The first sounds stir, presence gathers, and the night begins to shapeshift as the festival is set in motion.
All proceeds go to Senate Theater.

TIME & LOCATION

Oct 28, 2026

Door —7:00 PM

Films—8:00 PM

Senate Theater, 6424 Michigan Ave, Detroit

TICKETS:

Ticket Price: $25 *All proceeds go to Senate Theater*

An opening descent into sound, cinema, and apparition. Detroit filmmakers unveil independent visions of horror in support of the historic Senate Theater, where all proceeds from the evening help sustain one of the city’s most haunted and beloved cinematic landmarks. The Devil’s Night Film Festival runs through Oct. 31. Click here to view the full lineup here.

Film Screenings:

Infernus / Director: Vincent Vente (1 hr 25 min)

Strange Tales of the South Shore: Texas Road / Director: Ken Amlin (37 min)

12 Hour Labour / Director: Natalie Rainhard (14 min)

Sleepover / Director: Doc Colony (3 min)

Terror and Tease: The Electric Spookshow / Director: FeNyx Noel (20 min)

All Souls Day / Director: Brett J. Lawrence (17 min)

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

The Shining (1980)  

Sat. Oct. 24 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

2hr 24min | R | Horror | USA  

We're really, really sorry to interrupt you, but . . . can you maybe take some time to come see Stanley Kubrick's horror masterpiece at a century old neighborhood theater? We promise we won't possess you. 

You are our patron. You've always been our patron. 

Jack Nicholson stars with Shelley Duvall in this Stephen King story of what happens when a very unchill dad with writer's block takes a job as a caretaker for a remote, haunted hotel. Bringing his wife and telepathic son along with him, isolation and creative frustration quickly takes its toll on Jack (a dull boy, after all) and some subsequent unexplainable happenings certainly don't help.  

Part family drama, part psychological horror, all terrifying; this masterwork is one worth seeing again and again. But like all movies, it's better in a crowd so don't miss it on our big screen! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Hotel Transylvania (2012)  

Sat. Oct. 24 

Doors – 2:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 2:30 PM  

Film – 3:00 PM  

Tickets - $6 (Kids 12 and under FREE!) 

1hr 31min | PG| Family/Comedy | USA  

Trunk or Treat in the Senate parking lot after the film 4:30 – 6:00 PM (costumes encouraged!) 

He may come to suck your blood, but when it comes to his hotel Drac hopes you come to be yourself, free from the persecution of pitchfork wielding townspeople. That is, of course, if you are a monster like him. If you are a human? Hang on to your neck. 

Come see our matinee screening of Hotel Transylvania at the Senate. It's madcap spooky season entertainment for the whole family! 

Starring Adam Sandler as Count "Drac" Dracula, the owner of an all-monster, human-free  hotel, this zany animated comedy is a contemporary kid's classic, now having spawned three sequels and a television series, with more in the works. It tells the story of what happens when a human (Andy Samberg) accidentally shows up at Drac’s exclusive resort.  

And stick around after the show for a trunk or treat event in the parking lot. Costumes encouraged! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Doors at 6:00 PM

Films at 7:00 PM

Event overview

Horror Film Roulette is a night of short horror films made by filmmakers who each had four weeks and a sub-genre handed to them by the spin of a wheel. The top 25 films screen at The Senate Theater, and the winners take home a share of $2,000.

The evening

Doors open at 6:00 PM and the films start at 7:00 PM on Friday, October 23, 2026 at The Senate Theater, 6424 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48210. Winners are announced after the films at the in-person event.

VIP

VIP gets you your choice of seating plus a collectible Horror Film Roulette item, on top of everything in the Evening ticket.

Good to know

Anyone under 18 must be with a parent or legal guardian. All tickets are delivered by email. Show that email at the door as proof of purchase. There are no refunds after tickets are purchased.

Silents at the Senate Presents: Faust (1926) 100th Anniversary Screening 

Sat. Oct. 17 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $15  

1hr 46min | NR | Fantasy/Drama/Horror | Germany 

Live organ accompaniment by Stephen Warner 

 The 2026 season of Silents at the Senate celebrates spooky season with a dark fantasy tale, Faust, presented on our big screen to celebrate its centennial year! A masterwork of German Expressionism from director F.W. Murnau, this superlative film adaptation of a legendary deal with the devil will be accompanied by a live organ score by organist Stephen Warner on our Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ.  

Join us and behold the indelible imagery of Murnau's masterwork—the stuff of illusory nightmare and collective dreams of the metaphysical realm. Let yourself be transported into its world by the alchemical magic of sound combined with vision. Just as audiences first saw it 100 years ago, you will be swept into this tale of a learned man giving into his desire for knowledge at a terrible cost, the unmatched emotional power of a live pipe organ enhancing each frame. 

And, as always, following the silent film presentation patrons will have a chance to take a tour of the organ pipe chambers and the organist will be around to field any questions you may have about theater organ and the art of silent film accompaniment!

