Fairyland, a movie adapted from the book Fairyland: a memoir of my father, is set to open in limited release this month. Thanks to its local ties, one of the theaters selected for the release is the Wanee Theater in Kewanee.

Chris Tanzillo, manager of the Wanee Theater at 106 S. Main St., learned of the film’s Kewanee connection through an email from Patty Seifert, who hoped the theater could show the movie upon its release.

Tanzillo reached out to her contacts and connected with Adam Sorensen at Lionsgate Studio. After explaining the film’s connection to Kewanee, Sorensen agreed to include the Wanee Theater in the release schedule.

Fairyland, produced by Sofia Coppola and written/directed by first-time filmmaker Andrew Durham, is based on the true story and memoir by Alysia Abbott, daughter of Steve and Barbara (Binder) Abbott.

The Binder name should be familiar to many in Kewanee. Barbara was the daughter of Dr. Paul Binder, a respected local radiologist, and Ann Binder, known as Munca in the film and portrayed by Geena Davis.

The movie is a coming-of-age story that explores Alysia’s childhood and her evolving relationship with her father, set against the backdrop of gay rights activism and the AIDS crisis. These events unfold just as Alysia prepares to study abroad in Paris.

After Barbara’s tragic death in a car accident, Steve moves with young Alysia to San Francisco to pursue his passion for writing. The relocation allows him to embrace both his poetry and his sexuality, immersing himself in the bohemian lifestyle of 1970s San Francisco, leaving Alysia to largely raise herself.

While it’s unclear how prominently Kewanee is featured in the film, the book references the town frequently. It mentions local landmarks like Midland Country Club and the Hog Days Festival, and recounts the aftermath of Barbara’s death in early chapters, including page 21:

“My mother’s sister, Janet, was asleep in my grandparent’s spare room in Kewanee, Illinois when they received my dad’s phone call. She was visiting from Evanston with her kids, Judson, five, and Jeremy, a day shy of three.”

And on page 22:

“Word of Barbara’s death spread quickly in her hometown, population 15,000. The next day, the local Star Courier ran an article about her accident and a small obituary. By nightfall, the asphalt driveway of my grandparents’ ranch-style home was full of cars.”

The book also recalls Alysia’s uncle, David Binder, then 18 and preparing to start college, who remembered the steady stream of visitors bringing flowers and food. One line in the book includes mention of a well-known Kewanee resident:

“David remembers Munca’s close friend Daisy Gerwig arriving through the front door and making a beeline for Munca, who was sitting in a chair off the kitchen. With her arms outstretched, Daisy said only these words before embracing her, ‘Hostages, hostages!’”

The film stars Scoot McNairy, Emilia Jones, Nessa Dougherty, Geena Davis, Maria Bakalova, Cody Fern, Adam Lambert, Bella Murphy, Ben Attal and Ryan Thurston.

Fairyland will open on Friday, Oct. 17 with a limited release in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, and notably, at the Wanee Theater in Kewanee, Ill.

The theater hours are Tuesday through Friday with the movie showing at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday with movie times at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.