(Photo: WWAY)
WILMINGTON, NC — WHQR Public Media and the Cucalorus Film Foundation are teaming up to bring the long-running Cinematique Film Series to a new home at Jengo’s Playhouse.
The partnership marks a new chapter for the series, which has introduced local audiences to international, independent and classic films for more than 30 years. The move comes after WHQR announced Wednesday that the series would not continue at Thalian Hall.
“We are thrilled to be able to continue this community institution,” said WHQR Development Director and Cinematique Coordinator Mary Bradley. “With our new partnership with Cucalorus at Jengo’s, we hope to present even more independent, foreign, classic and notable films that might not otherwise find their way to our region.”
Jengo’s Playhouse, a 65-seat cinema located in the Soda Pop District, serves as the hub for the Cucalorus Film Foundation’s year-round screenings and events. Cucalorus Executive Director Dan Brawley said he first encountered the Cinematique series as an intern in the 1990s and credits it with igniting his passion for film.
“The film was John Sayles’ Return of the Secaucus 7, and it had a big impact on me,” Brawley said. “I discovered an entire world of films that I wasn’t seeing at the movie theater or at home on HBO or Cinemax. It really started my appreciation for independent and international cinema. In some ways, I never looked back.”
The fall 2025 Cinematique lineup has not yet been announced, but both organizations say it will stay true to the series’ legacy while introducing new voices and stories to local audiences.
The final Cinematique screenings at Thalian Hall are scheduled for June 23–25, featuring three of the series’ most popular films — The English Patient, Amélie and The Queen — with a post-screening toast and gathering planned for June 25.