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Silents at the Senate Presents: A Centennial Encore of Cecil B. DeMille’s The Volga Boatman (1926)  

On October 7, 1926, the Senate Theater opened its doors with little fanfare; one run-of-the-mill neighborhood movie house amongst hundreds. It was saved as a by-product of rescuing the 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer, the greatest instrument ever built to accompany silent films, from destruction. One hundred years later, join us to celebrate the miracle of their continued existence! 

Experience the past and help shape the future at two special events on Oct. 7 and Oct. 10, 2026.  All proceeds benefit theater and organ restoration and renovation projects. Learn more about the Party of the Century on Oct. 10.

Silents at the Senate Presents: A Centennial Encore of Cecil B. DeMille’s The Volga Boatman (1926)  

Wed. Oct. 7 
Doors – 6:30 PM  
Film – 7:30 PM  
Tickets - $15 

2hr 00min | NR | Drama| USA 

Live organ accompaniment by Lance Luce 

Exactly 100 years to-the-day the Senate Theater opened to the public, Detroit Red Wings Head Organist and Detroit Theater Organ Society President Lance Luce will accompany Cecil B. DeMille’s silent classic The Volga Boatman. It was a smash hit by a pioneering filmmaker who dominated the box office and defined American filmmaking with his sumptuous style and craftsmanship. The Bolshevik Revolution provides the action-adventure backdrop for a dramatic love story between Princess Vera and Feodor, the Volga boatman.

This special screening kicks off the Senate's new Centennial Encore series, which will highlight some of the films screened at the Senate Theater in its original 32-year run. The program will extend through the centennial of the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ in November 2028.

And keep Saturday, October 10 open to attend the Senate's Party of the Century, where we'll take you back to 1926 with a delightfully anachronistic evening of roaring-twenties entertainment, including live music and dance, a silent short film and other unexpected performances.

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Drag Me to Hell (2009)  

Sat. Oct. 3 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Films – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

1hr 39min | PG-13| Horror | USA 

When loan officer Christine Brown devotes herself to the bottom line by denying an old woman her mortgage extension, a curse sends her soul careening toward a far lower boundary. Will she find out what’s on the other side in Drag Me To Hell? 

Directed by Sam Raimi, following up on the massive success of his Spider-Man films, this supernatural morality tale was a return to the director’s beginnings. With all the goopy, nasty, and campy fun of Raimi’s seminal Evil Dead films, Drag Me To Hell is a new low-budget horror classic that blends old horror staples like Romani curses with contemporary ethical questions. Escapism and social commentary, tropes and fresh takes, thrills and laughs, practical effects and CGI combine for one good time at the movies. 

Join us at the Senate to see it on the big screen for one night only! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Fri. Sep. 26 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Films – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

1hr 48min | R | Action/Horror| USA 

Two brothers, murderous bank robbers fleeing into Mexico with a family of hostages in tow, find themselves face to face with an ancient evil far greater than the evil in their hearts when they make a quick stop at the wrong saloon. Can they survive this wild night of mythological proportions? 

Directed and edited by Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Spy Kids) and written by his pal Quentin Tarantino (True Romance, Pulp Fiction) From Dusk Till Dawn stars George Clooney, Salma Hayek, Harvy Keitel, Quentin Tarantino, and Juliette Lewis. This modern classic hefts its over-the-top action style and jams it straight into the heart of the traditional vampire tale. It gleefully invites you to revel in its relentless violence and delight in its knowing bad taste, propriety (and our everlasting souls) be damned. 

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with us (and start your Halloween a little early) at the Senate, by watching this massively popular gore fest on the big screen. It is one of the most successful and enduring directorial efforts from one of the most successful Mexican American directors in cinema history.  

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Point Break (1991) 

Fri. Sep. 11 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Films – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

2hr 2min | R | Action| USA 

Introduction and post film Q & A with The Detroit News film critic Adam Graham 

A surfer-philosopher and an undercover F . . . B . . . I . . . agent!  

Killer waves and weighty moral decisions! 

A confrontation with the imposing and alluring megalith of fraternal love, jutting up from the sand, inviting you into the frothy churn! 

It’s Point Break, the radical (in the 1991 sense) action flick, directed by the award-winning master of kinetic action cinema, Kathryn Bigelow! (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) 

For one night only on our big screen, see the story of rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah as he attempts to infiltrate a group of surfers suspected of being the bank robbers known as the Ex-Presidents. With a love for danger and a penchant for wearing presidential Halloween masks, these rough and ready dudes are led by the charismatic and seductive Bodhi. Can Johnny stop the crime spree, or will he succumb to the allure of adrenaline and intense camaraderie?  

Starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, with supporting turns from Gary Busey and Lori Petty, this action/crime thriller was the breakout success for its director and garnered praise that has since turned to cultish adoration in the decades since its release.  

Come enjoy this modern classic with us, hosted by The Detroit News film critic Adam Graham who will introduce the film and hold a Q&A session after the final wave crashes! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

The Giant Gila Monster (1959) FREE Outdoor Screening! 

