thanks to Philip’s strict tutelage and the guidance of kindly landlady, Ma Smith (Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville). However, as the acting world comes within Richard’s reach, the burden of his past risks holding him back forever.
• May 29-June 11: “The Christophers.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) was once a star of London’s 1960’s and 70’s pop art explosion, but he hasn’t painted in decades and has been broke for years. His two estranged children (James Corden, Jessica Gunning), desperate for an inheritance, hire Lori, an art restorer and former forger (Michaela Coel), to pose as a prospective assistant in order to access 8 unfinished canvases Julian has buried deep in storage. Her plan is to complete them, then return them to storage, where they are to be “discovered” upon Julian’s death.
• June 2: Jazz in June featuring Terell Stafford. Sheldon Sculpture Garden. University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s free concert series, Jazz in June, concerts take place every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. during the month of June. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market will offer food and drinks from 5 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday. Alcohol and dogs are not allowed at the event. The title of his most recent album, “Between Two Worlds,” perfectly encapsulates the boundary-crossing career of renowned trumpet player, composer and educator Terell Stafford. For more information on the artist and VIP ticket information, visit https://www.liedcenter.org/jazz-june-2026.
• June 3: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “Love from Ground Zero.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Three strangers drive from New York to Montana with the ashes of a mutual friend, Henry. Using old postcards as their road map, the threesome Henrys Southern girlfriend (Jacqueline McKenzie), his drifting college buddy (Simon Baker), and his childhood friend (Pruitt Taylor-Vince) head out west in search of his final resting place. What they find along the way are pieces of themselves and their friend that lay hidden in the murky landscape between life and loss.
• June 5-11: “Lewerentz Divine Darkness.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Sigurd Lewerentz is one of the most famous Swedish architects, considered a master of the profession internationally. His unique solutions were decades ahead of their time. Lewerentz did not want to be filmed or interviewed. His person, like his buildings, is surrounded by a mysterious aura. But in a root cellar in Lund, there is an unknown treasure. Film reels and audio tapes recorded by the architect Bernt Nyberg with Lewerentz during his last years are stored here. From the cellar, a culturalhistorical journey begins, where the stylistic traces of Lewerentz within Nordic architecture become palpable. Classicism and modernism converge in a poetic brutality that awakens our deepest and most archaic cultural memories.
• June 6: Family Film Fest 2026: “The Wizard of Oz.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow that needs a brain, a Tin Man missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West to earn his help.
• June 8: Native American Film Series: “Aanikoobijigan [Ancestor/Great-Grandparent/Great-Grandchild].” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. In the sterile archives of museums our ancestor’s remains struggle to find their way home. The film follows the eleven indigenous repatriation specialists that make up MACPRA (Michigan Anishinaabek Cultural Preservation & Repatriation Alliance). Through an essayistic approach the film takes a critical look at the reasoning that justified unearthing and collecting them in the first place, and presents vérité portraits of the courageous individuals doing the hard and emotionally draining work of fighting for their return.
• June 9: Jazz in June featuring Tammy McCann: The Legendary Ladies of Jazz: Ella, Sarah, Dinah & Billie. Sheldon Sculpture Garden. University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s free concert series, Jazz in June, concerts take place every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. during the month of June. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market will offer food and drinks from 5 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday. Alcohol and dogs are not allowed at the event. McCann is an internationally recognized jazz vocalist and is currently artist-in-residence for the Music Institute of Chicago. For more information on the artist and VIP ticket information, visit https://www.liedcenter.org/jazz-june-2026.
• June 10: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “Elizabethtown.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Aspiring young shoe designer Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom) gets fired from his high-profile job after the failure of his latest project. To make matters worse, his girlfriend, Ellen (Jessica Biel), leaves him, and he becomes suicidal. Drew’s morbid plans are interrupted by the news of his father’s death, and he is called back to his Kentucky hometown. On his flight home, he meets the lovely Claire (Kirsten Dunst), a sunny flight attendant who tries to help him embrace life once again.
• June 12-18: “Esta Isla.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Bebo, a teenager scraping by in a coastal town in Puerto Rico, lives with his older brother in a public housing complex. Fishing is their lifeline, but as desperation grows, they’re drawn into illegal activities that promise quick money but come with dangerous consequences. When a deal goes wrong and blood is spilled, Bebo is forced to flee with his girlfriend Lola, a girl from a wealthy family who’s equally eager to escape her own troubled life.
