The Apollo Theatre and Peoria Public Library joined forces to present the very first Film Noir Festival to Peorians. It returns this year. In the 1940s, a new genre – film noir – emerged from the world of “hard-boiled” pulp magazines, paperback thrillers, and sensational crime movies. These films – tough and unsentimental – depicted a black-and-white universe at once brutal, erotic and morally ambiguous. While you can borrow many film noir movies from Peoria Public Library, nothing compares with seeing these classics on the big screen with full sound. The festival, built around the theme ‘big,’ will open on in the Main Library Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.  WatchBig Knife (1955) starring Jack Palance and Ida Lupino with the new state-of-the-art digital projection and sound. Opening night is free.

Film Noir Festival continues at the Apollo Theater, 311 Main Street on Friday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m. with The Big Sleep (1946) starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. On Saturday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. seeBig Combo (1955) with Cornel Wilde and Richard Conte. The next weekend the festival continues showing on Friday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m. with Big Heat (1953) when Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame light up the screen. The final show in the festival is on Saturday, October 20 with the 7:00 p.m. showing of Big Clock (1948) featuring Ray Milland and Charles Laughton.

The Apollo Theater charges a donation of $5 for adults and $4 for students and seniors for admission. For more information call 309-686-3260.