Sat. Aug. 15 in the Senate Coney Lot  

Doors – 8:00 PM 

Film – Dusk (approx. 8:45 PM) 

Tickets – FREE 

1hr 15min | NR | Horror/Sci-fi | USA 

Every summer as temperatures rise, The Senate Theater greets the heat with our annual Hot, Sweaty & Weird film series, focusing on cult favorites, underground classics, and B-movie schlock. For our final film of the series we’re heading outside for a FREE film screening in our Senate Coney Lot!  

This year we’re bringing you The Giant Gila Monster, a classic(ally terrible) teensploitation flick grafted with horrifying(ly bad) special effects onto the framework of a creature feature. It’s the kind of delightfully cheesy junk that was tailored for the drive-in crowd of the 1950s, filled with hot rods, “platter parties,” questionable acting, and plenty of bloodless carnage. It’s perfect for our free outdoor screening, in the “Coney Lot” located next to the Senate’s front door on Michigan Ave. 

DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR!  

CONCESSIONS STAND AND BATHROOMS WILL BE AVAILABLE INSIDE THE THEATER! 

DONATIONS WELCOME! THE SENATE IS ALL VOLUNTEER AND NON-PROFIT! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Encore Presentation of This Locally Produced Documentary!

Fri. Aug. 7

Doors – 6:30 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:00 PM  

Film – 7:30 PM

Director Q&A to follow film

Tickets - $12  

1hr 51min | NR | Documentary | USA 

Amid the radical politics and cultural upheaval of the late 1960s, a series of brutal murders targeting young women gripped the twin university towns of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan. This independent and locally-made documentary examines not just a series of crimes, but the social and political tensions that enabled them—many of which still resonate today. Followed by a Q+A with Director Andrew Templeton.

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Tears of the Black Tiger (2000)  

Fri. Jul. 31 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

1hr 50min | Not Rated, Violence and gore | Action/Drama | Thailand 

Every summer as temperatures rise, The Senate Theater greets the heat with our annual Hot, Sweaty & Weird film series, focusing on cult favorites, underground classics, and B-movie schlock. For our fourth film of the series this year we are excited to screen the original cut of a little-seen gem out of Thailand, Tears of the Black Tiger!  

A tale of star-crossed lovers, frontier lawlessness, and hyper-stylized gun violence, this pseudo-western camp melodrama dazzles with eye-popping color and intense emotions. Its vivid and hallucinatory mélange of Thai pop culture and international cinematic influences will have film aficionados making connections to 1950s Hollywood melodrama, spaghetti westerns, Hong Kong action flicks, Tarantino and more. But the soapy dramas and low-brow action films of Thai cinema were equally important to writer/director Wisit Sasanatieng, who lovingly paid homage to and satirized the cinematic culture of his country. 

It is a film both unique and yet springing from and commenting on the entire, cacophonous, kaleidoscope of 20th century film culture.  

Check it out in all its panoramic glory on the Senate’s big screen! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Maddie's Secret (2026)  

Fri. Jul. 24

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $10  

1hr 40min | Not Rated | Comedy | USA 

The Senate Theater is excited to screen a new studio release for the first time since the 1950s! And it's a perfect addition to our Hot, Sweaty & Weird summer series!

MADDIE’S SECRET is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company. While her life seems picturesque — complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of woman-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot — mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past. A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema.

Written & Directed by John Early

Starring Kate Berlant, Eric Rahill, John Early, Claudia O'Doherty, Conner O'Malley,Vanessa Bayer, Chris Bauer, Kristen Johnston

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

El Topo (1970)  

Sat. Jul. 18 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

2hr 5min | Not Rated, NOT FOR KIDS | “Acid” Western | Mexico 

Every summer as temperatures rise, The Senate Theater greets the heat with our annual Hot, Sweaty & Weird film series, focusing on cult favorites, underground classics, and B-movie schlock. For our third film of the series this year we invite you to experience El Topo, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s brilliant and deranged “acid” western on our big screen!  

With intense violence and bold psychedelic imagery, this existential trip into a phantasmagoric world is rife with religious symbolism and heady philosophical exploration. It melds a messianic narrative with a surreal reimagining of the western genre’s lone gunman archetype. With equal parts provocation and mind-bending entertainment El Topo shocked and enthralled audiences in the 1970s. It was perhaps the single film most responsible for popularizing the “midnight movie”, opening space for the controversial and avante-garde cinema that otherwise would never have found an audience.  

Dark, discomfiting, and arguably sacrilegious, Jodorowsky’s western cult classic is like a spaghetti western if someone slipped a certain “secret ingredient” into the sauce. It just might make you say, “Woah, heavy!” like you’re facing the certainty of our collective mortality at the precipice between salvation and oblivion. 

