Free Movie Nights Return to Utica University
If your idea of a good night includes a great movie, a comfortable seat and spending exactly zero dollars, Utica University has your Thursday nights covered.
The university’s popular Films on Thursday series is back for the fall with seven more movies scheduled through October 15.
All screenings are free and open to the public.
Free Movies Every Thursday at Utica University
Films begin at 7 p.m. inside Macfarlane Auditorium, located on the first floor of DePerno Hall at Utica University.
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This is not your typical movie-theater lineup, either. The fall series includes classic dramas, international films, music documentaries and stories you may not find playing anywhere else in Central New York.
Where to Park at Utica University
Utica University is located at 1600 Burrstone Road.
Visitors should park in Lot C and follow the walkways toward Romano Plaza. Enter DePerno Hall and take the stairs down to the first floor. Macfarlane Auditorium will be on the left at the bottom of the stairs.
You can find a campus map, parking information and additional details about the Fall 2026 Films on Thursday series on the Utica University website.
Here is what is coming up during Films on Thursday:
September 3: “All Night Long”
This stylish 1962 British noir film reimagines Shakespeare’s “Othello” inside a London jazz club.
A singer and piano player are celebrating their first anniversary when a jealous drummer disrupts the evening. Jazz fans will also get to see rare on-screen performances from Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus and other legendary musicians.
September 10: “Late Shift”
This fast-paced 2025 drama follows a nurse working inside an understaffed hospital surgical ward.
While trying to provide proper care for her patients, she faces nonstop demands for her time and attention. The film honors the nursing profession while showing the emotional and physical toll placed on frontline healthcare workers.
September 17: “Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It”
Billy Preston played alongside some of the biggest names in music, including The Beatles, Ray Charles and The Rolling Stones.
Using extensive archival footage, this documentary explores the Grammy-winning singer and keyboardist’s incredible career, along with the private struggles that eventually derailed his life.
September 24: “Eat Drink Man Woman”
This Academy Award-nominated film from director Ang Lee centers on Tao Chu, a widowed master chef who prepares elaborate meals for his three daughters but has trouble communicating with them.
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The 1994 Taiwanese comedy serves up love, family, relationships, plenty of food and more than a few unexpected twists.
Fair warning: You may leave hungry.
October 1: “Ghost Elephants”
Are enormous “ghost elephants” hiding in a remote section of Angola, or are they simply a myth?
Director Werner Herzog follows National Geographic Explorers and KhoiSan master trackers as they search for the elusive herd in this visually stunning 2025 documentary.
October 8: “Köln 75”
Keith Jarrett’s 1975 solo piano concert became a legendary recording that sold more than three million copies.
However, the lesser-known story belongs to Vera Brandes, the determined 18-year-old concert promoter who organized the performance and saved it from almost certain failure.
“Köln 75” tells the remarkable story behind one of the most influential piano recordings in history.
October 15: “To Sir, With Love”
The fall series concludes with the 1967 classic starring Sidney Poitier.
Poitier plays an out-of-work engineer from British Guiana who becomes a teacher in London’s tough East End. Faced with unruly students who have little hope for their futures, he must find a way to earn their trust and help them believe in themselves.