• June 12-25: “Tuner.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. In Academy Award-winning director Daniel Roher’s first narrative feature, Leo Woodall stars as a gifted young piano tuner whose heightened sense of hearing draws the attention of criminals, who see his talents as useful for opening safes as well as for tuning Steinways. With his once-promising musical career over, he works across New York with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Academy Award-winner Dustin Hoffman), encountering a range of characters, including composition student Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), with whom he forges an unexpected connection. Niki’s safecracking work threatens his budding romance with Ruthie and pulls him into increasingly dangerous territory.
• June 13: Family Film Fest 2026: “The Muppet Movie.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. After Kermit the Frog decides to pursue a movie career, he starts his cross-country trip from Florida to California. Along the way, he meets and befriends Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and rock musicians Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. When Kermit is offered a job by Doc Hopper to advertise the fried frog legs at his restaurant chain, Kermit turns Hopper down. However, Hopper refuses to relent and pursues Kermit and his companions to a final showdown.
• June 14-20: UNL National Show Choir Camp. Westbrook Music Building and Kimball Recital Hall. Open to students entering grades 9 through 12 and 2026 graduates. This is a week-long camp where students who love singing and dancing can perform with other talented students from around Midwest while having fun. Registration deadline is June 5. For more information, visit https://go.unl.edu/07td.
• June 14: One Night Only: “The Great Dictator.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 1:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit https://theross.org. In his controversial masterpiece “The Great Dictator,” Charlie Chaplin offers both a cutting caricature of Adolf Hitler and a sly tweaking of his own comic persona. Chaplin, in his first pure talkie, brings his sublime physicality to two roles: the cruel yet clownish “Tomainian” dictator and the kindly Jewish barber who is mistaken for him. Featuring Jack Oakie and Paulette Goddard in stellar supporting turns, “The Great Dictator,” boldly going after the fascist leader before the U.S.’s official entry into World War II, is an audacious amalgam of politics and slapstick that culminates in Chaplin’s famously impassioned speech.
• June 16: Jazz in June featuring Jackie Allen and Hans Sturm. Sheldon Sculpture Garden. University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s free concert series, Jazz in June, concerts take place every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. during the month of June. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market will offer food and drinks from 5 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday. Alcohol and dogs are not allowed at the event. Jazz vocalist Jackie Allen’s extraordinary talent has taken her on tours of Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. Sturm is Professor Emeritus of Bass in the Glenn Korff School of Music. For more information on the artists and VIP ticket information, visit https://www.liedcenter.org/jazz-june-2026.
• June 17: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “Up in the Air.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. An idea from a young, new co-worker (Anna Kendrick) would put an end to the constant travel of corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), so he takes her on a tour to demonstrate the importance of face-to-face meetings with those they must fire. While mentoring his colleague, he arranges hookups with another frequent-flier (Vera Farmiga), and his developing feelings for the woman prompt him to see others in a new light.
• June 19-25: “The Celluloid Closet.” 30th Anniversary. 4K Restoration. Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. The history of LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood is traced from early coded portrayals and damaging stereotypes to more open and nuanced depictions. Narrator Lily Tomlin reflects on cinema’s role in shaping—and distorting—queer visibility. Collecting footage from over 100 movies and interviews with many of the filmmakers and actors who created them (including Tom Hanks, Shirley MacLaine, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, and Gore Vidal), “The Celluloid Closet” is a funny and insightful look at a changing century.
• June 20: Family Film Fest 2026: “The Princess Bride.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. A high-spirited adventure that pits true love against inconceivable odds, “The Princess Bride” has charmed legions of fans with its irreverent gags, eccentric ensemble, and dazzling swordplay. A kid (Fred Savage), home sick from school, grudgingly allows his grandfather (Peter Falk) to read him a dusty storybook—which is how we meet the innocent Buttercup (Robin Wright, in her breakout role), about to marry the nefarious Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon) though her heart belongs to Westley (Cary Elwes). The wedding plans are interrupted, however, by a mysterious pirate, a vengeful Spaniard, and a good-natured giant, in a tale full of swashbuckling, romance, and outrageously hilarious spoofery. Directed by Rob Reiner from an endlessly quotable script by William Goldman, “The Princess Bride” reigns as a fairy-tale classic.