It’s not for everyone, and definitely not for children. It can not be overstated that if you would rather avoid depictions of sexual violence you should not attend. But for anyone interested in exploring the strange frontiers of cinema, El Topo is essential. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue  

Pride Celebration at the Senate: Multiple Maniacs (1970)  

Sat. Jun. 27 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Drag show – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets – $6 (Bundle with The Cockettes – $10) 

1hr 36min | NR | Comedy | USA 

Drag Show featuring Laila Grace, Emma Sapphire and Sandy Francisco as DIVINE!

Presented with the Motor City Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and Larry the T-Shirt Guy 

Come to the Senate for an evening of pride, featuring two divine movies celebrating outsider performance! This event kicks off our annual summer series of cult and B-movies we call Hot, Sweaty & Weird. But this first show is going to be Hot, Sweaty & Queer!    

The second film for the night, following the documentary The Cockettes about the theater troupe of the same name, is director John Waters’ second feature Multiple Maniacs!  

Starring the incomparable drag legend Divine, (a sometime member and friend of The Cockettes) this is the first real “talkie” from the Pope of Trash. It tells the story of a violent troupe of travelling side show performers, intent on revolting their audiences before robbing them blind.

With giddy defiance it disgusts and wallows in its ugliness, proving itself an unruly, unholy, unapologetic pillar of camp.  

Don’t miss your chance to see this important piece of underground independent cinema, described by critics as “smelly,” “thoroughly disgusting” and “also quite funny!” It’s for outsider weirdos, tacky deviants, and lovers of all things trashy. It is for anybody willing to peer past the straight edges of society into the “maniac” fringes. Don’t worry. It’s a good time out there.  

And it’s a good time at the Senate too. See you there! 

From our partner organization: 

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are a leading-edge Order of queer and trans nuns. We believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty. 

Since our first appearance in San Francisco on Easter Sunday, 1979, the Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. We use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency, and guilt that chain the human spirit. 

The Cockettes, a San Francisco-based psychedelic performance troupe active from 1969 to 1972, paved the way for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (founded in 1979) by establishing a foundation of "gender-fuck" drag, queer communal living, and unapologetic public spectacle that utilized satire for social critique. The Cockettes' influence directly informed the aesthetic, theatrical, and counter-cultural approach that the Sisters would later adapt to tackle political issues and community service. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Sat. Jun. 27 

Doors – 4:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 4:30 PM  

Film – 5:00 PM  

Drag show – 7:00 PM (after the film) 

Tickets – $6 (Bundle with Multiple Maniacs – $10) 

1hr 42min | R | Documentary | USA 

Drag Show featuring Laila Grace, Emma Sapphire and Sandy Francisco as DIVINE!

Presented with the Motor City Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and Larry the T-Shirt Guy 

Come to the Senate for an evening of pride, featuring two divine movies celebrating outsider performance! This event kicks off our annual summer series of cult and B-movies we call Hot, Sweaty & Weird. But this first show is going to be Hot, Sweaty & Queer!  

First up is The Cockettes, a fascinating and detailed look at the infamous performance group of the same name.

This engrossing and exuberant documentary outlines the rise and eventual dissolution of a band of misfits, hippies, radicals, and gender revolutionaries. In 1970s gay San Francisco they rose from the come-down of the psychedelic 60s trip to create a theater experience as liberated as their utopian dreams and as free as their anarchic spirit. The result was a wild and drug fueled drag show that aimed to alter minds and shock sensibilities. 

They bore it all, quite literally. They scoffed at boundaries and rejected the constraints of good taste. They burned bright and fast in a flash of rapturous irreverence; their flame kept alive in the (sometimes fuzzy) memories of the people that were there.  

See the story of The Cockettes on the big screen at the Senate! There will be a drag performance after the film, the Senate’s excellent concessions offerings, and the warm glow of pride and free expression. Stick around for John Waters’ first feature Multiple Maniacs at 8:00 PM, starring the incomparable Divine, a sometime member and friend of The Cockettes. 

From our partner organization: 

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are a leading-edge Order of queer and trans nuns. We believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty. 

Since our first appearance in San Francisco on Easter Sunday, 1979, the Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. We use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency, and guilt that chain the human spirit. 

The Cockettes, a San Francisco-based psychedelic performance troupe active from 1969 to 1972, paved the way for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (founded in 1979) by establishing a foundation of "gender-fuck" drag, queer communal living, and unapologetic public spectacle that utilized satire for social critique. The Cockettes' influence directly informed the aesthetic, theatrical, and counter-cultural approach that the Sisters would later adapt to tackle political issues and community service. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Silents at the Senate Presents: Salomé (1923)  

Sat. Jun. 13 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $15  

1hr 14min | NR | Drama| USA 

Live organ accompaniment by John Lauter 

 A lecherous authoritarian! A callous princess! A defiant zealot! The literal shadow of death!

Don’t miss Salomé, a trailblazing silent era phantasmagoria with a live score by John Lauter who will accompany the film on the Senate Theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ!

