echo×Duke Cinematic Arts
September 17 & 18 · Durham, NC

Step inside the I LOVE BOOSTERS Universe

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echo × Duke Cinematic Arts
Duke Cinematic Arts presents · September 17 & 18 · Durham, NC

Step inside the I LOVE BOOSTERS Universe

Two days of free screenings and a community conversation, built around I LOVE BOOSTERS, the new feature from filmmaker, musician and organizer Boots Riley. Free public screenings at the Rubenstein Arts Center through Cinematic Arts’ Screen/Society, plus a special community conversation hosted in partnership with echo at their community hub in Durham.

Made possible by a generous grant to Duke Cinematic Arts from the Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Foundation, supporting collaborations between Duke and Durham. Duke co-sponsors include Duke Cinematic Arts, the Experimental Film Lab at the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute, and Duke’s Department of Art, Art History & Visual Studies.

Format 01 Community Screenings at Duke Thu, Sept 17 · 1:30 PM & 7:00 PM · Rubenstein Arts Center Film Theater
Boots Riley in attendance at both, joined by Duke faculty.
Presented through Screen/Society. Free and open to the public, no Duke affiliation required. See the film →
Sept 17
Format 02 Brunch with Boots Riley Fri, Sept 18 · echo’s community hub in Durham
This event is invitation-only, featuring partner community organizations like DPS, Duke, NCCU and more. Learn more →
Sept 18
Format 01 · Community Screenings

I LOVE BOOSTERSCommunity Screenings

Thursday, September 17, 2026 · Two showings
Rubenstein Arts Center Film Theater
Duke University, 2020 Campus Drive, Durham, NC

Boots Riley will be in attendance at both Thursday screenings, joined by Duke faculty for the conversation that follows each one.

Presented through Screen/Society, Duke’s free public film series
Free and open to the public, no Duke affiliation required
I LOVE BOOSTERS (Boots Riley, 2026, 105 min, USA) · Rated R · Provided courtesy of NEON

Made possible by a generous grant to Duke Cinematic Arts from the Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Foundation, supporting collaborations between Duke and Durham. Duke co-sponsors include Duke Cinematic Arts, the Experimental Film Lab at the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute, and Duke’s Department of Art, Art History & Visual Studies.

Now showingThu · Sept 17
1:30PM
Screening + panel discussion with Boots RileyIn conversation with Prof. Franklin Cason (Cinematic Arts), Prof. Michael Hardt (Literature), and Prof. Kathi Weeks (Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies)
7:00PM
Screening + Q&A with Boots RileyIn-person conversation with the writer and director, joined by Duke faculty
Boots Riley in attendance · Both showingsFree admission
Format 02 · echo Unstuck Workshops · Special Edition

Brunch with Boots Riley

FRI · SEPT 18echo’s community hub in DurhamInvitation-onlyFeaturing DPS, Duke, NCCU & moreAll ages
Boots Riley Special edition

Presented in partnership with echo and hosted at echo’s community hub in Durham, Brunch with Boots Riley is a special, all-ages edition of echo’s monthly Unstuck Workshops.

The conversation brings together local artists, filmmakers, young creatives, students and community voices to discuss what it takes to build a creative life that is both meaningful and sustainable. It is built around three threads: the film itself; Riley’s process for holding creative control while working inside mainstream distribution; and how the Triangle can grow its own creative entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This event is invitation-only, featuring partner community organizations like DPS, Duke, NCCU and more.

Artists have to have something they're more passionate about than the art itself.

Boots Riley · RogerEbert.com
Brunch details
Format 02 · echo Unstuck Special Edition

The Details

When
Friday, September 18, 2026
Where
echo’s community hub in Durham
Access
Invitation-only, featuring partner community organizations like DPS, Duke, NCCU and more
Format
A special, all-ages edition of echo’s monthly Unstuck Workshops: a brunch conversation built around three threads — the film itself; Riley’s process for holding creative control while working inside mainstream distribution; and how the Triangle can grow its own creative entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Who
Local artists, filmmakers, young creatives, students and community voices. All ages.
With
Presented by Duke Cinematic Arts in partnership with echo
Sept 18 Durham · Invitation only