• June 23: Jazz in June featuring Josh Hoyer’s Colossal 4. Sheldon Sculpture Garden. University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s free concert series, Jazz in June, concerts take place every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. during the month of June. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market will offer food and drinks from 5 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday. Alcohol and dogs are not allowed at the event. Hoyer formed Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal in 2012 in famed blues town Lincoln, Nebraska. Joining Hoyer is Myles Jasnowski (guitar), Mike Keeling (bass) and Mike Rhian (drums). For more information on the artists and VIP ticket information, visit https://www.liedcenter.org/jazz-june-2026.
• June 23-27: 2026 Middle School Band Camp. Westbrook Music Building and Kimball Recital Hall. If you're a student entering the 6th grade through leaving 8th grade, come to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus for an unforgettable musical experience. This is band like you never knew it could be. Registration deadline is June 8. For more information, visit https://go.unl.edu/3d90.
• June 24: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “The Aviation Cocktail.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. In the late 1950s, a hostage situation in rural Nebraska results in the tragic death of a young girl. While transporting the injured killer back to town, local sheriff Henry Fisher (Beau Kiger), his brother Jack (Michael Haskins) and sometimes friend Bob Halloran (Brandon Eaton) decide to indulge in vigilante justice, killing the murderer before he can be brought to trial. Although it seems like an easy decision at the time, it will come to haunt the three men and maybe even destroy them.
• June 26-July 9: “My Father’s Shadow.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. The UK’s Best International Feature Film entry to the 98th Academy Awards. and recipient of the Caméra d’Or Special Mention at Cannes, Akinola Davies Jr.’s “My Father’s Shadow” is a poetic, tender portrait of father–son bonds set amidst the political turbulence of 1993 Lagos.
• June 26-July 9: “Yes.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. One of international cinema’s most fearless and provocative filmmakers, Nadav Lapid has long been an outspoken critic of his birth country’s government policies, channeling a lifetime of fury and frustration into vital films like “Synonyms” and “Ahed’s Knee” that brim with righteous anger, spite, and shame. In “Yes,” Lapid once again takes vigorous critical aim at the Israeli government with a new approach: submission.
• June 27: Family Film Fest 2026: “Queen of Katwe.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. Living in the slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona and her family. Her world changes one day when she meets Robert Katende, a missionary who teaches children how to play chess. Phiona becomes fascinated with the game and soon becomes a top player under Katende’s guidance. Her success in local competitions and tournaments opens the door to a bright future and a golden chance to escape from a life of poverty.
• June 30: Special screening "500 Mile Sculpture Garden." 3 p.m. Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. The screening is free and open to the public, but due to limited seating, please RSVP at https://theross.org/event/nebraskas-500-mile-sculpture-garden/. Join us for this special screening of "500 Mile Sculpture Garden," a 1976 documentary exploring the visionary I-80 Bicentennial Sculpture Project. Produced by Nebraska Public Media (then Nebraska ETV), the archival film chronicles the project from the selection of artists through public debate, statewide hearings, and ultimately the dedication of seven eight sculptures on July 4, 1976. It captures the perspectives of artists, officials, and citizens, offering a compelling look at the creative process, the controversy surrounding contemporary public art, and the collaboration that shaped Nebraska’s unique 500-mile sculpture garden along Interstate 80. The event will also include two supplemental short films: The 1976 Revolutionary Bicentennial Sculpture Project (a chapter from NPM’s Nebraska Stories series) and The I-80 Sculpture Project (a chapter from the documentary "My Friend Norman").
• June 30: Jazz in June featuring Night of Wonder: A Tribute to Stevie featuring The Downtown Collective. Sheldon Sculpture Garden. University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s free concert series, Jazz in June, concerts take place every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. during the month of June. Beyond the performances, the series will include education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists. A market will offer food and drinks from 5 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday. Alcohol and dogs are not allowed at the event. Celebrate the timeless genius of Stevie Wonder in this electrifying tribute from The Downtown Collective featuring a live, 12-piece band. For more information on the artist and VIP ticket information, visit https://www.liedcenter.org/jazz-june-2026.
• July 1: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “Nebraska.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Cantankerous old buzzard Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) can barely walk down the street of his home in Billings, Mont., without stopping for a drink. So when Woody receives a sweepstakes notice in the mail and insists on making a 750-mile trip to Lincoln, Neb., to collect his prize, it falls to baffled son David (Will Forte) to accompany him. During a stop in their Nebraska hometown, word gets out about Woody’s fortune, first making him a hero, then later, the target of predatory people.
