Bruce Campbell headlines final East Lansing Film Festival
The East Lansing Film Festival will return to the city this week for its 29th and final edition, and Michigan native Bruce Campbell will be on hand Thursday, Oct. 22, to open the four-day program with a screening of his new film Ernie & Emma.
The screening begins at 7 p.m. at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road in East Lansing. Campbell, who wrote, directed and stars in the film, is expected to introduce the movie and participate in a question-and-answer session with the audience after the screening. Tickets for opening night are $15 for general admission and $8 for students with a valid ID. Festival passes also are available through the East Lansing Film Festival website.
Festival organizers billed this year as the event’s 29th and final edition.
What to know about the film and the festival
Ernie & Emma follows a widowed pear salesman as he journeys to scatter his wife’s ashes, revisiting memories and reflecting on his future. The film marks Campbell’s latest project as a writer-director-star and arrives in a year when the actor has made several public appearances in Michigan; a June screening at Detroit’s Redford Theatre drew more than 1,100 fans and included longtime collaborator Sam Raimi in attendance.
Organizers say the festival lineup for its final run includes seven full-length films and 37 short films from filmmakers around the world. After roughly a decade of hosting screenings at Studio C in Okemos, the festival is returning to East Lansing for its concluding program.
- When: Oct. 22, screening begins at 7 p.m.
- Where: Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing
- Tickets: $15 general, $8 students; festival passes available
- Festival run: Main screenings Oct. 22–25
Local impact and what the finale means
The festival has been a fixture in the region’s cultural calendar for nearly three decades, showcasing independent films, documentaries and international work. Founded by Susan Woods, the East Lansing Film Festival provided a platform for emerging filmmakers and offered local audiences access to films they might not otherwise see in the Lansing area.
Its organizers framed this edition as the festival’s final program. For local arts groups, theater operators and audience members who have supported the festival, the closing marks the end of a recurring event that brought filmmakers, visiting talent and broader attention to East Lansing’s arts scene. The decision to stage the final set of screenings in East Lansing — rather than at Studio C in Okemos, where the festival spent much of the past decade — brings the event back into the city where it began.
Practical details for attendees
Those planning to attend Campbell’s opening-night screening can buy tickets through the East Lansing Film Festival website. Doors typically open before the scheduled start time to allow for seating and any preliminary remarks. Campbell is slated to introduce the film and answer audience questions following the screening.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opening night | Oct. 22, 7 p.m., Hannah Community Center |
| Ticket prices | $15 general, $8 students; $60 festival pass option |
| Festival length | Oct. 22–25 (main screenings) |
| Program | 7 full-length films, 37 shorts |
For Lansing-area residents interested in local arts programming, the festival’s final run is both an opportunity to see a high-profile Michigan native and a moment to reflect on nearly 30 years of film programming in the region. Additional information, including full schedules and ticket purchases, is available on the East Lansing Film Festival website.