A loose adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s play, (itself a loose adaptation of the biblical tale of King Herod and the execution of John the Baptist) Salomé was independently produced and is one of the first art films made in the United States. Its wild costumes, dreamy visual style, and striking set design were admired by many contemporaries. But these qualities could not win over those offended by its frank portrayal of taboo sexual obsession within a biblical story. Controversy surrounded its release, leading to censorship and obscurity. But thanks to (plausible but unconfirmable) rumors of an all gay or bisexual cast and retrospective rave reviews from cinephiles scouring for discarded celluloid gems, this once ignored film is now a queer cult classic.

Come see what the New York State Censorship Board called “a story of depravity and immorality” on the big screen as it was intended to be seen, with live musical accompaniment on a theater pipe organ designed to do just that.

And, as always, stick around after the show for a pipe chamber tour and a chance to talk to our organist for the evening!

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Sat. Jun. 6 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

2hr 30min | NR | Action/War | USA 

These twelve army convicts are murderers, thieves, misfits, dirtbags, freaks . . . and the Nazi’s worst nightmare. Come see them take the fascists by their swastikas on the Senate’s big screen in The Dirty Dozen! 

Directed by the maverick filmmaker Robert Aldrich (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane) this influential action extravaganza stars an unmatched ensemble led by Lee Marvin and featuring Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes, and Donald Sutherland. In the lead up to D-Day the higher ups in the European theater decide to exploit the desperation of their worst soldiers awaiting execution on military death row. To earn their freedom these convicts must take a crash course in commando tactics from the hard-nosed Major John Reisman (Lee Marvin) before setting off on a suicide mission deep in Nazi territory. That freedom may be a pipe dream, but it’s better than rotting in a jail cell waiting for the hangman’s noose. 

It’s dark, violent, cynical, gritty, exciting, bombastic, and arguably nihilistic. But most of all it’s a fun time at the movies, filled with black humor, thrills, and raucous energy. Boundary pushing for the time, the explicit violence shocked and disgusted some critics just as it enthralled audiences who flocked to the theaters to see these filthy guys eliminate some of Hitler’s top men.  

So get your gang together and come see this ultimate buddy war film at the Senate! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Sat. May 30 

Doors – 2:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 2:30 PM  

Film – 3:00 PM 

Tickets - $6  

1hr 32min | PG | Comedy/Family | USA 

In the name of the father, son and holy piledriver, get ready for Nacho Libre! The Senate Theater is bringing everyone’s favorite Catholic themed Lucha Libre comedy starring Jack Black to the big screen for a one-time only matinee! 

Based loosely on a real Mexican Catholic priest, this outrageous family comedy follows the antics, (in and out of the wrestling ring) of the often clueless but goodhearted Ignacio, a friar and cook at a monastery and orphanage in Oaxaca. Ignacio, frustrated with the meager meals he and the monks provide, begins to moonlight as a professional wrestler. Despite a series of wacky setbacks, Ignacio remains determined to transform his dreams of wrestling glory into improved conditions at the orphanage in which he serves, the only home he has ever known. 

The follow-up to director Jared Hess’ indie comedy phenomenon Napoleon Dynamite, this broad and beloved comedy was dismissed by critics on its release. But fan devotion has since body slammed those naysayers into submission, pummeling them with windup punches, clotheslines and flying kicks until their snobbery gets booed out of the arena of public opinion.  

Pin this date to your calendar. See Nacho Libre at the Senate! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Cairo Station (1958) 

Sat. May 9 

Doors – 3:30 PM  

Organ Overture – 4:00 PM  

Film – 4:30 PM  

Tickets - $ 

1hr 17min | NR | Crime/Drama| Egypt 

Presented with the Arab American National Museum for the Arab Film Festival 

The Senate Theater, as part of the 2026 Arab Film Festival, is excited to screen Cairo Station, a masterpiece from Egypt’s golden age of cinema. Now newly restored, this crime drama blends influences from Italian neorealism and film-noir to tell a story of class conflict, violence and sexual repression.  

Released at the height of Egyptian cinema, when it was the world’s third largest industry, this film was directed by the legendary and acclaimed Youssef Chahine. Chahine, who also stars in the film and would have turned 100 years old this year, took advantage of the short period between the fall of the Egyptian monarchy and the nationalization of the film industry to push boundaries. Much revered by the international film community, he was an artist who rankled authorities and challenged his audience.  

Cairo Station, for example, tells of a newspaper seller’s sexual obsession in a city rocked by a serial killer’s spree. Its controversial themes, bold style, dark tone, and sympathetic portrayal of a victim of sexual violence made Egyptian audiences uncomfortable. More accustomed to happy endings and straightforward melodrama, Cairo Station was a box-office failure at home but was a film festival favorite abroad. Still, it was quickly forgotten. 