• July 5: Special Screening: “Nashville.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. This cornerstone of 1970s American moviemaking from Robert Altman is a panoramic view of the country’s political and cultural landscapes, set in the nation’s music capital. Nashville weaves the stories of twenty-four characters—from country star to wannabe to reporter to waitress—into a cinematic tapestry that is equal parts comedy, tragedy, and musical. Many members of the astonishing cast wrote their own songs and performed them live on location, which lends another layer to the film’s quirky authenticity. Altman’s ability to get to the heart of American life via its eccentric byways was never put to better use than in this grand, rollicking triumph, which barrels forward to an unforgettable conclusion.
• July 7: 20th Anniversary One Night Only: “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. An Academy Award–winning dark fable set five years after the end of the Spanish Civil War, “Pan’s Labyrinth” encapsulates the rich visual style and genre-defying craft of Guillermo del Toro.
• July 7-11. 2026 High School Marching Band Camp. Westbrook Music Building and UNL Arts Quad. Due to the construction on Memorial Stadium, we are paring down the offerings this year to the Drum Major, Percussion and Color Guard Clinics only. The age range of campers is students entering the 9th grade through leaving 12th grade (including graduates). Registration is due June 22. For more information and to register, visit https://band.unl.edu/camps-and-festivals/high-school-marching-band-camp/.
• July 8: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “UmoNhoN Iye: The Omaha Speaking.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. “Our language is sacred, no one can take it from us.” –Omaha Elder. Only a handful of Native American fluent speakers remain of the Omaha Tribe. Fluent speaking elders reflect on growing up speaking their native language and the importance of preservation. Hopefulness is expressed by a dedicated group of educators attempts to keep their language alive.
• July 10-23: “The Stranger.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Meursault (Benjamin Voisin) works as a clerk at an office in Algiersduring the French colonial occupation. A modest man who keeps to himself, Meursault finds his routine upended by the sudden death of his mother. At her funeral, he faces scrutiny from all corners for his failure to perform his grief. This reputation for otherworldly detachment follows Meursault back to Algiers, where his tentative romance with Marie (Rebecca Marder) and his indifference to professional advancement frustrate those around him.
• July 10-16: “Stolen Kingdom.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. “Stolen Kingdom” delves into the history of mischief, scandal, and theft at Walt Disney World, ultimately leading to the theft of an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. The film features key figures from the park’s underground exploration community, each sharing their unique stories. As the narrative unfolds, early pranks and antics are shown to have inspired more recent crimes, culminating in a true crime mystery. What begins as a tale of friendship and passion ends with one lingering question: Who stole Buzzy?
• July 11: Family Film Fest 2026: “Coco.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Héctor, the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
• July 13: Native American Film Series: “Without Arrows.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit https://theross.org. “Without Arrows” is a longitudinal portrait of a Lakota family living on a reservation in South Dakota, that unfolds over the course of 12 years. Delwin Fiddler Jr. is a champion grass dancer who grew up on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota but left as a young man to escape a trauma that splintered his family and built a new life in Philadelphia. Thirteen years later, Delwin returns home to attempt to heal the past.
• July 15: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “Remember the Drumstick.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. Tim Lohmeier, by accident, created something in Nebraska in the 1980s – The Drumstick. A chicken restaurant by day and the hottest rock club in Nebraska by night. He booked some of the best music of the times BEFORE the rest of the world knew they were the best. Groups like Joan Jett, Luther Allison, Red Hot Chili Peppers, REM, Dwight Yoakam, X, Marty Stuart, Jason and the Scorchers. The Drumstick also gave local great plains musicians with original music a place to perform. Fab local acts like Charlie Burton and Rock Therapy, Boys with Toys, Model Citizens. The list goes on and on. Oh, and don’t forget the fried chicken and Texas toast. The building that housed the business was torn down in 1987 to make room for a fast food restaurant. Tim died in 1998. Very little remains of the club with the exception of a few photos, home videos and a lot of memories. Memories that are preserved in this documentary as part of the 1980s proud music history.
• July 17: “Trainspotting: 30th Anniversary.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit https://theross.org. Funny, disturbing, tragic and deeply addictive, “Trainspotting” is based on the seminal best-selling novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. Set in gritty, late 1980s Edinburgh, Scotland, it’s the story of smart, funny, sickly, heroin addict Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) and his so-called friends – a bunch of losers, liars, psychos, thieves and junkies. Hilarious but harrowing, the film charts the disintegration of their friendship as they proceed, seemingly inevitably, towards self-destruction. Mark alone has the insight and opportunity to escape his fate, but does he really want to “choose life”?
• July 17-23: “2Die4.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. “2Die4” isn’t a traditional movie — it’s a raw, experimental cinematic experience that blurs the line between reality and film. No scripted actors. No staged drama. No CGI. Instead, you’re pulled into the first-person journey of a racing pilot, experiencing his fears, strengths, and mistakes as if they were your own. This is reality portrayed in the most cinematic way possible, an invitation to feel every moment, every heartbeat, every risk.
• July 18: Family Film Fest 2026: “FernGully.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. Crysta is a fairy who lives in FernGully, a rainforest in Australia, and has never seen a human before. In fact, she is told they are extinct. But when a logging company comes near the rainforest, she sees that they do exist, and even accidentally shrinks one of them: a boy named Zak. Now her size, Zak sees the damage that the company does and helps Crysta to stop not only them, but an evil entity named Hexxus, who feeds off pollution.
• July 22: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “The Rose Man of Omaha.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. If you’ve been out on the town in Omaha, you’ve likely encountered Dean Battiato selling flowers. This heartfelt documentary tells the story of the Sicilian-American man on the spectrum who faces life’s hardships with resilience, all while selling roses to spread love in a search for belonging and connection.
• July 24-30: “Mile End Kicks.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. It’s 2011 and Toronto music critic Grace (Barbie Ferreira) is on the brink of achieving her next big professional step. She takes a risk by quitting her job and moving to Montreal to take in the booming indie rock scene while writing a book about the impact and legacy of Alanis Morissette. There she meets the rockers of the band Bone Patrol, including Archie (Devon Bostick), who becomes her instant best friend, and Chevy (Stanley Simons), who becomes her deepest crush. Grace’s publishing deadline is looming and her rent is due, but Bone Patrol is a constant and welcome distraction.
• July 25: Family Film Fest 2026: “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. One of the most eccentric comedies of the 1980s, “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” is a pop-culture touchstone that helped make a manic oddball named Pee-wee Herman—the creation and alter ego of actor-comedian Paul Reubens—into an icon for outsiders of all ages. It also established the distinctive style of director Tim Burton, whose eye-popping visual sense is already on full display in this, his first feature film. Following the gleefully irreverent Pee-wee as he embarks on a road trip to recover his beloved stolen bicycle, the movie unfolds with the antic invention of a live-action cartoon, combining a gallery of memorably wacky characters, colorful, kitschy Americana, and surreal flights of fancy into a joyously uninhibited paean to creativity and the spirit of childhood.
• July 31-Aug. 6: “Ask E. Jean.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. “Ask E. Jean” is the thrilling story of E. Jean Carroll’s life, from her early days as Miss Cheerleader USA to her rise as a trailblazing journalist, author, and beloved advice columnist. Carroll broke barriers as the first female editor at Esquire, Playboy, and Outside, helping to redefine women’s roles in media with her sharp wit and fearless voice. In recent years, she reignited public discourse by standing up to power, becoming the only woman to beat Donald Trump twice in court, and sparking a national conversation about truth, accountability, and resilience. This film is a portrait of an indomitable woman who proved it’s never too late to reclaim your voice, rewrite your story, and change the world.
• Aug. 1: Family Film Fest 2026: “KPop Demon Hunters.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. 11:30 a.m. Family Film Fest screenings are free, and tickets are available at the Ross Box Office the day of the show. For more information, visit https://theross.org. When they aren’t selling out stadiums, KPop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use their secret identities as demon hunters to protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. Together, they must face their biggest enemy yet — an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise.
• Aug. 5: Made in Nebraska 2026 Summer Series: “The Indian Runner.” Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 13th and R streets. For showtimes and ticket information, visit https://theross.org. After getting into trouble with the law, violence-prone Frank Roberts (Viggo Mortensen) seeks help from his brother Joe (David Morse), an even-tempered policeman. Frank hopes to start fresh, and his brother has faith that he can do it. So Joe agrees to let Frank stay — despite the admonitions of his wife, Maria (Valeria Golino), who would rather not have Frank in the house. And though he performs well at first, Frank’s inner turmoil eventually erupts, creating chaos in their once tranquil home.