FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2024
Media Contact:
Fahlgren Mortine
[email protected]
America 250-Ohio Launches “Ohio Goes to the Movies,”
A Statewide Event Series Celebrating Ohio’s Contributions to Film
COLUMBUS, OH (May 1, 2024) – America 250-Ohio, the official state commission responsible for spearheading Ohio’s celebrations around America’s semiquincentennial in 2026, today launched Ohio Goes to the Movies (OGTTM), an unprecedented all-Ohio film series and statewide celebration of movies showcasing Ohioans and their contributions to America’s film industry and moviemaking. Films will highlight Ohioans as actors, directors, writers, composers, as well as locations and topics, shown in cities and towns across the state.
At this evening’s launch event, held at the Lincoln Theater in Columbus, Governor Mike DeWine delivered introductory remarks ahead of a screening of Apollo 11 (2019), an Emmy Award-winning documentary produced, directed, and edited by Ohio native Todd Douglas Miller. Miller also participated in a post-film Q-and-A panel including the film’s composer, Matt Morton, who hails from Gahanna, Ohio; OGTTM program director Molly Kreuzman; and special guest JoAnn Hardin Morgan, the first woman in the NASA Launch Control Center Firing Room and a member of the Launch Team for Apollo 11.
The Ohio Goes to the Movies program will include partnerships with film festivals in 2025, and will culminate in a 100-day, statewide movie series beginning mid-February through May 2026. During that time, Ohio Goes to the Movies events across the state will highlight films made in Ohio, that feature Ohio-born actors, transpire in an Ohio city or town, or center on Ohioans. The events will be held in venues such as historic theaters, drive-in movie theaters, libraries, community centers, and museums, among others.
“The breadth and depth of the moviemaking talent from Ohio – actors, directors, composers, writers, film crews, filming locations – is remarkable,” said Molly Kreuzman, Ohio Goes to the Movies program director. “Movies have the power to excite us and unite us, and we look forward to commemorating and celebrating all the ways that movies have brought Ohioans together, and how Ohioans have been at the forefront of many historic and iconic films in American history.”
America 250-Ohio is actively planning the spring 2026 film series. Venues of all sizes are encouraged to consider hosting an Ohio-focused film event. Interested venues can learn more at the Ohio Goes to the Movies web page at ohiogoestothemovies.org or can contact OGTTM Program Director Molly Kreuzman, [email protected] Information on future event dates and details will be announced as events are confirmed.
Images and video from the launch event can be requested by emailing to [email protected]
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About Ohio Goes to the Movies
Ohio Goes to the Movies is an unprecedented all-Ohio movie series. Ohio’s vast contribution to the movies will be celebrated in 2026 through a statewide movie series over a 100-day period from mid- February through May 2026. Films will range from archival/hard-to-find niche films to silver-screen classics and blockbusters, and each will have an important Ohio connection. Movies will be planned to be shown in all 88 Ohio counties and will feature Ohioans on screen, behind-the-camera, and much more. Whether the film is in a historic movie palace, drive-in theater, or local auditorium, Ohio Goes to the Movies will be “more than a movie” — each event may include opportunities such as behind-the- scenes information, activities, speakers, and more. More information can be found at OhioGoestotheMovies.org
About America 250-Ohio
In 2026, the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial, which is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Each state has been encouraged to create a celebration and commemoration of this anniversary to reflect the unique character and contributions of each state to the nation over the past 250 years. Ohio is fully embracing this opportunity. The Ohio Commission for the Semiquincentennial (aka America 250-Ohio Commission or AM250-OH) was created by the Ohio legislature and launched on March 1, 2022. The charge of the AM250-OH Commission is to “…to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United States and the impact of Ohioans on the nation’s past, present, and future.” —Ohio Revised Code (149.309). More information can be found at America250-Ohio.org
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