Thankfully critics and cinephiles, along with generations of Arab filmmakers saw its value, reviving its reputation starting in the 1970s. Now you can see this provocative and influential classic on the big screen as it was meant to be experienced, fully restored and with an introduction from Dr. Matthew Jaber Stiffler of the Arab Film Festival. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Silents at the Senate Presents: The Sheik (1921)  

Fri. May 8 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $15  

1hr 26min | NR | Romance/Adventure| USA 

Live organ accompaniment by Scott Smith 

Presented with the Arab American National Museum for the Arab Film Festival 

Century old art can be, to use the parlance of our times, problematic. It can be said that The Sheik, with its dated cultural stereotypes and sexual politics, is just that. However, it is also a film about confronting the darkness in one’s past and moving forward with moral clarity. 

Which is why Silents at the Senate and the Arab Film Festival are excited to screen this silent era blockbuster on our big screen. And to reiterate the importance of artistic preservation, this rousing tale will be presented as it was seen in 1921, with a live organ score (on our nearly century old Mighty Wurlitzer) by the indominable Scott Smith! Providing historical and cultural context will be Dr. Matthew Jaber Stiffler from the Arab Film Festival, who will introduce the film. 

Based on the wildly popular “desert romance” novel of the same name, this adventure melodrama was the breakout role for the most adored sex symbol of the 1920s, Rudolph Valentino. In keeping with the then current trends of exoticism and orientalist portrayals of Arabs in western popular culture, it is draped lavishly in billowy fabric and adorned judiciously with the seductive, vaguely “ethnic” face of its star. Modern audiences may not find this story particularly romantic, but its craftsmanship and the striking visage of Mr. Valentino remain as compelling as ever.   

Come see it at The Senate on the big screen and behold what brought last centuries earliest cinematic worshipers to the temple of their idol! 

Following the silent film presentation patrons will have a chance to take a tour of the organ pipe chambers and the organist will be around to field any questions you may have about theater organ and the art of silent film accompaniment!

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Blazing Saddles (1974) 16mm Film Presentation 

Sat. May 2 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM  

Films – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

1hr 33min | R | Comedy | USA 

Presented in collaboration with Motor City Cinema Society 

Blazing Saddles is full of beans. It’s an explosively funny spoof. It’s full of hot, hilarious air. It’s a real gas.  

And the Senate Theater is playing it on 16mm film, courtesy of our friends at Motor City Cinema Society! 

An irreverent and witty comedy shootout at the “Is it OK if I laugh at this?” Corral, this 70s classic isn’t just an excuse for flatulence-based humor. It takes a sharpened razor to the Western genre’s filthy prospector beard, uncovering the dark racial history and myth building at the heart of the form and America itself. But always with a laugh. Belly laughs so hearty your guts might bust, making you wonder how they found a take where the actors don’t break.  

Wind across the desolate beauty of a mesa! 

Yes, you can almost smell the sweat and feel the dust blowing. Just like any quality cowboy flick Blazing Saddles is full of wide-open vistas and rousing music. The only difference being that you must imagine director Mel Brooks shout, “Cut!” The cheese (of the highest quality) so irresistibly pungent that he himself could hardly go on. But then, beneath the hilarity is a righteousness, asking us to reflect and rise above our past. It says, “Pull up! Pull! My finger points at you, yes. But it also points beyond. To a promised land!”  

See you at the Senate! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Cinema Paradiso (1988) 

Sat. Apr. 25 

Doors – 6:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 6:30 PM  

Film – 7:00 PM  

Tickets - $10  

2hr 4min | PG | Drama | Italy/France 

Presented in partnership with WRCJ’s “The Soundtrack” with Haley Taylor to celebrate their 1 year anniversary! 

Post Film Q & A with Haley Taylor 

Together with WRCJ’s film score focused radio program “The Soundtrack” the Senate Theater invites you to a special screening of Cinema Paradiso! To celebrate the magic of the movies (and The Soundtrack’s one year anniversary) we’re bringing this international art house sensation and its finely tuned romantic score to the big screen. You’ll be swept away by the ecstatic synthesis of moving pictures and moving melody by Italian master Ennio Morricone and his son Andrea Morricone. 

Winner of the Grand Prix du Jury at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival and the 1989 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Cinema Paradiso is a poignant, tearjerking, ecstatically life-affirming trip through melancholy, joy, art and longing!  

This coming-of-age classic explores the power of cinema and nostalgia, told in vivid flashback through the eyes of a film director as he recollects the formative events of his childhood. Cinema Paradiso asks how the pull of a home left behind, the residue of youthful yearning for more, and the artist’s drive to create can continuously shape the understanding of oneself. Can we find truth through expression and reflection, through mutable memory, through the metamorphic potential of cinema—its extraordinary synthesis of sound and vision? 

Message From Our Partner:

This event celebrates the first anniversary of The Soundtrack, and the community that has grown around it. The show was created to explore the power of film music: the way a melody can bring us back to a place, a person, or a moment in our lives. With this screening of Cinema Paradiso, we’re stepping beyond radio to experience that connection together, in a theater, the way film was meant to be seen and heard.

