The state of Ohio is kicking off its Ohio Goes to the Movies initiative today, a series of film screenings over 250 days that will showcase the state’s contributions to American filmmaking.
It’s all part of America 250-Ohio, a series of events the state is putting on in 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Cincinnati’s first screening will be the 1966 screwball comedy Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!, starring the Ohio-born actress and comedian Phyllis Diller.
It will be hosted at the Kenwood Theatre on February 15 and be presented like a red-carpet premiere, with “step-and-repeat photo opportunities, themed concessions, film facts pre-show, themed pre-film introduction and post-film discussions.” This is the first of three screenings held by the theater group that owns the Esquire, Kenwood and Mariemont Theatres, the region’s largest independently-owned theater group.
Each screening will have a meaningful connection to Ohio in some regard, whether it’s a main actor, director, or a filming location.
“Ohio Goes to the Movies is about celebrating how film connects communities,” said Molly Kreuzman, Ohio Goes to the Movies program director. “Cincinnati’s strong film culture and creative history make it a natural place to launch this celebration and invite audiences to experience these stories together.”
Here’s the full list of screenings in Cincinnati for the year:
Kenwood Theatre: “Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number” 2/15/26
Cinemark Western Hills: “A.I. Artifical Intelligence” 3/1/26
Cinemark Oakley Station “The Color Purple” 3/1/26
Miami Vital Society of Whitewater Township “History in Your Own Backyard” 3/25/26
Mariemont Theatre “Lover Come Back” 4/5/26
Miami Historical Society of Whitewater Township “History in Your Own Backyard – Whitewater Township Videos” 4/22/26
Contemporary Arts Center “The Best Years of Our Lives” 5/15/26
Colerain Park Amphitheater “Little Giants” 7/17/26
Cincinnati Museum Center “Apollo 11: First Steps Edition” 7/18/26
Esquire Theatre “A Raisin in the Sun” 8/14/26
RJ Cinema Distillery and Taproom “Rain Man” 9/21/26
AMC Anderson Towne Center “Jurassic Park” 10/2/26