The answer to the age-old allegory “Will it play in Peoria?” will be found on Oct. 19-22 at the 2023 Peoria Film Fest, the city’s 5th annual film event. This year’s festival features classic sports films and has free family-friendly shows for kids. The World War II thriller Gold Run kicks off the festivities 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at Harkins Arrowhead Fountains Theater, 16046 N. Arrowhead Fountains Center Drive, Peoria.
Tickets and Festival Passes for the 2023 Peoria Film Fest, part of the Phoenix Film Festival and presented by the city of Peoria, are now on sale and can be purchased either at the festival’s website at www.peoriafilmfest.com or calling the film festival office at 480-513-3195.
Single tickets for each show are $10, and the full festival pass is $30. The tickets for the classic sports films are $5, and family friendly films showing at the festival are free. Peoria residents can get an exclusive discount.
Juno Films’ action/drama release of Gold Run has been announced as the opening night film, with the Arizona premiere taking place 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at Harkins Arrowhead Fountains.
In April 1940, German soldiers descend upon Oslo with three targets: the King, the government and Norway’s gold reserves. Within only a few hours, parliamentary secretary Fredrik Haslund brings together an unlikely team, including his sister, a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, truck drivers, and a famous poet.
Their mission is to move 40 tons of gold across the country to reach an Allied shipping convoy, outsmarting and evading the approaching Nazi forces.
Included in the ticket for Gold Run, guests will also receive a complimentary beverage (beer, wine, soft drink or water), a free medium popcorn, a VIP bag and an additional surprise or two.
Classic sports films for $5 each
The Peoria Film Fest also will be showing four classic sports genre films this year. Guests can get the chance to view for the first time, or a repeated viewing, the following sporty films on the big screen for only $5 a ticket:
Oct. 20 – Tin Cup at 7:05 p.m.
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6145458
Oct. 21 – A League of Their Own at 4 p.m.
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6145541
Oct. 21 – Hoosiers at 7 p.m.
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6145560
Oct. 22 – Rudy at 4 p.m.
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6145598
Free, family-friendly films
Also at Peoria Film Fest will be free showings of family-friendly programs including Sparkle: A Unicorn Tale and the Family Short Films Program.
When 15-year-old Annabelle runs away from an orphanage with two other kids to rescue the animals on her family’s farm, they discover a magical unicorn has taken up residence.
Free showings of Sparkle: A Unicorn Tale will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, and 1:45 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22.
The Family Short Films Program includes 10 family-friendly short films, which includes a combination of animated, live action, and live action documentary short films. Free showings of the Family Short Films Program will be 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, and 11:35 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 22.