Cinema Paradiso, with its unforgettable score by Ennio Morricone, is ultimately a story about memory, mentorship, and the lifelong impact of cinema. It reflects the heart of what The Soundtrack is about: the relationship between music and storytelling, and the people who carry those stories forward.

This evening is an opportunity to bring listeners, film lovers, and our broader community into the same room, not just to watch a film, but to share in the experience of it. Following the screening, we’ll host a live Q&A with the audience to talk about The Soundtrack, Cinema Paradiso, and The Senate Theater.

I’m especially grateful to partner with The Senate Theater, a historic space that embodies the enduring magic of film and music. Together, we’re celebrating not just an anniversary, but the shared experience that makes public radio, and cinema, so meaningful.

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest (1992)  

Sat. Apr. 25 

Doors – 1:00 PM  

Organ Overture – 1:30 PM  

Films – 2:00 PM  

Tickets - $6  

1hr 16min | G | Family/Fantasy | USA/Australia 

Special guests Green Living Science   

A curious fairy, a rad dude, and a batty bat fight for the survival of the rainforest in the classic 90s family film Fern Gully, starring Tim Curry, Robin Williams, and Christian Slater. 

The denizens of Fern Gully have lived in ecological harmony for millennia, free from the voracious consumption of human civilization. Until one day they see smoke on the horizon, a harbinger of an existential threat. Soon they are under attack by the machinery of man and the very spirit of destruction, an oily smoke monster known as Hexxus. Can their ancient magic stand up to this new threat? 

Find out at the Senate Theater’s Earth Day screening of this 90s kids flick. It has what producers proudly declared a “blatantly environmental” message. It has a rapping lizard (voiced by Tone-loc) and a rapping bat (Robin Williams). It has magic, thrills, and indelible imagery. It has the ability to stir up the passionate environmental consciousness in us all.  

About our special guest: 

Green Living Science, a Detroit-based environmental education and green space stewardship nonprofit focused on recycling, sustainability, and community engagement, will be in attendance at the special screening of FernGully. For the past 15 years, the organization has brought interactive environmental lessons to more than 200,000 students, supported neighborhood parks throughout Detroit, provided recycling resources, and helped local businesses strengthen their sustainability practices. At the screening, representatives from Green Living Science will be on hand to celebrate the film’s environmental message with families and young moviegoers, offering fun and educational materials—including free activity books for kids—so children can continue learning about protecting the planet long after the movie ends. Their presence adds a hands-on, community-focused element to the event, helping inspire the next generation of planet protectors while connecting Detroit families with local environmental champions who work every day to keep the city greener.    

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Silents at the Senate Presents: Our Hospitality (1923)  

Sat. Apr. 11 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Film – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $12  

1hr 13min | NR | Comedy| USA 

Live organ accompaniment by Stephen Warner 

Daring rescues, narrow escapes, and gags galore, all with a live organ score! 

Silents at the Senate continues its 2026 season with actor/director Buster Keaton’s seminal silent comedy, Our Hospitality. Live musical accompaniment will be provided by Stephen Warner on the Senate’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ, the eighth largest instrument of its kind ever constructed!  

Using the famous real-life family feud between the Hatfields and McCoys as inspiration, Keaton’s second feature was a groundbreaking work, seamlessly weaving its comedy and signature Keaton stunt work into a drama of generational bloodletting. Here Keaton proved himself not only a brilliant stager of gags and thrilling physical feats, but a true cinematic artist.  

And, as always, following the silent film presentation patrons will have a chance to take a tour of the organ pipe chambers. Additionally, the organist for the evening will be available to field any questions you may have about theater organ and the art of silent film accompaniment! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Fri. Apr. 10

Doors – 6:00 PM  

Film – 7:00 PM  

Tickets - $10 

Q&A with director Stephen McGee after the film

Resurgo: The Rise from Within is a landmark documentary from director Stephen McGee and poet-producer Jessica Care Moore, created from twenty years of immersive filmmaking in Detroit. Drawing from millions of photographs and thousands of hours of footage, the film rejects the decades-old national narrative of Detroit as a symbol of decline. Instead, it presents a powerful, people-centered portrait of a city defined by creativity, endurance, and humanity. Through intimate storytelling, poetic narration, and stunning cinematography, Resurgo reframes Detroit for both longtime residents and global audiences, offering a truer and more dignified reflection of the city’s soul.

The documentary has generated exceptional audience response and critical momentum. Resurgo won Best Feature Film at the Fresh Coast Film Festival and has been recognized by reviewers for its emotional honesty, visual depth, and social relevance. Screenings across Michigan have consistently sold out or neared capacity, often ending in standing ovations and extended Q&A sessions, many lasting an hour or more, with audiences fully engaged until the final moment. Each event has sparked meaningful conversation about Detroit’s identity and the importance of narrative ownership, underscoring the film’s cultural and community impact.

As word spreads, Resurgo is rapidly becoming a catalyst for renewed civic pride and broader national attention. Viewers frequently describe the film as transformative,reshaping their understanding of Detroit and revealing stories rarely seen in mainstream media. With its blend of historical archive, artistic voice, and lived experience, Resurgo is not only documenting a city’s evolution but contributing to it. The project stands poised to influence how Detroit is perceived for years to come, marking it as one of the most significant and emotionally resonant films to emerge from the region in decades.

Following the film will be a Q+A with director Stephen McGee.

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

DIFA 11

 11th annual Detroit International Festival of Animation Saturday, April 4, 2026

Doors Open 7pm

Organ Pre-show 7:30pm

Showtime 8pm


Join us for the 11th annual DETROIT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION (DIFA) on Saturday, April 4th, 2026. Immerse yourself in an eclectic 90-minute mix of animated shorts showcasing a vibrant selection of works from both local and international animators.

Set in the historic Senate Theater in Detroit, this 1920’s Art Deco gem is not only known for its visual charm but also houses the world’s 8th largest Wurlitzer pipe organ. Enjoy the classic concession stand, comfortable lounging areas, and the added convenience of secure parking.

Be sure to arrive early to catch the enchanting Wurlitzer Pipe Organ pre-show by the Detroit Theater Organ Society.

Admission is $10 and half of all ticket sales go to support the continued preservation and operations of the Senate Theater.

Doors open at 7pm, with organ performance at 7:30pm and showtime at 8pm.

For more details, visit difestofanim.com, or follow @difestofanim on your favorite social medias.

Please note, parental guidance is suggested due to some mature content and language.

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Sat. Mar. 21 

Doors – 7:00 PM  

Films – 8:00 PM  

Tickets - $12  

1hr 35min | NR | Drama | USA 

Live organ accompaniment by Dennis Scott 

What is lust against the power of love? What are the temptations of modernity against the bedrock of human connection? 

Find out as Silents at the Senate begins its 2026 season with F.W. Murnau’s silent film, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. Live musical accompaniment will be provided by Dennis Scott on the Senate’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. This massive and magnificent instrument is the eighth largest instrument of its kind and made its debut inside Detroit’s Fisher Theater in 1928, one year after this film was first screened! 

Released on the eve of the sound era and a Best Picture winner at the inaugural Academy Awards in 1929, Sunrise is considered a masterpiece of silent cinema, representing the zenith of purely visual storytelling. Its groundbreaking techniques in cinematography and special effects tell a story of a marriage threatened by temptation and deadly sin, using intertitles sparingly in favor of action and expressive acting. The result is a superlative work, with all the impressionistic power of poetry. 

Though it was one of the first films released with synchronized music and sound effects, patrons at the Senate will be treated to a live score from the aforementioned Mr. Scott, one of today’s premiere silent film accompanists. 

And, as always, following the silent film presentation patrons will have a chance to take a tour of the organ pipe chambers. Additionally, the organist for the evening will be available to field any questions you may have about theater organ and the art of silent film accompaniment! 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

Detroit Rock City: Rock ‘n’ Roll Film Screening & Party

Fri. Mar. 13

Tickets – $10 ($15 includes Detroit Rock City button)

Doors, Vendors and KISS Facepainting – 6:00 PM

Detroit Rock n Roll DJ Set from Adam Stanfel – 6:30 PM until 7:15 PM

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM

Film – 8:00 PM | 1hr 35min | R | Comedy/Musical | USA

- KISS/Detroit rock themed trivia before the film and at intermission with GeminEye Tarot

- Hosted by 94.7 WCSX’s Doni Flynn

- Record vendor – Gingko Records (@gingko_records)

- Costume contest (KISS/Rock n Roll/Detroit Rock City themed)

It’s 313 Day. And for those who want to rock ‘n’ roll all night, (if you want to party every day, that’s your business) we’re gettin’ you started with a killer night of film and rock in the motor city to benefit the Senate Theater! On top of a screening of the world’s premiere flick about teenagers on a mission to see the world’s premiere rock band (1999’s Detroit Rock City) you can expect vendors, a DJ set, KISS facepainting and trivia.  

And be sure to dress to kill for your chance to win the costume contest. Come in full KISS garb! Dress as your favorite rock star or Detroit Rock City character! Just bring your baddest, glamest, rock ‘n’ roll self! Get wild! Get crazy! Get prizes! 

But whatever you come as just be sure to secure your tickets so you can celebrate the spirit of rock n roll at the Senate, Detroit’s most rocking film theater!  

About the movie: 

In the fall of 1978 four teenage burnouts from Ohio embark on a Rock n Roll odyssey. They must dodge hostile disco dudes, carry out reform school breakouts, and even risk their immortal souls for a chance to see their idols in concert at Detroit’s Cobo Hall. This teen comedy is a love letter to youthful rebellion and the connective power of a shared musical obsession. It features performances from Edward Furlong, (Terminator 2) Natasha Lyonne, (American Pie) and the original lineup of KISS, all bringing the attitude and irreverence they’re known for. 

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue 

with promotional support from: