Chicago International Film Festival

'Orange Is the New Black' Star Taryn Manning's New Indie Says Something Novel About Bipolar Disorder

John Anderson — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 15:29:27 GMT

Distributors are sniffing around "A Light Beneath Their Feet" for very good reason. Not only does director Valerie Weiss’s latest effort straddle several genres simultaneously—among them, the coming-of-age drama and the social critique—it also features a pair of break-out performances: Madison Davenport (Tina Fey’s daughter in the upcoming "Sisters"), who plays high-schooler Beth Gerringson; and Taryn Manning ("Orange Is the New Black"), who plays Beth’s mother, Gloria.

Another mother-daughter drama, you ask (or sigh, or whine, or moan)? Not quite. Beth has problems with her mother, and wants to flee their home in Chicago for UCLA. But it's not because she hates her. Far from it. It’s because, despite her academic achievements, Beth has been a full-time caretaker for her mother—who’s seriously bipolar—ever since her father left. She’s got caregiver burnout. And while she’s wracked by guilt over wanting to go, she’s also wracked by the knowledge of the regret she’ll feel if she doesn’t finally get away.

The wild card is Manning, who was among the "OITNB" cast members who won last year’s SAG award for Best Ensemble (Comedy), and who are up for it again this year. Actors are drawn to mentally challenged/disturbed/disabled characters like bears to honey, because they test the performer's range and also, don’t we know, tend to get noticed. But Manning, under Weiss’s direction, puts a spin on Gloria that distinguishes her from similarly unstable characters.

Playing bipolar presents the opportunity for wildly divergent displays of mood and mania, but even at her most antic, Manning’s Gloria has a sense of humor. She’s likable. She makes you nervous, yes. But you don’t dislike her, or necessarily want to get away from her. And by constructing Gloria this way, Manning enhances Davenport’s performance: The viewer understands better why the daughter wants to get away, and doesn’t: Her mother is fun. She’s just a little crazy. And embarrassing (but what parent isn’t?).

"A Light Beneath Their Feet" has played Mill Valley (where it won the Gold Audience Favorite Award for U.S. Indie) and the Whistler festival (where it won the EDA Award from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists for Best-Directed Feature), and is scheduled for the Chicago International Film Festival, Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, Cucalorous Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, and Heartland Film Festival. One shouldn’t be too concerned. It will be coming your way. The hope here is that Manning’s performance gets the attention it deserves, because it says something new about the bipolar condition.

How Women Executives and Producers are Changing the Status Quo

Adam Cook — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 16:01:41 GMT

The Industry Days program at the recent Chicago International Film Festival wrapped up with a panel featuring four female film professionals who shared their experiences in the business and their thoughts on the state of gender equality in filmmaking. The panel, dubbed "Power Players: How Women Executives and Producers are Changing the Business," was moderated by Ilyse McKimmie (Labs Director, Feature Film Program at Sundance Institute) and featured Rebecca Green (producer, "It Follows"), Alicia Sams (producer, "Amreeka"), and Amy Hobby (Tangerine Entertainment). A cautious optimism permeated the room as they discussed the issue. Below are some highlights of the discussion.

READ MORE: Attention, Female Filmmakers: The Film Fatales Are Here to Help You

An uneven playing field

McKimmie set the table for the conversation by bringing up some statistics. "Out of the 250 highest grossing films produced in 2014, 7% were directed by women, 23% had a female producer. We haven't achieved parity," she said. McKimmie then asked the panelists how they approach this climate and what are the common challenges they face.

"I don't sit and dwell on it. I just go forth," explained Amy Hobby, "but you do encounter a lot of different problems. I used to have an older male business partner who I would pitch projects with. I recall having a circular conversation with an executive where I'd say something, and the exec would look at me, listen, but then address my male partner instead. And we'd go around like that. And I was the more experienced producer at the time. I'm naturally self-deprecating, so I'll often make fun of myself, but I have to remind myself not to be in those settings because men buy into it."

Green spoke about the difficulty of developing projects with female leads, regardless of who is behind the camera. "From the get-go they're valued less, so it's important to tell female stories with women. There's a system saying we can't have certain budgets with the low cast value of a female lead," she explained.

Implicit sexism

The women on the panel mostly agreed that overt sexism is not the main issue they face, but rather the implicit sexism that is inherent in how the industry operates. "It's implicit bias, people aren't necessarily consciously discriminating. It's systematic. It's a lack of awareness," said McKimmie.

"I'm constantly trying to conversationally drop my resume because it's assumed that because of my age and gender I've never worked on a movie before or I lack experience," said Rebecca Green. "One thing that my female producing partner and I frequently encounter is being referred to as 'you girls,' which also implies being young and inexperienced. That's a daily thing."

Gaining confidence

The panel broached the topic of the differences between how males and females conduct themselves, centering the idea that women lack the confidence that males seem to achieve easily.

"In my experience, men are more willing to be pushy and come up to me and talk about their project. Women are more likely to be polite and wait in the corner," suggested McKimmie.

Alicia Sams agrees that "for women I think it takes longer for them to develop the confidence they need. If there are 10 qualifications for a job and a guy has three of them, he thinks he's perfect for the job, but a woman wants to feel like she has nine of them."

"We have to be role models, and train women to be confident in this business," said Hobby.

Changing the rule book

Amy Hobby is the co-founder of Tangerine Entertainment, a production company that only takes on film projects directed by women. "We have turned being a woman into an advantage," said Hobby. "Our mandate is simple, there just has to be a female director. It tends to lead to more females on the crew. We have no restrictions on subject matter. Now people will come to us with a script and say they want a female director so we've accidentally become a free agency of women filmmakers. For example, we connected Rose McGowan with "The Pines," which was a great match."

When it comes to imposing regulations on hiring women in the industry, however, all of the panelists agreed it wasn't the best solution. "What matters is exploring both male and female options," said Green. "When I'm working with a director on hiring a DP and other roles, I make sure to provide a list of men and women to consider. Agencies push men, they have more representation, but it's not an all-male pool of people. It's a lack of research when you see otherwise."

Sams tries not to let gender get in the way of choosing who to work with. "I don't ever think whether or not I want a male or female DP, I just want the best possible, but we're working with increasingly more women."

READ MORE: The Chicago Philanthropist Behind Some of Your Favorite Indies

Start a conversation.

One theme of the conversation revolved around the idea that men are not against women in the industry, but that they often don't consider the situation from a female point-of-view.

Hobby shared an anecdote about running into Ethan Hawke. "He asked what I was doing and I told him about Tangerine and it only dawned on him then that he had never worked with a female director. He thought it was terrible," she said.

Hobby cited an exchange with Steven Soderbergh as playing a huge role in fueling her confidence. "I produced 'Everything Is Going to be Fine' for Steven Soderbergh. There were two other producers, [Spalding] Gray's widow, and another. I ended up doing 99% of the work, and Steven called me to his office and said ‘you did all the work and the other guy didn't and should be an executive producer' and I was like, 'no, it's okay, it doesn't matter.' But he insisted I stand up for myself."

"You don't get what you don't ask for," said McKimmie, calling for women to voice themselves. Change has to come from those who want it. "I don't think it's anybody's place to step in and do that. It's about what you think you're worth," said Green.

READ MORE: Effie Brown on the Upside of the 'Project Diversity' Controversy and Why Diversity is Suddenly a Hot Topic

The Chicago Philanthropist Behind Some of Your Favorite Indies

Adam Cook — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 05:01:34 GMT

To the film industry, Gigi Pritzker, the co-founder and CEO of OddLot Entertainment, is an established film producer who has emerged as a major player over the past 15 years. With credits including Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive," John Cameron Mitchell's "Rabbit Hole" and Jon Stewart's directorial debut "Rosewater," she has earned respect for undertaking challenging projects and seeing them through to considerable success. With "Ender's Game" also under her belt, she's clearly capable of tackling unwieldy Hollywood blockbusters as well as mid-budget fare.

READ MORE: How to Determine the Right Budget Level for Your Film

To Chicago, however, Pritzker is much more than just a respected producer. She's one of the citiy's favorite daughters. Between founding the Hyatt hotel chain and maintaining roots in the city and ties to its economic and cultural vitality, the Pritzker family has long been one of Chicago's most important families. A philanthropist, Gigi Pritzker is the president and a trustee of the Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation and the Chicago Children's Theatre. And perhaps most importantly, while she necessarily spends a lot of time in Los Angeles for business, she refuses to abandon Chicago as her hometown, where she has raised a family.
A new component of the recently wrapped Chicago International Film Festival, in its 51st edition, is an Industry Days program, composed of various panels and discussions with film professionals. As part of its inaugural year, Industry Days held a tribute for Pritzker to bring attention to her achievements. Moderated by fellow producer Andrea Wishom, the two women discussed Pritzker's experiences, sharing insights into producing and what has made her a success in the dog-eat-dog world of filmmaking.

"She's incredibly supportive. Anytime you're in 100 degree weather in Jordan in the summer and your financier is standing right behind you by a kerosene generator, you know they're involved," said Jon Stewart. Typical of Gigi Pritzker, she isn't one to make producing into a desk job. She takes a hands-on approach. She likes to be on set where the action is as much as possible, getting directly involved with the day-to-day decision-making and problem solving.

"I love being on set. A lot of producers can't stand it but I love it. It's where you're constantly solving problems, putting out fires, the real moment the movie is made," said Pritzker. "It's a fascinating place and an exciting dynamic to make it work."

READ MORE: Sony Pictures Classics' Michael Barker on Changing Audiences, Working with Auteurs and the Future of Indie Film
The role of producer is one that varies from project to project and from person to person. "Everyone does it differently, but for me it starts—and I learned this in theater—with a really good understanding of what your role is. You see movies and there's 40 producers in the credits, and everyone has a different role," Pritzker explained. "Sometimes it takes that many. Sometimes it doesn't."

"For me, it's always about determining ‘Where am I in this?'" She said. "It's in the genesis, and knowing your piece in the puzzle. Sometimes we buy the script and work on it from the beginning, hiring the director, being fully immersed in every step, and more producers come in to help in different ways. Sometimes you're the producer coming in to help in a specific way, in financing, finding talent, working on the script, location work. I think it's being self-aware. If you're carrying the whole thing, you gotta carry it."
As for allowing creative room for the director to make their film, Pritzker is a proponent of stepping back. She described an important lesson she learned while making "Green Street Hooligans," "[Director] Lexi Alexander was taking too long to shoot so I said we had to cut the tattoo scene. She refused and we had a massive fight. We were using a lot of film so it was getting intense. We didn't end up cutting it, and now when I look at the film I think, ‘man, she's so right, it's really important'. It taught me a lot."

Pritzker's most ambitious project, the adaptation of "Ender's Game," exemplifies her passion. After her nephew shared the book with her, she tried to for 13 years to get the film made before it finally hit screens.

"I always wanted to do it, but I couldn't get it from Warner Bros.," said Pritzker. "Years down the line, I had lunch with someone and as we were packing up and saying goodbye it came up that she owned 'Ender's Game.' From there we worked together and I extracted it from Warner Bros."

It wasn't easy, but Pritzker made the dream project into a reality. But the rights were only the beginning. "We had to do right by the fanbase. It was a very difficult adaptation to pull off, and then once we got on set it was hugely challenging."

When asked what it is about producing that motivates her, Pritzker paused briefly before confidently declaring, "it's the challenge. Getting all of those pieces to align is part of the fun....It's a challenge on a bunch of different levels—you think it's one thing but it turns out to be something else. I think you have to be tenacious."
As far as what sorts of projects she looks for, Pritzker said "I tend to be drawn to underdog stories." She explained, "I'm the youngest of five, it was a beleaguered childhood." As a result, she said, "I was totally drawn to both principal characters in 'The Way Way Back,' for example, for their struggles. They're the underdogs and I love that about them. 'Drive,' on the other hand, I wouldn't call 'Drive' an underdog, but in such an ugly world, that character had so much integrity. I thought that dichotomy was really interesting."

Pritzker acknowledged that sets can be emotional places. "I've cried on set a lot, sometimes because I'm exhausted, but sometimes just because it's magical," she said.

She then shared one of her favorite memories on set. "I remember when we were shooting 'Rabbit Hole.' It was Miles Teller's first time on set. Nicole [Kidman] had requested not to meet him until their first scene together, because she felt that was an impactful scene. So we structured the whole shoot around that," she recalled. "Additionally, in that scene, Aaron Eckhart went off script when he throws the fit in the kitchen, and freaked everyone out. The next shot we filmed was Teller's reaction, and Eckhart had scared the crap out of this kid who had never had a one-shot in his life, and that made the scene."

Her commitment to helping the film artists she works worth—be they writers, directors, or actors—realize their vision, has deservedly made Pritzker a trusted name in the business, and a worthy recipient of CIFF's honor.

As for Miles Teller, Pritzker said that after shooting that scene, she found him sitting on the porch. She comforted him and asked if he was alright. Teller replied, "I'm going to go home and take a bath."

READ MORE: Lynn Shelton on Whether to Call Herself a 'Female Director'

'Carol,' 'The Club' Win Honors at 51st Chicago International Film Festival

Ryan Anielski — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 15:18:04 GMT

READ MORE: Chicago International Film Festival's 2015 Industry Days to Include Jeff Garlin, Gigi Pritzker and More

Last Friday, the 51st Chicago International Film Festival announced the winning films participating in its competition. Among those awarded were "Carol," "The Club" and "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party." The full list is as follows:

International Film Competition:

Gold Hugo, Best Film -- "A Childhood"
Silver Hugo, Special Jury Prize -- "Paulina"
Silver Hugo, Best Male Actor -- Alexi Mathieu, Jules Gauzelin for "A Childhood"
Silver Hugo, Best Female Actor -- Lizzie Brochere for "Full Contact"
Silver Plaque, Best Ensemble -- "The Club"
Silver Plaque, Best Cinematography -- Frank Van den Eeden for "Full Contact"
Silver Plaque, Best Screenplay -- Guillermo Calderon, Daniel Villalobos, Pablo Larrain for "The Club"
Silver Plaque, Best Art Direction -- Toma Baqueni for "My Golden Days"

New Directors Competition:

Gold Hugo -- "Underground Fragrance"
Silver Hugo -- "Sparrows"
Roger Ebert Award -- "Nahid"

Documentary Competition:

Gold Hugo -- "Volta a Terra"
Silver Hugo -- "In the Underground"
Gold Plaque Special Mention -- "Time Suspended"

Q Hugo Award:

Gold Q Hugo -- "Carol"
Silver Q Hugo -- "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party"

Short Film Awards:

Gold Hugo, Live Action -- "Leidi"
Silver Hugo, Live Action -- "The Exquisite Corpus"
Gold Plaque, Live Action -- "One-minded"
Silver Plaque, Live Action -- "over"
Silver Plaque, Live Action -- "Ramona"
Silver Hugo, Documentary -- "Santa Cruz de Islote"
Gold Plaque, Documentary -- "A Tale of Love, Madness and Death"
Silver Hugo, Animated -- "Sunday Lunch"
Gold Plaque, Animated -- "The Same River Twice"
Silver Plaque, Animated -- "Waves '98"

Chicago Award:

Chicago Plaque -- "Radical Grace"

READ MORE: Filmmaker Charles Burnett to Receive Career Achievement Award at Chicago International Film Festival Next Month

Sony Pictures Classics' Michael Barker on Changing Audiences, Working with Auteurs and the Future of Indie Film

Adam Cook — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 14:30:00 GMT

As part of the Chicago International Film Festival's new Industry Days series, which ran from October 22-25, programmer Anthony Kaufman moderated a Q&A with Michael Barker, the co-founder and co-president of Sony Pictures Classics. Since founding Orion Classics in 1983 and Sony Pictures in 1992, Barker and his cohort Tom Bernard have been responsible for producing and/or distributing some of the best independent and foreign films of the past three decades.

READ MORE: Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Don Cheadle's 'Miles Ahead'

In the midst of these rapidly evolving times where film distribution and viewing is undergoing radical changes, Kaufman and Baker sat down to check the pulse of this particular sector of the industry, outside of the box office machine of the major studios, while also reflecting on the history of Sony Pictures Classics (SPC).

Working with Truffaut and Kurosawa

Barker reflected on what established his and Bernard's place in the industry. "It was Francois Truffaut and 'The Last Metro.' We released that and that earned us an instant reputation," said Barker. "Then it was Akira Kurosawa who really changed our lives. Serge Silberman is responsible for making 'Ran' happen, and I had met with him in Japan. A year later, at the age of 78, Mr. Kurosawa really wanted to promote the film in the U.S. He was not happy with the Japanese industry, they hadn't helped him and he had to go to other sources. We traveled the country with him. He had gone through a depression and wanted to be surrounded by young people. His doctor told him he couldn't drink anymore, so we had to drink for him. I don't think I I'll have Jack Daniels ever again."

Supporting one of the greatest living filmmakers in a time-of-need immediately distinguished Barker and Bernard. Through the venture, they met movie legends like John Huston, Billy Wilder and Vincente Minnelli. "They treated us royally, it was amazing," said Barker.

Explaining the SPC model, Barker explained that the company is "a different business from the mainstream. You can't open on 1,000 screens, you can grow into 1,000 screens. These films require time in the set-up, how they're released," he said. "The ultimate goal is that films have an afterlife, that they are remembered 10, 20, 30 years later. Those movies make more money over a longer period of time rather than those that aim to just win the weekend. We want them to be remembered after we're gone."

SPC is highly selective in terms of quality and is committed to the idea of film as an art form. "We firmly believe in the auteur theory," said Barker. "We believe in sticking with a director who we think will deliver. If you're good at assessing that talent you have a better shot at some sort of consistent success over time."

Though SPC is perhaps best known as a distributor of independent films, the company also produces films.

"When we're involved in a project from the beginning of production, we give the filmmaker final cut," Barker explained. "But as Francis Ford Coppola once told me, 'if you give final cut, 90% of the time the director is going to want to please you more,' and that has turned out to be true. They're going to ask for your advice anyway."

Picking the right films

Kaufman asked about how unusual films like Richard Linklater's "Slacker" and Terry Zwigoff's "Crumb" attracted SPC's attention. Neither film is an obvious commercial hit and yet both were very successful for SPC.

"It comes from personal interest. I went to the University of Texas, and heard about a midnight rough cut screening of 'Slacker' in Austin, so I went to it," explained Barker. "With 'Crumb,' Tom was a loyal card carrying Robert Crumb fan who knew every detail about his life. It was the same with 'Searching for Sugar Man,' which we bought without having seen it. Tom already knew the whole story."

With documentaries, picking which films to release can be a bit tricky. "It's about the subject, making sure it's something people want to know more about, and making sure that it's the seminal movie on that subject," said Barker. "For example, every time there's a downturn in the market, we know more DVDs of 'Inside Job' will sell. Errol Morris' 'The Fog of War' is the seminal movie and that sort of leader."

Changing landscape

"It's more competitive than I've ever seen," said Barker. "There are so many movies to compete against."

Piracy is a real issue. "It's stealing, and it's taking so much revenue," said Barker who, nonetheless, seems optimistic about the future of SPC in spite of a decline in theatrical and home video sales. SPC's core audience still goes to the movies, and as the business changes shape, Barker and co. are going with the flow, exploring "every stream of revenue that comes in," whether that's through airlines, VOD and issuing their backlog of classics on Blu-Ray.

Although the theatrical business is no longer the source of revenue it once was, it's still healthy, said Barker, especially when it comes to the core SPC audience. "[Theatrical] is still important, older audiences, gay audiences, Jewish audiences—they're still going to the movies. And DVDs have helped us because it has given audiences more access over the years and made them more sophisticated as result. Independent and foreign films do better as a result," he said.

READ MORE: 'Carol' Producer Christine Vachon on the Past, Present and Future of Indie Film

Here's the Best Science Fiction Discovery of the Year

Eric Kohn — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 14:30:00 GMT

READ MORE: Ridley Scott's 'The Martian' is the Anti-'Interstellar'

There is much to appreciate about Ridley Scott's "The Martian," but a lot of it has to do with turning out better than many people expected. The premise — essentially "Cast Away" on Mars — doesn't exactly scream for mass approval. Yet "The Martian" succeeds at hitting a series of satisfactory beats, combining hard science with spectacle and a charismatic lead far better than most Hollywood productions made on its scale today.

However, its competence pales in comparison to the welcome surprise of another entry in the science fiction genre quietly surfacing at film festivals this fall. Still without U.S. distribution or much buzz, it would be lucky to receive the fervent anticipation allotted to one frame in the next "Star Wars" trailer. But it deserves at least that much, if not more.

"Embers," which envisions a post-apocalyptic world in which survivors have been stricken with short-term memory loss, snuck into festival lineups at Oldenburg, Chicago and New Orleans this past month (it won best narrative feature at the latter gathering, where — full disclosure — I served on the jury). The directorial debut of New York-based filmmaker Claire Carré, "Embers" has a sneaky appeal on par with its unexpected arrival on the scene. An elegant, brooding drama with a sprawling international cast, the movie presents its haunting premise with barely any explanation, leaving viewers to steadily make sense of the chaos along with the confused protagonists.

At the center of the movie is a heartbreaking romance featuring a wandering couple (Iva Gocheva and Jason Ritter) who wake up each day unfamiliar with each other or their surroundings. With only a bracelet tying them together, the pair assume they have some kind of romantic bond, but they're seemingly fated to repeat that struggle each day. It's a touching scenario that suggests the nuanced relationship chatter of Richard Linklater's "Before" trilogy by way of "Memento." Their wanderings unfold with delicate exchanges shot against an impressive backdrop of tattered buildings and empty landscapes. It's not an unfamiliar universe — think "Mad Max" with more urban decay — but Carré infuses it with wondrous existential yearning.

While the minimalist romance comes and goes, "Embers" offers a series of other beguiling scenarios: A wise scientist sifts through his notes day after day, at once grasping his conundrum and regularly losing track of it; a young boy drifts through the woods, stuck in a mental loop that finds him muttering nonsense and running around in circles; a demented man runs wild through the tattered streets, psychotic with rage, though he can't figure out why. Shot with a slick, grey-toned quality in convincingly empty outdoor scenery, these scenes maintain a sense of loss divorced from rationality. As a whole, "Embers" features a fragmentary look at the abstract struggle to make sense of emotions and places that resonate even when words fail.

Despite the underlying tragedy of these circumstances, Carré (who co-wrote the script with Charles Spano) suggests an inherent warmth to her characters’ tender struggles, which contain an innocence that deepens as we witness each victim fight through another confounding day. The movie's other main storyline focuses on a young woman named Miranda (Greta Fernández), whose wealthy father has trapped her in an underground bunker where the pair retain their memories. Each morning, Miranda answers questions from a robotic security system designed to ensure she has not been infected with the disease. With time, however, her mounting boredom implies she wants the opposite — to feel alive, even if doing so comes equipped with eternal disorientation.

Such motivations are among the transfixing possibilities that "Embers" explores in a plot filled with little mysteries that speak to the larger one in play. Much as "Ex Machina" probed the mysteries of artificial intelligence earlier this year, "Embers" pokes at the real deal from the inside out. While far from perfect — juggling so many mini-scenarios, it falls short of making them cohere — it's a startlingly accomplished first feature. With each gentle exchange or flustered look, "Embers" develops a smart perspective on the process of being disconnected from the world and struggling to comprehend it.

"Embers" marks the rare discovery during this jumbled time of the year, when it's hard enough to keep up with the current cinema as it stands. The major festivals have come and gone, while awards season gains speed and year-end lists lurk around the corner. Some movies will need passionate supporters to stay in the conversation; "Embers" won't even be a part of it, unless some ambitious (read: impractical) distributor choses to rush it out before the end of December. It runs the risk of being forgotten, not unlike the ailment afflicting its characters. But even if "Star Wars" caps off the year with the kind of mass appeal moviegoers crave, it's hard to imagine a drama set a galaxy far, far away generating more intrigue than the challenges facing our own in "Embers."

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'Adama,' 'Cuckold,' 'Danny and the Human Zoo' and 'Motley's Law' to be Screened at 51st Chicago International Film Festival This Month

Sergio — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 21:13:59 GMT

The 51st annual Chicago International Film Festival, which runs this year from Oct. 15-29, has released it's complete schedule, and there are several films being screened at this year's event which have been profiled on S & A previously - most within the last few months - and that will be of particular interest to our readers.

The films are:

- "Adama" (France - Dir.Simon Rouby and Julien Lilti - The French animated film "set in 1916, in colonized West Africa, tells the story of a young boy named Adama, who goes in search of his brother, a rifleman with the French army during the First World War. His journey (by truck, ship, and train) takes him to Verdun, a small city in north-eastern France, and the site of a major battle during the First World War - one of the costliest battles of the war. It's a trip into the unknown, to an entirely different world the boy knows nothing about, putting him face-to-face with the horrors of war". (Read more about it here)

- "Cuckold" (South Africa - Dir. Charles Vundla) - Tells "the story of a young professor consumed by alcoholism who is saved from self-destruction by a former schoolmate and begins a journey to save his house, marriage and his life." (Here)

- "Danny and the Human Zoo" (U.K. Dir Destiny Ekaragha) - Based on the early life of British actor/comedian Lenny Henry - a fictionalized account - as a talented teenager in the 1970s, in Dudley, England. (Here)

- The other film of interest is the world premiere of "Motley's Law" (Denmark/U.S. Dir. Nicole Horanyi), a new documentary which follows the former beauty queen and now lawyer, Kimberley Motley, who is the only American and Western lawyer to practice law in the most dangerous place on earth, Afghanistan, defending American and foreign citizens caught up in the country's legal, cultural and political quagmires (read more here). Next week I will be interviewing Ms. Motley about the film and her experiences in the country.

And also, as previously mentioned (here), there is the screening of the newly-restored version of Charles Burnett's "To Sleep with Anger" which the director will be present for, with a Q and A following. He will also be on hand to receive the Chicago International Film Festival's Career Achievement Award.

For more information about all the films being screened and other details go here.

Watch: Meet the Beauty Queen Turned Kabul Lawyer in Exclusive 'Motley's Law' Trailer and Poster

Ryan Anielski — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 16:47:27 GMT

READ MORE: Indiewire's Ultimate Guide to Documentary Filmmaking

A former American beauty queen turned lawyer practicing in Kabul, Afghanistan sounds like a plot straight from fiction, but Kimberley Motley does what seems impossible every day.

The upcoming documentary "Motley's Law" follows the 38-year-old attorney, currently the only foreigner and only Western woman practicing law in Kabul, as she continues to fight corruption more than five years after first leaving America for Afghanistan.

In the above trailer, Motley admits she originally came to Kabul for the money, but once she experienced the corruption of the legal system first hand, it became a personal struggle. Motley takes many of her cases pro bono, dealing with human rights and women's rights cases often ignored by Western media. As she struggles with a family back home in Wisconsin, as well as with death threats aimed to stop her from working, Motley must make hard decisions in the face of corruption, persecution and crime.

"Motley's Law" will have its world premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival on October 20. The film's director, Nicole N. Horanyi, and Motley will be in attendance.

Below is the film's exclusive poster, with Motley in all her badass, litigious glory.

READ MORE: Chicago International Film Festival's 2015 Industry Days to Include Jeff Garlin, Gigi Pritzker and More

Chicago International Film Festival's 2015 Industry Days to Include Jeff Garlin, Gigi Pritzker and More

Zack Sharf — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 22:20:58 GMT

The Chicago International Film Festival has announced the full program for Industry Days, presented by leading financial services provider TIAA-CREF. The four-day conference kicks off on Thursday, October 22 with a tribute to producer Gigi Pritzker, moderated by Andrea Wishom, Chief Operating Officer for Skywalker Properties Ltd. and former Executive Vice President of Harpo Studios. Following the tribute will be a reception in Gigi Pritzker's honor, hosted by the Tribune Tower on their rooftop at Crown Terrace.

READ MORE: Kino Lorber Acquires Six-Hour Cannes Epic 'Arabian Nights'

Pritzker is a film and stage producer. As CEO of film production and financing company OddLot Entertainment (OLE), Pritzker produced Academy Award-nominated "Rabbit Hole," as well as "The Way, Way Back" and Jon Stewart’s directorial debut "Rosewater." Pritzker has expanded OLE's footprint by creating the foreign sales company Sierra/Affinity, and recently helped launch the film studio STX.

Featured panelists include writer-director Steve Pink ("Hot Tub Time Machine"); actor-producer-director Jeff Garlin ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"); Kickstarter co-founder Charles Adler; Chicago directors Stephen Cone & Kris Swanberg; Richard Lorber, distributor of films by such acclaimed directors as Steven Soderbergh and John Woo; and Amy Hobby, producer of "Secretary" and "What Happened, Miss Simone?" and co-founder of the female-driven production company Tangerine Entertainment.

"We have always wanted to expand our Industry program at the Festival," said Festival Founder & Artistic Director Michael Kutza. "This is an incredible lineup and I'm glad we have Anthony Kaufman on our team to lead it."

"The Festival has always had a very strong international focus and roster of global guests," added Festival Programmer Anthony Kaufman. "With Industry Days, we look forward to bringing foreign filmmakers together with Chicago's local filmmaking community and industry professionals from the coasts and seeing what synergies develop."

The 2015 Industry Days Panels include:

- Overseas Connections: How to Gain Access to International Partners and Financiers (Co-produced with IFP/Chicago)

- Crowdfunding and Crowdfinding: How to Raise Money and Prime Your Prospective Audience

- Making an Impact: How to Build Coalitions, Engage Communities, and Change the World Through Film

- Is the Future of Indie Film in TV and on the Web? (Open to the Public)

- How to Build a Booming Chicago Film Industry (Open to the Public and co-produced with Stage 18)

- A Conversation with Writer-Producer-Directors Steve Pink and Jeff Garlin (Open to the Public)

- How to Make a Great Movie for $50,000 or Less

- The Foreign Language Film Crisis: Are Subtitled Movies Fading on U.S. Screens? (Open to the Public)

- How to Sell Your Film

- The Distribution Puzzle: Film Releasing Strategies from Theaters to VOD (Co-produced with IFP/Chicago)

- Power Players: How Women Producers & Financiers are Changing the Entertainment Business (Open to the Public)

Industry Days will serve as the central hub for filmmakers and industry professionals, examining current and future trends in the film and entertainment business. All panels require an Industry Days pass, unless otherwise noted. Visit the Chicago International Film Festival website for more information.

READ MORE: Producer Gigi Pritzker Lands $50 Mil in Financing

Chicago International Film Festival Creates Roger Ebert Award

Max O'Connell — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 19:42:01 GMT

It's been nearly a year and a half since the death of Roger Ebert, but his influence seems to only be growing. First Steve James' Ebert documentary "Life Itself" opened to wide acclaim, and now the late critic is getting his own award just in time for the 50th Chicago International FIlm Festival

The Roger Ebert Award will be presented to emerging filmmakers with "a fresh and uncompromising vision." All films eligible will also take part in the Festival's New Directors Competition. The award honors Ebert's habit of supporting new talent wherever he found it, which often brought films like Gregory Nava's "El Norte," Ramin Bahrani's "Chop Shop," and Steve James' "Hoop Dreams" to the attention of film fans all over the world, not to mention helped kick-start the careers of filmmaking giants like Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese. The festival has special significance with regards to the latter, whose debut "Who's That Knocking At My Door" premiered at the festival under the title of "I Call First," where it received a glowing review from Ebert.

Ebert continued to be a jury member and presenter at the festival in the years up until his death, and festival Founder and Artistic Director Michael Kutza says the award is "one more way to keep his memory, and his contributions, alive." The award will be presented during the Festival's Awards Night on Friday, October 17. The films competing for the Roger Ebert Award are listed below:

“Ablations” France/Belgium (Director: Arnold de Parscau) — After waking up to discover one of his kidneys has been removed, a pharmaceutical salesman sets out on a strange and unsettling journey to piece together what happened. Like a mix of David Lynch and Park Chan-Wook, this surrealist thriller shows how one man’s obsessive quest leads to his own undoing. Virginie Ledoyen co-stars, along with Philippe Nahon (Gaspar Noe’s “I Stand Alone”) as a menacing senior citizen. North American Premiere

“The Boss, Anatomy of A Crime” Argentina/Venezuela (Director: Sebastián Schindel) — A hard-working man is allowed to run his own butcher shop, but his sleazy boss subjects him to a series of escalating exploitations and abuses that build to a violent climax. Assured new director Sebastián Schindel expertly captures beautifully understated performances with a naturalistic, unobtrusive camera, while detailed close-ups of meat being ground up underscore this incisive story about the unfair treatment of the working-class. North American Premiere

“El Cordero” Chile (Director: Juan Francisco Olea) — When Domingo, a mild-mannered, highly devout Catholic, accidentally kills his secretary, he suffers… from a lack of remorse. Tormented by not feeling a sense of guilt, he sets out, ironically, on a spree of unlawful and increasingly bloody acts in order to recover his moral compass. “El Cordero”—which literally means “the lamb”—is a pitch-black comic character study and skillful inquiry into the double standards of Catholic guilt and repentance. North American Premiere

“A Few Cubic Meters of Love” Iran, Afghanistan (Director: Jamshid Mahmoudi) — In a shantytown encampment comprised of sheet metal and abandoned tires, Sabar, an Iranian worker, and Marona, the daughter of an illegal Afghan laborer, meet for chaste romantic encounters in a shipping container. But faced with the threat of Marona’s deportation and the prejudice of their communities, can their dreams of marriage be realized? This year’s breakout film from Iran’s Fajr Film Festival is a bittersweet tale of pure love and racial tolerance. North American Premiere

“A Girl at My Door” South Korea (Director: July Jung) — Doona Bae (“Cloud Atlas”) and newcomer Kim Sae-ron deliver electrifying performances in this penetrating drama about a complicated relationship between two young women. Taking up post at a small seaside town, policewoman Lee Young-nam finds herself coming to the rescue of Do-hee, a local girl damaged by abuse at the hands of family and peers. As the two form a close, controversial relationship, Young-nam confronts a broader tapestry of social discrimination and destruction. U.S. Premiere

“Next to Her” Israel (Director: Asaf Korman) — Chelli is the sole caretaker for her mentally disabled, self-destructive sister Gabby. When Chelli begins a romantic relationship with the kindly Zohar, a fascinating triangle develops between the threesome, as Chelli loses her controlling grip on her vulnerable sibling. With stellar performances and startling plot twists, “Next to Her” is a compelling, complex and affecting drama about co-dependency and learning to let go. U.S. Premiere

“Paris of the North” Iceland/Denmark/France (Director: Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson) — Relocated from Reykjavik to a dilapidated rural fishing village, former alcoholic Hugi spends his time teaching elementary school and attending AA meetings. His path to recovery, however, is derailed by the arrival of his philandering, beer-guzzling dad. A droll and gentle character study, “Paris of the North” is a captivating account of fathers and sons mending their stunted relationships while finding the courage to push forward with their own lives. U.S. Premiere

“Pink Noise” Colombia (Director: Roberto Flores Prieto) — In the dilapidated small town of Barranquilla, Colombia, amid rolling electrical blackouts and torrential downpours, Luis, an elderly repairman, and Carmen, an aging hotel-worker, briefly come together and rekindle long dormant passions. Bolstered by its exquisitely framed compositions and two amiable characters, Pink Noise is a beautiful and bittersweet portrait of aging, loneliness, and love, as gently paced as its characters’ tender lives. North American Premiere

“Still” UK (Director: Simon Blake) — A powerhouse performance from Irish actor Aiden Gillen (“Game of Thrones”) fuels this dramatic thriller about a photographer, reeling from the death of his teenage son. One day, a chance encounter with a street gang sends him down a dangerous path. In his breakout debut film, director Simon Blake paints a gritty, menacing portrait of North London’s cruel urban environs, where the dividing lines between evil and innocence are blurred. North American Premiere

“Supernova” The Netherlands/Germany/Belgium (Director: Tamar van den Dop) — Frustrated with her isolated, rural existence, 15-year-old Meis spends her days thinking about exploding stars and reveling in erotic fantasies, while she and her family live in fear (and hope) that a car will come careening through their front window, and reinvigorate their torpid lives. With everyday events portrayed on a cosmic scale, this sexy coming-of-age film sumptuously chronicles one girl’s sexual awakening within the context of the larger universe. North American Premiere

“La Tirisia” Mexico (Director: Jorge Pérez Solano) — Set amid the surrealist cacti-filled landscapes of Oaxaca, Mexico, this sensual, subtle drama follows the interwoven stories of two women, impregnated by the same uncaring man and unsure of whether they want to keep their babies. Driven by its beautiful cinematography and evocative imagery, “La Tirisia” is both a melancholic portrait of rural Mexico and a poignant tale of feminine pain and triumph. U.S. Premiere

“Titli” India (Director: Kanu Behl) — In the cutthroat environs of Delhi, a young man named Titli struggles to escape from his brutal and abusive family. But his plans are complicated when his criminal brothers instigate an arranged marriage, bringing the unsuspecting bride Neelu into their domestic rat’s nest. Acclaimed at its Cannes 2014 premiere, this outstanding debut film is a gritty and absorbing drama ripped straight from the hardscrabble mean streets of contemporary India. North American Premiere

“Underdog” Sweden/Norway (Director: Ronnie Sandahl) — A financially strapped, disaffected young Swede lands in Norway in search of employment. When she begins work as a housekeeper at middle-class Steffan’s home, neither anticipates the impact she will have on their lives and his family. Ronnie Sandahl’s emotionally satisfying debut features an urban modern-day romance while tackling issues of class, privilege and the changing balance of power between Sweden and Norway. North American Premiere

'Holy Motors' Tops Chicago Film Festival Winners

Peter Knegt — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 17:14:47 GMT

Leos Carax’s "Holy Motors" topped the winners of the Chicago International Film Festival, which announced their prizes this weekend. The film won the festival's "Gold Hugo" for best international film, and also won honors for acting (Denis Lavant) and cinematography (Caroline Champetier and Yves Cape).

Other major winners included Michel Franco's "After Lucia," Petér Bergendy's "The Exam" and Clayton Brown and Monica Long Ross's "The Believers."

Full press release below.

CHICAGO (October 19, 2012) – Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director, Mimi Plauché, Programming Director, and Programmers Alex Kopecky and Penny Bartlett proudly announce the winners of the 48th Chicago International Film Festival Competitions.

French filmmaker Leos Carax’s exuberant and euphoric HOLY MOTORS leads this extraordinary group of films with three awards. Carax’s first film, BOY MEETS GIRL, premiered in Chicago in 1984 as part of the 20th Chicago International Film Festival’s International Competition.

Many of the winners will be showcased during the Festival’s Best of the Fest program, Wednesday, October 24 at the AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.). The Festival runs until Thursday October 25 when Closing Night film FLIGHT, directed by Chicago-born filmmaker Robert Zemeckis and starring Denzel Washington, receives its Chicago Premiere.

International Feature Film Competition
Representing a wide variety of styles and genres, these works compete for the Festival’s highest honor, the Gold Hugo, a symbol of discovery.

The Gold Hugo for Best Film goes to HOLY MOTORS (France/Germany) for the sheer beauty, originality and breathtaking scope of its cinematic vision. Director: Leos Carax.

The Silver Hugo Special Jury Prize is awarded to AFTER LUCIA (Mexico/France) for being a film of great simplicity and restraint, that nevertheless moved and shocked the jury. Director: Michel Franco.

The Silver Hugo for Best Actor goes to Denis Lavant in HOLY MOTORS (France/Germany) for breathing life into a character who is alternately tragic, hilarious, shocking, profound, hideous, beautiful, wise - but always human - and, quite simply, unlike anything we've ever seen before.

The Silver Hugo for Best Actress goes to Ulla Skoog in THE LAST SENTENCE (Sweden) for showing, with great subtlety and skill, the depth, complexity and humanity of a seemingly "ordinary" human-being. Director: Jan Troell.

The Silver Hugo for Best Cinematography goes to Yves Cape and Caroline Champetier of HOLY MOTORS for images that were achingly beautiful and inventive, and somehow managed to be always perfectly in sync with the confounding universe of the narrative.

The Silver Hugo Special Mention goes to THE REPENTANT (Algeria/France) for exploring with great sensitivity the aftermath of atrocities in Algeria and the challenges of reconciliation. Director: Merzak Allouache.

The International Feature Film Competition Jury includes Danièle Cauchard, Patrice Chéreau, Alice Krige, Joe Maggio and Amr Waked.

New Directors Competition
This selection of first and second feature films receiving their U.S. premiere in Chicago celebrates the spirit of discovery and innovation upon which the Festival was founded.

The Gold Hugo goes to THE EXAM (Hungary), a film which combines the intricate plotting of a Cold War secret agent thriller with the serious undercurrent concerning deeper issues of personal loyalty versus the police state; it exudes a quiet confidence, remarkable in a new filmmaker. Director: Petér Bergendy.

The Silver Hugo is awarded to FLOWERBUDS (Czech Republic), a glum image of current Czech society that is illuminated by quirky observation and even an occasional touch of humor. An impressive and sophisticated beginning. Director: Zdenek Jirasky.

The New Directors Competition Jury includes Dan Berger, Rebeca Conget, Jonathan Miller and John Russell Taylor.

Docufest Competition
This selection of international documentaries competing for the Gold Hugo go beyond the headlines in telling those true stories that surprise, entertain and challenge us.

The Gold Hugo goes to THE BELIEVERS (USA). This tightly constructed cinematic argument with strong characters puts a human face on scientific research and discovery acknowledging our universal understanding of human failings in our desire to achieve success. In THE BELIEVERS, the filmmakers remind us just how inexact science really is sometimes. Directors: Clayton Brown and Monica Long Ross.

The Silver Hugo goes to NUMBERED (Israel). Visually stunning, compelling stories with surprising humor and wit edited into an impactful whole to remind us that the past lives on for the next generations. NUMBERED clearly demonstrates the importance of documenting the collective story of the Holocaust and other world genocide. Director: Dana Doron and Uriel Sinai.

The Docufest Competition Jury includes Reiner Veit, Alicia Sams and Ruth Leitman.

After Dark Competition
This competitive program of scary movies from around the world takes audiences on a journey to the darkest corners of the human soul.

The Gold Hugo goes to ANTIVIRAL (Canada/USA), one of the more ambitious feature film debuts in recent memory. Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg's ANTIVIRAL is a work obsessed with perversions of the flesh, in the areas of science and sexuality. The film is the work of a budding visionary--full of inventive and effective artistry, and a clear sense of where we are going as a celebrity-worshipping society. Director: Brandon Cronenberg.

The Silver Hugo goes to SLEEP TIGHT (Spain). Jaume Balagueró's gift as a director of thrillers is his way with psychological tension, digging out worrying new ways to describe how the world is simply not ever a safe place to be. In SLEEP TIGHT, not even bed and a little bit of sleep are safe. Director: Jaume Balagueró.

The After Dark Competition Jury includes Jayme Joyce, Steve Prokopy and Ray Pride.

Short Film Competition
The Gold Hugo for Best Short Film goes to RETURN (Israel), awarded for its extraordinary exploration of cultural dislocation as seen through the eyes of a young man who returns to his Israeli home after a life-changing trip to India, director Shay Levi wisely chooses to avoid obvious melodramatic touches. Instead, he tells the story through nuance and the subtle play of a moving camera. The result is that we are taken into the pained and confused mind of the protagonist yet given enough information to empathize with the people to whom he can no longer relate. The jury wishes to recognize that this achievement is all the more noteworthy because RETURN is the work of a student filmmaker. It gives us hope for a future of challenging and rewarding films from Mr. Levi. Director Shay Levi.

The Silver Hugo for Best Narrative/Live Action Short goes to PAUL (Israel), awarded for its effective mix of a fantastical story with the visual elements of noir, and for a central character whose plight is lovingly conveyed with Keatonesque simplicity. This tale of a dog-faced man who sets out to find his stolen pet fish brilliantly walks the tightrope between magical realism and a dark night of the soul. The fact that there are no missteps is due to its effective mixture of cinematic dexterity and a keen eye for the foibles of human behavior. The jury was particularly impressed by the central performance. Little more than a bodysuit made of crepe, Paul proved to be one of the most fully rounded and emotionally affecting characters that we have seen in a long time. Director: Adam Bizanski.

The Silver Hugo for Best Short Documentary goes to PARADISE (USA). With a moment of calm daybreak followed by harnesses, ropes, and the calculated preparation of a great heist movie, director Nadav Kurtz drops the audience of his short film PARADISE into a meditation through the perspective of three Chicago window washers. Topically a film about men at work, this documentary incorporates fluid camera movements, beautiful photography, steady editing, and a lovely yet understated guitar soundtrack. The subjects discuss marriage, growing old, death, the afterlife, and teaching the next generation while building inhabitants continue downtown - living, working, playing, and going to Starbucks. Director: Nadav Kurtz.

The Silver Hugo for Best Animated Short, the highest for an animated short film, goes to OH, WILLY (Belgium) due to its stunning originality. The jury found the film to be a treat, full of narrative surprises and delightful tonal shifts, and that rare beast of a film – one where the material design itself (a world covered in fuzzy wool) lends an unmistakable expressivity to the landscape of the film and characters in it. The narrative’s tender, scary, and surreal episodes culminate in a fantasy with an unexpected and captivating conclusion. Directors: Emma De Swaef and Marc James Roels.

The Gold Plaque for Best Student Film is awarded to NEXT DOOR LETTERS (Sweden) both for its brave style (balancing a digi-folksy aesthetic with a hint of the grotesque), and its effectively shaped narrative. Based on a true story of teenage longing and burgeoning queer identity, the jury found it a touching and an impressive achievement. Director: Sascha Fülscher.

The Gold Plaque for Animated Short is awarded to EDMOND WAS A DONKEY (Canada/France) for its unique story of a young office drone who comes to accept the image others have of him, as well as for its ability to effectively and cinematically capture the essence of fable. Mixing black and white imagery, ironic voiceovers and a Buñuelian sense of the absurd, EDMOND WAS A DONKEY is that rare film that delights us with what it has to say as much as how it says it. Director: Franck Dion.

The Silver Plaque for Narrative/Live Action Short is awarded to VOICE OVER (Spain). On another planet, attacked by monsters, crawling through mud to save loved ones, and being dragged to murky depths by a vessel thought to be your salvation - there is no explicit way to describe the feelings outlined at the culmination of Martin Rosete’s VOICE OVER. The jury awards a Silver Plaque for the film’s art direction, technical mastery, riveting script, compact editing, elegant yet tongue-tied narrator, and a reminder of adolescent and adult struggles for life and love. Director: Martin Rosete.

A Special Mention for Narrative/Life Action Short goes to CAFÉ REGULAR, CAIRO (Egypt) for its effective and well-directed use of improvisation to create an intimacy not only between the characters onscreen, but between them and the audience as well. Director: Ritesh Batra.

The Short Film Competition Jury includes Melika Bass, Ronald Falzone and Andrew Suprenant.

INTERCOM Competition
One of the longest-running international competitions of its kind, INTERCOM honors a wide range of corporate-sponsored, educational and branded films.

The Gold Hugo goes to HANDTMANN – IDEA FOR THE FUTURE by Naumann Film, a compelling and elegantly cinematic evocation of the ways manufacturing and technology connect human beings in the 21st century.

The Gold Plaque go to SAVE BOWLING by Brad Bischoff. BBBS by Bengar Films; MAY FOOD KEEP US TOGETHER: "LAST STALL STANDING" by Peoples Production Limited; and SWISS LIFE - CORPORATE MOVIE by Seed Audio-Visual Communication AG.

The INTERCOM Competition Jury includes Ronald Falzone, Anne Willmore, Hannah Dallman, Zoran Samardzija, and Dan Rybicky.

Chicago Award
The Chicago Award, presented to a Chicago or Illinois artist for the best feature, short film or documentary, goes to CONSUMING SPIRITS, directed by Chris Sullivan, a truly independent and lovingly crafted portrait of Americana that is by turns surprising and touching.

The Chicago Award jury includes Julie Ford, Kevin B. Lee, and Michael W. Phillips, Jr.

Special Awards

The 48th Chicago International Film Festival recognized JOAN ALLEN’s outstanding achievements and contributions in both theater and film with a Silver Hugo Career Achievement Award on October 14. HELEN HUNT’s rich career will be similarly recognized on October 20 during a Special Presentation of Ben Lewin’s much anticipated film THE SESSIONS at the AMC River East 21. The red carpet event starts at 6:30 pm.

VIOLA DAVIS will be presented with the Career Achievement Award, Monday October 22 at the Festival’s annual Black Perspectives Tribute to be held at the AMC River East 21. A powerhouse talent of stage, television and film, the Academy Award®-nominated actress (DOUBT, THE HELP) will join the ranks of past recipients including Morgan Freeman, Halle Berry and Sidney Poitier as she accepts a Silver Hugo for the rich characters and nuanced performances she has embodied throughout her career. The red carpet event begins at 6:30 p.m. and is followed by the tribute presentation and celebration of Davis’ work.

The Festival also honored Spanish filmmaker JUAN ANTONIO BAYONA with the Emerging Visionary Award for bringing fresh insight, dynamism, and humanity to familiar genres during a Special Presentation of his critically-acclaimed film THE IMPOSSIBLE on October 18.

Chicago International Film Festival to Honor Joan Allen, Viola Davis and Helen Hunt with Silver Hugo

Justin Krajeski — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:58:03 GMT

The 48th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) will pay tribute to Joan Allen, Viola Davis, and Helen Hunt for their noteworthy accomplishments and contributions to the arts by presenting them with the Silver Hugo.

Mimi Plauché, Head of Programming of the Chicago International Film Festival, called it a "privilege to honor them," saying each of these actress's work "has transcended time and I know that we will continue to see great things from each of them for years to come."

On October 14, Joan Allen will participate in an in-depth discussion of her career during a program called "An Evening with Joan Allen" at 6 p.m. at the AMC River East. She will also be present for CIFF's "The Chicagoans" and "REELWOMEN" programs. In 1989, Allen won a Tony® for her performance in Lanford Wilson's, "Burn This," before going on to receive Academy Award® nominations for her work in "Nixon," "The Crucible" and "The Contender."

The Festival's Black Perspectives program will honor Viola Davis with the CIFF's Career Achievement Award on October 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the AMC River East, as well as the Silver Hugo. An award ceremony and a reflection of Davis' work will follow the program. Davis has been an Academy Award® nominee for both her performance's in "Doubt," as well as "The Help."

Helen Hunt will attend a Special Presentation of Ben Lewin's film "The Sessions" and accept the Silver Hugo on October 20 at 7 p.m. at the AMC River East. She will also join in a Q&A session after the film. Hunt is an Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and Emmy® award winner. She has starred in such film as "As Good As It Gets," and "Cast Away," among others.

The 48th Chicago International Film Festival will take place on October 11-25, 2012.

Watch "Breaking Lessons," the documentary about "The Sessions" subject Mark O'Brien, below:

Chicago International Film Festival Announces First 22 Films to Premiere; Over 50 Countries Represented

Srimathi Sridhar — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:57:37 GMT

Cinema/Chicago and The Chicago International Film Festival announced the first 22 films out of 150 that will premiere from October 11th to 25th at the 48th Chicago International Film Festival. The festival, which is the oldest in North America, will have films from over 50 countries.

Mimi Plauché, the Programming Director at the 48th Chicago International Film Festival, talked about some of the international films to expect at the festival.

“The line-up includes brilliant new work from such Festival alumni as Iran’s Abbas Kiarostami, Italy’s Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, France’s Leos Carax, Denmark’s Bille August and Romania’s Cristian Mungiu, along with exciting debuts from young filmmakers from around the world," she said.

Michael Kutza, the Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicago International Film Festival said these first films were "just a taste of the strong line-up we have this year which include award-winning films, quirky comedies, spine-tingling thrillers, eye-opening documentaries, emotionally charged dramas, and innovative shorts. Chicago audiences will have the chance to see some of the most exhilarating films the world has to offer.”

The festival's Opening Night will take place at The Harris Theater in Chicago on October 11th with festival screenings at the AMC River East 21. A variety of festival passes are on sale now and can be bought here.

An official release of the 22 films to premiere and their synpopsis follows on the next page...As Goes Janesville (Director: Brad Lichtenstein • USA): The recession hits home in Janesville, WI, where the shutdown of a GM plant has devastated the town. Following laid-off employees struggling to make ends meet and local business owners trying to lure back investors, this intimate verité-style documentary supplies refreshingly human insight into America’s economic crisis.

Benji (Director: Coodie & Chike • USA): In 1984, all eyes were on Ben Wilson, one of Chicago’s top high school basketball prospects. But in his senior year, Benji's story was suddenly cut short. Interviews with family and friends give fresh insight into Benji's life and untimely end, illuminating one of sport's most tragic "what if"s.

Beyond The Hills (Director: Cristian Mungiu • Romania): Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) returns to feature filmmaking with this gripping existential drama. Inspired by the real-life horror of a modern-day exorcism-gone-wrong, the film follows two women, close friends whose lives have taken them down drastically different paths: one into a convent, the other much further astray.

The Cleaner (Director: Adrian Saba • Peru): In the midst of a mysterious, devastating epidemic, Eusebio – a forensic cleaner who sterilizes the apartments of the dead – discovers an eight-year-old boy hiding in an uninhabited house. A grizzled loner all his life, Eusebio suddenly finds that he must care for this young boy as civilization crumbles around them in this quietly compelling dystopian drama.

Caesar Must Die (Director: Paolo & Vittorio Taviani • Italy): The top prizewinner in Berlin, this docudrama from the legendary Taviani brothers depicts the preparations for a staging of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar by inmates in Rome’s Rebibbia Prison. The performers, many of whom are in jail for violent crimes, bring powerful new layers of meaning and emotion to the canonical play.

Coming of Age (Director: Sabine Hiebler & Gerhart Ertl • Austria): In their 80s, Rosa and Bruno meet and are suddenly reminded what it means to love and live fully. The two – knowing that their time is limited – run off together, leaving much and many in their wake. This unconventional romantic drama paints a powerful portrait of love by turns stark, passion-filled and heart-breaking.

Consuming Spirits (Director: Chris Sullivan • USA): A melancholic, mesmerizing vision of backwoods gothic Americana that was 15 years in the making, Consuming Spirits weaves together a spell-binding blend of animation techniques. Folksy storytelling tinged with the dark surrealism of David Lynch, this atmospheric, multi-layered tale of outcasts and misfits is haunting, funny and occasionally heart-breaking.

Don’t Click (Director: Kim Tae-Kyeong • South Korea): When cyber junkie Jung-mi learns of a sinister new “forbidden” internet video, she’ll stop at nothing to find it. However, the morbid video has strange effects on its viewers, and soon Jung-mi and her sister seem to be under a bizarre and terrifying curse in this disturbing take on 21st-century technology, surveillance, and internet fame.

Holy Motors (Director: Leos Carax • France/Germany): Several lifetimes pass in the span of a few hours for Monsieur Oscar, a shadowy character who effortlessly transitions from one realm to the next. He is, in turn, captain of industry, assassin, beggar, monster, family man. This mysterious, hallucinatory epic has ignited passions around the world for its bold, euphoric virtuosity.

In Their Skin (Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal • Canada): A relaxing trip to the country takes a dark and disturbing turn when a seemingly friendly visit from the neighbors turns into a terrifying and potentially deadly situation. Skillfully building the claustrophobic atmosphere with masterful control over mood and pacing, In Their Skin is a chilling, sophisticated slice of terror.

The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (Director: Chris James Thompson • USA): By the time he was arrested, Jeffrey Dahmer had killed and dismembered 17 victims, mostly in his nondescript Milwaukee apartment. Using a mixture of archival footage, new interviews and recreations, this documentary paints a complex, intimate portrait of one of America’s most notorious serial killers.

Keep the Lights On (Director: Ira Sachs • USA): A one-night stand between Erik and Paul quickly grows into something more, but their differences – along with Paul’s struggles with addiction – soon chip away at their relationship. This sensitive, subtle account of an intense, nine-year on-off relationship tenderly reminds us that love is not always enough.

Like Someone In Love (Director: Abbas Kiarostami • France/Japan): Iran’s greatest living filmmaker travels to Tokyo for this understated, enigmatic romantic drama. Unbeknownst to her boyfriend, the enchanting university student Akiko secretly moonlights as an escort. An encounter with a client – a shy, elderly academic – leads to an unconventional, unexpectedly intimate relationship in which nothing is quite as it seems.

Marie Krøyer (Director: Bille August • Denmark): Married to one of Denmark’s most celebrated 19th century painters, Marie Krøyer’s life is both privileged and fraught. Struggling to discover her own identity while managing her husband’s increasingly erratic behavior, Marie begins to look outside of her marriage for affirmation and autonomy. But at what cost?

A Modest Reception (Director: Mani Haghighi • Iran): Tasked with giving away huge sums of money by whatever means possible, Kaveh and Layla drive through the remote, war-torn mountains of Iran with a trunkful of cash. What begins as a seemingly harmless game soon reveals itself to be a twisted bout of charity as the power, humiliation, and shame inherent in their act plays out between the privileged couple and the impoverished villagers.

Out in the Dark (Director: Michael Mayer • Israel/USA): Nimer, a Palestinian student, dreams of a better life abroad. One fateful night he meets Roy, an Israeli lawyer. As their relationship deepens, Nimer is confronted with the harsh realities of a Palestinian society that refuses to accept his sexual identity, and an Israeli society that rejects his nationality.

The Scapegoat (Director: Charles Sturridge • UK): The Scapegoat tells the story of two very different men who have one thing in common: a face. Near exact replicas, these doppelgangers meet by chance, each at a major crossroads in his life in this adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel, which recalls the productions of Merchant- Ivory at their finest.

The Sessions (Director: Ben Lewin • USA): Based on the poignantly optimistic autobiographical writings of California-based journalist and poet Mark O’Brien, The Sessions tells the story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined - at age 38 – to lose his virginity. With the help of his therapists and the guidance of his priest, he sets out to make his dream a reality.

Shameless (Director: Filip Marczewski • Poland): In an incendiary story of love, desire, and betrayal between siblings, the rebellious young Tadek returns to sister Anka’s home in search of solace and affection. Bound together by a painful shared family history, brother and sister must find a way to break free in order to survive.

Tey (Director: Alain Gomis • Senegal): What would you do if you knew today was your last? A joyous, impressionistic celebration of life and death, Tey follows Satché from the moment he wakes, with full knowledge of his imminent passing. Wandering through the streets of his hometown, Satché reflects on the choices he has made and their consequences.

Valley of Saints (Director: Musa Syeed • India/USA): Gulzar, a boatman on Kashmir’s gorgeous, peaceful Dal Lake, plans to leave for the city when a military curfew forces him to remain in his hometown. When Gulzar meets Asifa, a pretty young scientist studying the lake, a romance develops against a backdrop of jealousy, competition, and ongoing political turmoil.

Short Films: Highlights of this year’s programs include: Paraíso, in which three Chicago window cleaners wax philosophical as they work on a high-rise; the animated Oh Willy…, in which the hero returns to the naturist community where he spent his youth; and Yardbird, in which a young girl uses special powers against bullies.

"The Artist" & "Almanya" Take Home Audience Prizes at 47th Chicago International Film Festival

Brian Brooks — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:47:31 GMT

Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist" won the Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Chicago Interntional Film Festival. The event noted that a "record number of audience members participated in the selection of this year’s audience choice winners, with 50% of attendees casting their vote" at the 47th edition of the festival.

As previously reported Aki Kaurismäki's "Le Havre" won the juried Gold Hugo prize at CIFF, while "Cairo 678" took the festival's Silver Hugo and Joshua Marston and Andamion Murataj were honored with a Silver Hugo for best screenplay for "The Forgiveness of Blood." The festival closes out Tuesday, October 25.

Audience Award winners with descriptions provided by the Chicago International Film Festival:

Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature, presented by American Airlines:
"The Artist" (France), Dir. Michel Hazanavicius

A darling at this year’s 2011 Cannes Film Festival, The Artist is a black and white love song to silent cinema, and movies overall. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius (the OSS 117 films), tells the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin, best actor at Cannes) a very successful silent movie star who meets Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young extra, and helps her on her way up the Hollywood ladder. But when talking pictures arrive, disaster strikes not only George’s career but also the blossoming romance between the two. A visually stunning film with arresting performances, The Artist perfectly captures the silent film era while staying relevant to today.

"Almanya: Welcome to Germany" (Germany), Dir. Yasemin Samdereli

A six-year-old in Germany confronts and questions the nature of self-identity after learning of his Turkish grandfather’s journey as a guest worker in the 1960s.The discussion leads the whole family to travel to their original home in Turkey, a trip that will prove surprising in more ways than one. This delightful comedy shows that your identity is not determined by where you live or where your parents come from, but rather what you feel inside.

Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature, presented by American Airlines
"Undefeated" (USA), Dirs. Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin

Set in Memphis, Undefeated chronicles the Manassas Tigers’ 2009 football season as they strive to win the first playoff game in the high school’s 110-year history. A perennial whipping boy, in recent decades Manassas had gone so far as to sell their home games to the highest bidder, but that all changed in the spring of 2004 when Bill Courtney, a former high school football coach turned lumber salesman, volunteered to lend a hand. The football program began resurrecting itself and, in 2009, features the most talented team it has ever fielded.

"Le Havre" & "Forgiveness of Blood" Among Top Chicago Fest Winners

Brian Brooks — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:23:06 GMT

Aki Kaurismäki's "Le Havre" won the Gold Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival over the weekend, nabbing the main prize in the event's International Feature Film Competition, with "Cairo 678" taking the festival's Silver Hugo and Joshua Marston and Andamion Murataj honored with a Silver Hugo for best screenplay for "The Forgiveness of Blood."

This year’s selection of more than 180 feature-length fiction films, documentaries and shorts.

The list of winners follows with information provided by the Chicago International Film Festival. The event continues through October 25.

International Feature Film Competition

Gold Hugo to LE HAVRE (Finland/France) for the mastery of film director Aki Kaurismäki and his stylized yet very humane depiction of illegal immigration.

Silver Hugo for CAIRO 678 (Egypt) for addressing relevant social issues. It takes a strong stand on sexual harassment for women at home and work. It is a brave film for presenting women as an oppressor rather than a victim.

Silver Hugo for Best Actress to Olivia Colman in TYRANNOSAUR (UK) for an outstanding performance hitting every note showing her vulnerability, her power and her humor.

Silver Hugo for Best Actor to Maged El Kedwany in CAIRO 678 (Egypt) for his ability to bring balance to the story and light to a heavy tone. His presence draws you into every frame he is in.

Silver Hugo for Best Screenplay to Joshua Marston and Andamion Murataj for THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD (US/Albania) for a lovingly crafted story that takes us on an intimate journey through the fate of families that are ruled by the laws of honor and vengeance. The writers lay out for the audience the complexity of human relations and make us reconsider our own standards and convictions.

New Directors Competition

The Gold Hugo goes to THE GOOD SON (Finland) for its real psychological insight. Economical without being overly abstract, the film depicts each character as selfish, but dependent on someone else, exposing their unstable familial relationships. Director Zaida Bergroth impresses with her ability to create characters and their environment, intersecting in believable yet shocking ways.

The Silver Hugo is awarded to VOLCANO (Iceland/Denmark), a film that triggers a deep emotional response that has nothing to do with sentimentality. It juxtaposes domestic space with the dramatic Icelandic landscape to riveting effect. Not just another film about redemption, Rúnar Rúnarsson's debut depicts the moral ambiguity of the choices facing a complex, older man.

Founder’s Award

The Founder’s Award is given to that one film across all categories that captures the spirit of the Chicago International Film Festival for its unique and innovative approach to the art of the moving image. This year’s recipient of the Founder’s Award is THE ARTIST (France), director Michel Hazanavicius’ delightfully romantic comedy about silent cinema and the movies in general.

Special Awards

The 47th Chicago International Film Festival recognized French film director and producer CLAUDE LELOUCH’s 50 years in the film industry with a Silver Hugo award. The award was presented to him on October 8 at a screening of his 43rd film What Love May Bring.

Actor ANTHONY MACKIE will be presented with the Artistic Achievement Award, Saturday October 15 at the Festival’s annual Black Perspectives Tribute. The 47th Chicago International Film Festival's Black Perspectives Committee will celebrate this gifted actor with film highlights from his most memorable performances and a discussion about his career. The event will be held at Chase Auditorium (10 S. Dearborn St.) beginning at 7:30 pm, with the after-party to follow at Cibo Matto at theWit Hotel (201 N. State St.).

Docufest Competition

Gold Hugo goes to CINEMA KOMUNISTO (Serbia), an exquisite matching of form and content. This film uses cinema as both a metaphor and a mechanism for the telling of unique national, cultural, and personal histories. Archival and contemporary footage are deftly interwoven to yield a result that is at once intimate and universal. Director: Mila Turajlic.

Silver Hugo goes to the visually and aurally innovative DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL (US). The subject, Diana Vreeland, embodies the exuberance of the 20th century (often called the American Century) even though she was not born in the US and was a confirmed Europhile all her life. The filmmakers have used a range of techniques in the service of a central aim: to connect audiences with the essence of this unique woman who reflected her times. Director: Lisa Immordino Vreeland.

A Gold Plaque goes to SALAAM DUNK (US/Iraq). This documentary delivers an extraordinary level of access to the emotions of these courageous young Iraqi women who formed a basketball team at the American University of Iraq. There are so many ways the director could have sacrificed the sense of direct connection to steer our attention towards social and political analysis but this does not happen: we live with the players and their coach and with the complexities of ethnicity in post-Saddam Iraq. Director: David Fine.

A Silver Plaque goes to ALL ME: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF WINFRED REMBERT (US), a patient portrayal of an individual's life that peels away social history layer by layer. It connects audiences with aspects of US racial history they may know in general terms but will rarely have had the opportunity to access through the life of a man who is also an extraordinary visual artist compelled to tell his story in his work. Director: Vivian Ducat.

The jury gives a Certificate of Merit to ENDING NOTE: DEATH OF A JAPANESE SALESMAN (Japan). The filmmaker demonstrates considerable courage and determination in this refreshing and candid film that naturalizes dying and death. She has a very special ability to preserve affection and intimacy even as she reveals the final months of her father's life to the world. Director: Mami Sunada.

After Dark Competition

The Gold Hugo goes to SNOWTOWN (Australia), a cinematically told, verité style portrait of a serial killer which is surprising in its execution and never relies on stock characters. Director: Justin Kurzel.

The Silver Hugo goes to A LONELY PLACE TO DIE (UK), which employs stunning cinematography and majestic mountain landscapes to tell a story which thrilled the jury with its capacity for the unexpected. Director: Julian Gibley.

Short Film Competition
The Gold Hugo for Best Short Film goes to THE EAGLEMAN STAG (UK), for its virtuoso and wide-ranging technical feats with a form and style that seem wholly its own, all in the service of characterizing a brilliant, acerbic scientist from cradle to grave, and beyond. The film’s monochromatic palette, intriguing textures, wry narration, and imaginative aesthetic illuminate the life and mind of a potentially cold figure, yielding a precise vision of what dazzles and bores him during the finite time he will spend on this strange, wonderful planet. Director: Michael Please.

The Silver Hugo for Best Animated Short is awarded to BIRDBOY (Spain). This film's dynamic realization of two souls searching for some better place in a flawed and fractured world is a compelling journey wrought with contradictions and surprises -- and ultimately hope. Directors: Pedro Rovero and Alberto Vazquez.

The Silver Hugo for Best Documentary Short is awarded to CARETAKER FOR THE LORD (Scotland), for its beautifully observed, intensely moving, but rigorously unsentimental record of a small-town church faced with closing its doors, prompting complex questions about how we use our communal institutions, why we need them, and how to decide when it’s time to let them go. Director: Jane McAllister.

The Silver Hugo for Best Narrative Short is awarded to THE UNLIVING (Sweden), for combining the rich atmospheres and sterling production values of a feature with the eccentric rhythms of truly independent cinema, all braided into a deeply unnerving thriller that is manna for horror fans but a resonant, indelible experience for all audiences. Director: Hugo Lilja.

A Gold Plaque goes to THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF ROCKY (Belgium), a brilliant darkly comedic tale of one young man's grappling with fate, love, and the meaning of life. Director Kevin Meul.

A Silver Plaque goes to MEATHEAD (New Zealand) for the most inspired location to film a coming-of-age story. With a terrifying sound mix and amazing cinematography, the filmmakers turn a real life meat factory into a full-on haunted house for a young man facing the trials (and entrails) of adulthood. Director: Sam Holst.

The Gold Plaque for Best Student Short (Animated) is awarded to BELLY (UK), which marries a poignant, pivotal experience shared among three characters to a series of innovative character designs and unusual physical environments, reminding us that adolescence is a sad, weird, eye-opening journey, and that every person and every relationship is made of multiple, sometimes conflicting sides. Director: Julia Pott.

The Gold Plaque for Best Student Short (Documentary) is awarded to GOODBYE, MANDIMA (Switzerland), for its heartrending dissection of a seminal moment in time captured in a single photograph. The rupture between past and future is so beautifully articulated, and so deeply felt, that the final shot manages to leave you breathless. Director: Robert-Jan Lacombe.

The jury awards a Special Mention to GRANDMOTHERS (UK). This short truly defies categorization –all at once an animated, short, student, documentary film combining a very personal (almost narrative approach) and an innovative visual specificity– painting a picture far beyond its 9 1/2 minutes of loss and recovery in the multi-generational search for Argentina's "disappeared." Director: Afarin Eghbal.

INTERCOM Competition

The Gold Hugo goes to SUVA - THE MOMENT OF TRUTH by Seed Audio-Visual Communication, commissioned by insurance company SUVA to promote work safety.

The Silver Hugo goes to OSTEOBLASTS AND OSTEOCLASTS by Random42 Medical Animation, the world's premier medical animation company.

The INTERCOM Competition Jury includes Ron Falzone, Cortney Groves and Kim Kubiak.

Chicago Award

The Chicago Award, presented to a Chicago or Illinois artist for the best feature, short film or documentary, goes to L TRAIN, directed by Anna Musso. It is purposeful, mysterious and formal in a way that heightened its expressiveness.

Chicago International Film Festival Sets 47th Competition Lineup

Brian Brooks — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:00:42 GMT

The Chicago International Film Festival unveiled its roster of films in competition, with 53 first-time filmmakers making the extensive list, featured in the event's New Directors, International Feature, DOCUFEST, After Dark and short film competitions. In all, 143 features will screen in the fest, including CIFF's non-competitive Special Presentations, World Cinema, Black Perspectives, Cinema of the Americas, City & State, OUTrageous, and ReelWomen sidebars.

"The International Feature Film Competition is as strong as ever and more diverse, with many of the best films of the year and some of my favorite directors represented," commented Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director of CIFF in a statement. "Showcasing up-and-coming directors has been a hallmark of the festival over the past 47 years, and this year’s lineup for the New Directors Competition embodies a spirit both daring and accomplished," added Head of Programming Mimi Plauché.

The 47th Chicago International Film Festival runs October 6 - 20 in Chicago, Illinois.

The competition lineup at the 47th Chicago International Film Festival with descriptions and credits provided by the event:

New Directors Competition
This selection of first and second feature films, all U.S. premieres.

A Little Closer USA (Director: Matt Petock) — This lyrical portrait of life in small town Virginia finds a single mother struggling to keep it together, working as a housekeeper and looking for love. Meanwhile, her two adolescent sons explore their own sexuality in the sweltering, stagnant days of summer. This debut family drama presents an intimate study of the emotional landscape of rural America. North American Premiere.

Corrode India (Director: Karan Gour) — Chhaya, a woman of limited means, leads a good, decent life alongside her husband Arvind—until she becomes obsessed with a sculpture of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. Chhaya will stop at nothing to bring home this statue, and soon her past weaknesses and disappointments (including a miscarriage) bubble to the surface, consuming and corroding her soul. Corrode is the latest example of an exciting new wave of independent Indian cinema. World Premiere.

Hotel Swooni Belgium (Director: Kaat Beels) — What is happiness? How do we grasp it? Six characters fumble desperately as their lives intersect over the course of one day and night in Brussels’ luxurious Hotel Swooni. A couple must face the truth about their marriage, while a mother and daughter seek to repair their fractured relationship and a young African boy urgently searches for his missing father. Emotions run high in this surprising kaleidoscope of hopes and doubts, passion and betrayal, at the hotel in which no one checks out quite the same as they checked in. U.S. Premiere.

Land of Oblivion France (Director: Michale Boganim) To the citizens of Prypiat, April 26, 1986 began just like any other day. Anya (Olga Kurylenko, Quantum of Solace) and Piotr celebrate their marriage while young Valery spends time with his physicist father, oblivious to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster that is irrevocably changing their lives. What follows is a lyrical, pathos-filled portrait of the next ten years of those powerless to separate themselves from the town and its defining tragedy. U.S. Premiere.

Machete Language Mexico (Director: Kyzza Terrazas) — It’s one thing to talk, or even sing, about revolution. It’s another to take one up. Raised in middle class families, Ray and Ramona are not blind to the corruption and injustice that engulf the less fortunate in their country. Ramona finds an outlet in her music, but Ray struggles to find a cause—until he settles on a course of action that might be downright revolutionary…and lethal. Shot hand-held, Machete possesses a nervous, unsettling energy that mirrors its characters own near-frenzied search for purpose. North American Premiere.

Oslo, August 31 Norway (Director: Jaochim Trier) – Nearing the end of drug rehab, the talented and handsome thirty-something Anders is given leave to interview for a job in Oslo. He spends the day and night visiting old haunts, reconnecting with friends, and searching for a hint of meaning and hope in the new life ahead of him. Strikingly shot and with a touch of comedy, this homage to the French New Wave presents a compelling study of loneliness and the possibility of redemption. U.S. Premiere.

Return Ticket China/Taiwan (Director: Yung-shing Teng) — After working for two years at a failed clothing enterprise, migrant worker Cao Li returns to Shanghai to try her hand again. Reconnecting with hometown friends Guo and Jiuzi, she gets drawn into a scheme, illegally chartering a bus to take fellow Fuyang natives home for the New Year holiday. Cao Li, unsure herself of whether or not she herself will return home, has her own misgivings about their scam, in this intimate, rarely seen portrait of a migrant culture. North American Premiere.

The Clown Brazil (Director: Selton Mello) — What do those who make people laugh for a living think is funny? Benjamin, a clown traveling with the Circus Esperanza, tackles this question and more when he decides to leave the circus and pursue his dreams. With only a copy of his birth certificate in hand, Benjamin looks for answers and for his identity away from the bright lights of the big top. North American Premiere.

The Good Son Finland (Director: Zaida Bergroth) — Seventeen-year-old Ilmari has spent most of his young life looking after his mother, Leila, a renowned actress who loves to be the center of attention, and his younger brother. After a recent scandal, Leila takes all three of them to a distant island for a quiet weekend but soon grows bored and invites all of her friends over for a party. There, she falls for scriptwriter Aimo, and soon Ilmari’s resentment explodes in this tragic portrait of a dysfunctional family. U.S. Premiere.

The Return of Joe Rich USA (Director: Sam Auster) — He lost his job, his wife and his home, but not his sense of honor. When Joe returns to Chicago he looks up his aging but still dangerous Uncle Dom in the hopes of getting “connected” and living the life of a made man. When Uncle Dom resists, Joe makes him an offer he can’t refuse. World Premiere.

The Slut Israel (Director: Hagar Ben-Asher) — Winner of the Best Director prize at the Jerusalem Film Festival, Hagar Ben-Asher’s alternative, almost anti-cautionary tale presents Tamar, a beautiful, young single mother with a seemingly insatiable sexual appetite. While running a chicken farm with her two daughters, she finds servicing the village’s lackluster men gets her through the inconveniences of everyday life. That is until a hunky veterinarian comes to town. U.S. Premiere.

Southwest Brazil (Director: Eduardo Nunes) — In a small fishing village in Brazil, Clarice experiences her entire life, beginning at birth, in the space of a day. The villagers remain oblivious to Clarice’s unique situation, living life just like us, one day at a time. In an attempt to understand her reality, Clarice tries to change her destiny as well as the destiny of those around her in this haunting and thought-provoking film. North American Premiere.

Volcano Iceland/Denmark (Director: Rúnar Rúnarsson) — An unconventional coming-of-age tale wrapped in a tender love story, this debut feature presents a portrait of compassionate devotion and an unflinching look at aging. When Hannes retires at age 67, it seems that life—well, meaningful life—has come to an end. Estranged from family and friends, Hannes' most intimate relationship is with his boat, until a series of drastic events causes him to take stock of his life. U.S. Premiere.

Wetlands Canada (Director: Guy Édoin) — Saddled with a guilt no teenager should have to bear, 17-year-old brooding Simon feels starkly out of place on his parents’ struggling dairy farm. Life on the farm is demanding, but no matter how hard Simon tries, he cannot live up to his father’s expectations. Resentments simmer, so when a tragic accident hits close to home, the question of blame haunts the family and possibilities for forgiveness seem ever remote in this captivating family drama. U.S. Premiere.

Women and Children France/UK (Director: Daniel Mitelpunkt) — Joe just doesn’t get it. He has been enjoying the slacker life—until he finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant. He is finally ready to settle down, but can a leopard ever change his spots? Enlisting the help of his best friend, Joe sets out to make amends for past misdemeanors in this Woody Allen-esque comedy. World Premiere.

International Feature Competition
Representing a wide variety of styles and genres, these films compete for the festival’s top honor, the Gold Hugo—as well as awards for best actors, director, and writer.

Best Intentions Romania (Director: Adrian Sitaru) — One morning, Alex receives a devastating phone call: his mother has just been hospitalized after suffering a stroke. Desperate to control the situation but overwhelmed by conflicting advice from friends, family and medical staff, he attempts to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately things do not go as planned and he is caught in a downward spiral of accusatory anger and frustration. This daring addition to the Romanian New Wave, based on the director’s real life experience, brims with emotional impact and authenticity. U.S. Premiere.

Cairo 678 Egypt (Director: Mohamed Diab) —Three Egyptian women from different social backgrounds join forces to fight against their country’s tolerance toward sexual harassment. Nelly files the first sexual harassment lawsuit in the history of the country, Seba, a victim of a gang rape, teaches self-defense, and Fayza takes these self-defense lessons a step too far. An expertly crafted combination of character study, social critique, and vigilante action, Cairo 678 is one of those rare films that resonates with audiences of both genders and across cultural divides. Chicago Premiere.

Chronicle of My Mother Japan (Director: Masato Harada) — Best-selling novelist Kosaku Igami has made a career out of using his family as fodder for his novels, much to their dismay. When his mother, the spirited family matriarch, is diagnosed with dementia, Igami must come to terms with the toll his own behavior has taken on his increasingly distant family and resolve his own long-simmering resentments. Evocative of classic Ozu, this gorgeously wrought epic family portrait explores the tenderness and trappings of familial bonds. U.S. Premiere.

Don't Go Breaking My Heart Hong Kong / (Director: Johnny To) — Legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Johnny To (TRIAD ELECTION) returns to the world of comedy with this achingly sweet tale. Charming Zixin finds herself in a love triangle with two men that are as handsome as they are different. To tells a purely whimsical tale where neither time nor space can hold back love’s grand gestures while revealing an amusing touch that might not be familiar to the fans of his action-packed films. Chicago Premiere.

Forgiveness of Blood USA / ALBANIA (Director: Joshua Marston) — Nik is your run-of-the-mill digitally savvy fun-loving teenager. But his dreams for the future come to a screeching halt when a long-simmering feud between his father and a man who inherited land that once belonged to Nik’s family comes to a violent end. Now, thanks to an ancient Albanian law, Nik and his brother find themselves under house arrest while their father is on the lam, causing already high tensions to reach a boiling point in this tense drama. Chicago Premiere.

The Giants Belgium (Director: Bouli Lanners) — Abandoned at their late grandfather’s house for the summer, teenage brothers Zak and Seth are left to their own devices. With the endless possibilities of summer fun and (mis)adventure to be had in the idyllic Belgian countryside, the world, they feel, is their oyster. But when money runs short and with no help in sight, the boys scheme to support themselves by renting their home to a local drug dealer. A Mark Twain adventure-like tale takes a dark turn in The Giants, artfully capturing the underside of carefree youth. North American Premiere.

Goodbye Iran (Director: Mohammad Rasoulof) — In this gripping film shot semi-clandestinely, a young disbarred female lawyer with an exiled husband and an unwanted pregnancy tries to secure a visa to leave the country. Tension builds slowly and meticulously as the heroine faces off against an oppressive regime, the walls slowly closing in around her. This terrifying portrait of modern-day Iran was a winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. U.S. Premiere.

Joint Body USA (Director: Brian Jun) — Noir infused characters, with plenty to be paranoid about, are thrown together in a desperate situation when recent parolee Nick Burke (Lost’s Mark Pellegrino) comes to the aid of Michelle (Friday Night Lights’ Alicia Witt), an exotic dancer living in a mysterious self-imposed exile in downstate Illinois. When they’re forced to team up and on the lam, the two wonder whether they can even trust each other. Chicago Premiere.

Le Havre Finland / France (Director: Aki Kaurismäki) — Humanity and dead-pan wit triumph in Aki Kauriskmäki’s magical tale of an aging Bohemian shoeshine and a young African refugee. When fate lands Idrissa at Marcel Marx’s doorstep in the French port city of Le Havre, Marcel knows what has to be done. Enlisting the help of the whole neighborhood of eccentrics and in defiance of all authority, he embarks on a risky plan to reconnect the boy with his mother. Chicago Premiere.

Miss Bala Mexico (Director: Gerardo Naranjo) — Equal doses of unrelenting action, beauty queen fantasy and social disquiet rule this detached tale of drug trafficking in Baja California, inspired by a true story. On her way to compete in her first beauty pageant, Laura is swept up in a gangland slaying and suddenly finds herself forced to work as a mule in order to save her own life. Chicago Premiere.

The Mole Poland (Director: Rafael Lewandowski) — Pawel and his father Zygmunt make a living importing second hand clothing from France to Poland. When Zygmunt is suddenly and publicly accused of being a past Communist informant, he flees the country leaving the stubbornly apolitical Pawel to pick up the pieces and face the pervading legacy of Poland’s troubled past. With strong performances and sympathetic characters, The Mole candidly explores how the weight of history affects a son’s love for his family and his motherland. U.S. Premiere.

Nobody Else But You France (Director: Gérald Hustache-Mathieu) — The ambiguous suicide of a local beauty, weathergirl, cheese model, and Marilyn Monroe look-a-like finds an eager sleuth in David Rousseau, best-selling crime novelist. When Rousseau visits a remote Alps village for the reading of his friend’s will he unwittingly, but irresistibly, gets caught in the tangled web of murder and small town politics in this offbeat mystery. North American Premiere.

Wild Bill UK (Dir. Dexter Fletcher) -- Not everyone is pleased when wild Bill Hayward rolls into town after serving eight years in jail on drug charges. His two sons, Dean and Jimmy, have been living alone ever since their mother abandoned them, and his old cohorts want Bill back in the “saddle” again. Bill and his sons begin to bond, but trouble strikes when Jimmy gets mixed up with his father’s old crew, causing Bill to realize that the town ain’t big enough for the both of them in this contemporary Western influenced gangster vehicle set in London’s East End. North American Premiere.

The Woman in the Fifth France / UK / Poland (Director: Pawel Pawlikowski) — Reality and imagination become indistinguishable in this loose adaptation of Douglas Kennedy’s novel. Tom (Ethan Hawke in an extraordinary performance) arrives in Paris to reconnect with his daughter, even though his ex-wife has placed a restraining order against him. To make ends meet, Tom accepts a job as a watchman for a seedy operation. Life takes a strange turn when he meets mysterious Margit (Kristin Scott-Thomas), and down the rabbit hole he goes in this strange Kafka-esque tale. Chicago Premiere.

Tyrannosaur UK (Director: Paddy Considine) — Actor/Director Paddy Considine (In America) delivers a gritty tale of self-destruction and redemption in his feature-length directorial debut. Expanded from his award-winning short film, Dog Altogether, Tyrannosaur follows the unlikely friendship between rage-filled Joseph (Peter Mullan) and Christian Goodwill store worker, Hannah (Olivia Colman). Mullan’s electrifying performance finds a perfect counterpoint in Colman’s measured portrayal. Chicago Premiere.

DOCUFEST, After Dark and Shorts Competition lineups continue on next page.

DOCUFEST Competition

All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert USA (Director: Vivian Ducat) — If there was ever a case for designating a person as a National Treasure, Winfred Rembert is that person. Though he lived through segregation and the civil rights era in the deep South, Rembert didn’t begin his life as an artist until the 1990s. Working on cured leather canvasses that are later painted, Rembert depicts a personalized form of US history that you can’t get in books or anywhere else for that matter. Chicago Premiere.

Carol Channing: Larger Than Life USA (Director: Dori Berinstein) — Inspiring, heartwarming, hilarious and full of life, this portrait of the Tony® and Golden Globe® award winning actress, singer and comedienne weaves Broadway history with an unbelievable love story to capture the unique persona behind the iconic performances in Hello Dolly and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Stay for the end credits: the film’s outtakes just cannot be missed. Chicago Premiere.

Cinema Komunisto Serbia (Director: Mira Turjalic) — If the illusion of reality is the currency of cinema, then cinephile and former Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito bought and paid for his countries thrilling and heroic (but mostly made up) history. This award-winning documentary chronicles the 40-year history of Avala studio, built by Tito to crank out well-made propaganda films in order to shape and control his country’s image in a post-war world. This veritable compendium of archival footage and clips from over 60 classic Yugoslav films includes remembrances from Tito’s personal projectionist. Chicago Premiere.

Day is Done Switzerland (Director: Thomas Imbach) — Fifteen years of 35mm footage shot almost entirely from one vantage point overlooking the back of the Zurich train station is paired with fifteen years of answering machine messages to form an unlikely portrait of the artist. Though unseen and unheard, Thomas Imbach allows a full persona to develop from the voices and tone of each caller and the objects his camera chooses, follows and lingers over. North American Premiere.

Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel USA (Director: Lisa Immordino Vreeland) — A true American visionary, Diana Vreeland became the first fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar in 1936 and from there proceeded to invent the concept of fashion as we now know it. A talented writer with a larger than life personality, she had an innate ability to discover designers, photographers and new ideas, often to the point of controversy. Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s delightfully playful tribute uses archival footage, family photos and an animated conversation with George Plympton. Chicago Premiere.

Lisa Immordino Vreeland's "Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel"

Ending Note: Death of a Japanese Salesman Japan (Director: Mami Sunada) — When a recently retired Japanese businessman is diagnosed with incurable cancer, he reacts to the news with the same pragmatic approach that made him a successful salesman. In her directorial debut, Mami Sunada combines non-fiction film form with the growing trend of “end of life journals” among the elderly in Japan. By channeling her thoughts and feelings through her father’s “ending note,” Sunada abstracts the weight of a life and the pain of loss into a surprisingly hopeful and life-affirming message. North American Premiere.

Inshallah, Football India (Director: Ashvin Kumar) —The fast-paced game of the world’s most popular sport is contrasted against the slow turning gears of democracy in this controversial documentary. With help from a committed South American coach and his charming wife, 18-year-old Kashmiri soccer player Basharat is good enough to go play in Brazil but can’t obtain a visa due to his father’s militant past. More than a coming-of-age story about a teen who dreams of living as a free citizen, it is also a coming-of-age story for democracy in India. North American Premiere.

L.A. Raeven: Beyond the Image The Netherlands (Director: Lisa Boerstra) — Lisbeth and Angelique Raeven are twin sisters who comprise the somewhat notorious video and performance duo L.A. Raeven. Their complex and strained relationship unfolds in front of Lisa Boerstra’s intimate camera while they work and live through the creation of two new performance pieces. Inter-cutting scenes from earlier work and home videos from their childhood, viewers are privy to the daily routines and conversations at the home and studio they share. North American Premiere.

Love Always, Carolyn Sweden (Directors: Malin Korkeasalo and Maria Ramström) — Muse, mother, wife, and lover, Carolyn Cassady was the great woman behind two of the Beat Generations greatest men: Neal Cassady and Jack Kerouac. As the model for Kerouac’s Dean Moriarty in On The Road, Neal was a living legend who often left Carolyn and the kids behind for grand adventures in the beatnik universe. This endearing portrait from first-time directors Maria Ramström and Malin Korkeasalo celebrates the wit, beauty, grace, and normalcy of an overlooked figure from one of American literature’s most popular moments. Chicago Premiere.

On the Bridge France/USA (Director: Olivier Morel) — PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, can be a whole new kind of war for our young men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The opposite of fighting alongside your brothers and sisters in arms, this battle is often fought alone, against demons the soldier hides from others. The power of the documentary form is strongly felt as On the Bridge not only gives voice to the personal trauma our warriors endure, but also as a means to help them honor their service and move forward as Americans. Chicago Premiere.

Salaam Dunk USA/Iraq (Director: David Fine) — When violent images of Iraq are all the Western world is accustomed to, it’s easy to forget that life continues in the war-torn nation. At the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani, life does just that, as is extraordinarily personified by the university’s women’s basketball team. In a sports movie for the ages, Salaam Dunk follows the team’s season, chronicling their triumphs and tragedies both on and off the court. North American Premiere.

Valley of the Forgotten Brazil (Director: Maria Raduan) — In a secluded area of Brazil’s Mato Grosso region, an impossible land dispute rages between Indians evicted from their homeland, squatters, land-grabbers, the Landless Workers Movement, and the ranchers who own property. With no resolution in sight and violence threatening to erupt at any moment, the film looks closely at each group’s perspective, offering a meditation on the concept of private property across social and cultural boundaries. U.S. Premiere.

After Dark Competition

Cold Sweat Argentina (Director: Adrián García Bolagno) — Online dating? What’s the worst that could happen? Well, apparently, you could find yourself trapped in an old house at the mercy of a pair of aging right-wing revolutionaries turned sadists with a penchant for torturing young women with decaying dynamite and buckets of nitroglycerin. Prolific low-budget horror maestro Bogliano serves up a stylish slice of extreme genre cinema, which also alludes to the troubled state of generational politics in his homeland. Chicago Premiere.

Haunters South Korea (Director: Min-suk Kim) — A young thief’s ability to control minds is frustrated when he meets one just beyond his reach in this fast-paced Korean action thriller. On a routine robbery of a pawnshop, things go terribly awry and an epic cat and mouse game quickly ensues, taking the viewer on a supercharged tour of Seoul at night. Chicago Premiere.

Juan of the Dead Cuba (Director: Alejandro Brugues) — Juan is a lovable loser content to loaf around the streets of Havana wisecracking, womanizing, and wiling away the days with a motley crew of fellow drifters. But when what seems at first to be dissident rumblings in the city turns into a full-on flesh-eating zombie onslaught, Juan and his gang go into business as “Juan of the Dead” – a crack team of slayers specializing in the undead. This wild romp through the streets of the Cuban capital is a perfectly pitched blend of horror and laughs. Chicago Premiere.

Rabies Israel (Director: Aharon Keshales) — Take the classic horror movie formula: hot girls lost in the woods, marauding homicidal maniacs, and gallons of blood and gore. Add some dark humor, sharp, witty dialogue, and unexpected twists and voilá, you get Rabies, Israel’s critically acclaimed first foray into the slasher genre. Sophisticated enough to appeal to a broad audience but with sufficient splatter to satisfy the hardcore genre fan, Rabies is an exhilarating and highly enjoyable viewing experience. Chicago Premiere.

Smuggler Japan (Director: Katsuhito Ishii) — From the man who created the celebrated “O-Ren Ishii” animated sequence in Kill Bill, Vol. 1 comes this stylish and outrageous but brutal film that makes Tarantino’s work look like family fare. In serious debt to local yakuza gangsters, Kinuta is coerced into taking a job as a smuggler of dead bodies for the Japanese underworld to settle the accounts, only to find himself caught in the middle of a bloody gang war. Based on the popular eponymous manga, Smuggler has all the makings of a cult cinema classic: slo-mo action sequences, runway-ready gangsters, nimble nunchuk wielding, and enough blood to make the Chicago River run red. Chicago Premiere.

Snowtown Australia (Director: Justin Kurzel) — Based on true events, this skillfully crafted psychological thriller centers on 16-year-old Jamie, who lives in a squalid, crime-ridden slum on the outskirts of Adelaide. When John Bunting, a charismatic older man, enters his life, he offers friendship and escape from his deadbeat existence. But as Bunting’s behavior becomes increasingly sinister, Jamie finds himself caught up in horrors he could never have imagined as he realizes his new father figure is actually a cold-blooded serial killer. Chicago Premiere.

The Holding UK (Director: Susan Jacobson) — After Cassie murders her abusive husband, a manipulative neighbor tries to run her off her land. Help seems to come in the form of gruff Scotsman Aden, but Cassie soon regrets letting Aden into her life when his true nature begins to manifest itself. Stylish direction and taut performances keep adrenaline running high in this accomplished, atmospheric gothic thriller. U.S. Premiere.

The Whisperer in Darkness (Director: Sean Branney) — Based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, The Whisperer in Darkness is an eerily deft recreation of classic 1930’s studio horror fare. Professor Albert Wilmart, a smug skeptic, is forced to question his views by a series of increasingly bizarre encounters with the supernatural. Genuinely terrifying and highly entertaining, Whisperer is a fitting homage for Lovecraft aficionados and, for newcomers, a perfect introduction to one of the great horror masterminds of the 20th century. Chicago Premiere.

The Yellow Sea South Korea (Director: Na Hong-Jin) — When taxi driver Gu-nam finds himself in financial straits, he accepts a proposal from local mob boss to travel to Seoul to kill a professor. Once Gu-Nam arrives in the capital city, he discovers he isn’t the only person targeting the professor and in a quick turn of events, finds himself on the run. Gu-nam must use every survival instinct he has in order to stay one step ahead of his pursuers in this thrilling man-on-the-run crime drama. Chicago Premiere.

Short Film Competition

Seven Short Film programs will screen back-to-back throughout Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15. Visit www.chicagofilmfestival.com to view the full list of titles.

Shorts 1: City & State — A combination of narrative, documentary and animated short films shining the light on talented local filmmakers. 80 min.
Shorts 2: Pen & Paper — A stunning panorama of new animated shorts from around the world. 87 min.
Shorts 3: Midnight Mayhem — Zombies, ghosts, murderers and more go on the rampage in this miniature showcase of terror. 100 min.
Shorts 4: In N’Out — A series of provocative shorts exploring sex and relationships in unique and hilarious ways. 63 min.
Shorts 5: When Worlds Collide — Unsettling, surprising and off-kilter encounters abound in these eight compelling and carefully crafted films. 83 min.
Shorts 6: A Question of Timing — A selection of international shorts which encompass the sublime, the ridiculous, and everything in between. 75 min.
Shorts 7: Truth Be Told — Original documentary shorts that have won international acclaim for their fresh approaches and sensitive storytelling. 67 min.

"The Last Rites of Joe May" To Open Chicago International Film Festival

Indiewire Staff — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:03:45 GMT

The 47th Chicago International Film Festival has announced that Joe Maggio's "The Last Rites of Joe May" will open this year's festival. The film was made in Chicago, and features Dennis Farina as an short-money hustler undergoing a late-life crisis.

""The Last Rites of Joe May" represents the best of Chicago filmmaking, featuring outstanding Chicago actors, led by a commanding, nuanced performance from Dennis Farina, and steeped in colorful characters and the neighborhood flavor of the city,” said Mimi Plauché, the Chicago International Film Festival’s Head of Programming.

Opening night will be held at Harris Theater in Millennium Park in Chicago on October 6th.

Full press release below:

CHICAGO FILM TO OPEN 47th CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WITH THE LAST RITES OF JOE MAY
CHICAGO, IL—Cinema/Chicago today announced that the 47th Chicago International Film Festival will officially open with THE LAST RITES OF JOE MAY, showcasing a tour-de-force performance from longtime film and Chicago theater actor Dennis Farina (GET SHORTY, SNATCH, MIDNIGHT RUN). Acclaimed indie director and Festival veteran Joe Maggio will walk the red carpet with Mr. Farina and actors Gary Cole (OFFICE SPACE, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS) and Jamie Anne Allman (“THE KILLING”, THE NOTEBOOK) to present the Chicago Premiere of the film at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park (205 E Randolph Street—Chicago) on Thursday, October 6th 2011 at 6pm, with the official presentation to begin at 7pm. Additional surprise guests will be announced.
“THE LAST RITES OF JOE MAY represents the best of Chicago filmmaking, featuring outstanding Chicago actors, led by a commanding, nuanced performance from Dennis Farina, and steeped in colorful characters and the neighborhood flavor of the city,” said Mimi Plauché, the Chicago International Film Festival’s Head of Programming.
Said director, Joe Maggio, “"Before I even made my first film, I remember thinking of all the great filmmakers who had premiered at the Chicago Film Festival, and dreamed of showing a film there. Now to be selected as the opening night film - it's a tremendous honor. It's especially gratifying to be returning to Chicago, a city that showed us so much generosity during production and really made the whole film possible."
“As a major Chicago institution, the 47th Chicago International Film Festival is proud to showcase a production of Steppenwolf Films, which is of course associated with Chicago’s renowned Steppenwolf Theater Company. With this opening night film, we also want to celebrate the vitality of Chicago’s filmmaking community. This year’s Fest will feature a diverse selection of features, shorts and documentaries shot in Chicago as well as conversations with those Chicago artists who have left their mark. We are bringing to Chicago what the world is watching. And the world is going to be watching us for the two weeks of the Festival,” said Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicago International Film Festival.
Opening Night of the 47th Chicago International Film Festival is sponsored by presenting partner Columbia College Chicago and evening partners American Airlines and Lincoln. The full line-up of films programmed to screen at the 47th Chicago International Film Festival will be announced on
September 19, 2011.
ABOUT THE LAST RITES OF JOE MAY
Despite all evidence to the contrary, aging short-money hustler Joe May (Dennis Farina) always believed he had a glorious future ahead of him. Now in his sixties, Joe is released from the hospital after a long battle with pneumonia and is forced to confront the harsh reality of his legacy: everyone he knew had assumed he was dead, and life had gone on around him without missing a beat.
Returning to his old neighborhood, he finds his car gone, all his worldly possessions pawned by his landlord, and the apartment he’s lived in his entire adult life rented out to single mother Jenny and her eight-year-old daughter Angelina. Joe reluctantly moves in with the new tenants of his home.
Even as Joe doggedly pursues his comeback, he finds the odds stacked drastically against him. Joe’s one lifeline is his burgeoning friendship with his co-tenants. So when things turn ugly between Jenny and her boyfriend, Joe is determined to take a stand for his unlikely new family, and perhaps take one last shot at redefining his legacy.
THE LAST RITES OF JOE MAY will be released by Tribeca Film. Written and directed by Joe Maggio the film stars Dennis Farina, Jamie Anne Allman, Meredith Droeger, Ian Barford, Chelcie Ross, and Gary Cole. It is produced by Stephanie Striegel and Bill Straus in association with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Films.

Chicago Fest Unveils Doc Lineup

Bryce J. Renninger — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:58:57 GMT

The 46th Annual Chicago International Film Festival has announced their documentary lineup, which includes their Docufest Competition slate, Special Presentations from Alex Gibney and Lucy WAlker, and their new cinephile "Film on Film" series. Included in the doc lineup are four world premieres, one international premiere, and some North American and US premieres. The doc jury will feature "Valentino: The Last Emperor" director Matt Tyrnauer, "Legacy" filmmaker Tod Lending, and Gold Hugo-winning DP Oral User. The fest also unveiled a series of films about filmmaking and filmmakers, "Film on Film," with four in the premiere lineup. Several filmmakers, including Gibney and Walker, are set to attend. For more information on the fest, visit the Chicago International Film Festival website here.

The complete doc lineup, with descriptions provided by the festival:

Docufest Competition

"Beautiful Darling," James Rasin
Transgender pioneer Candy Darling played glamorous muse to some of ’60s-’70s New York’s biggest artists. She shone in Andy Warhol’s films, Lou Reed’s songs, Tennessee Williams’ plays. But Candy’s rising star hid a crippling isolation that haunted her until her tragic death. Relive this outré version of the American Dream through Candy’s own letters (voiced by Chloë Sevigny), new interviews, and archival footage featuring Warhol, Dennis Hopper, Jane Fonda, and Kim Novak.

"Circus Kids," Alexandra Lipsitz
This stylish and uplifting world premiere documentary from the director of Air Guitar Nation follows a spirited St. Louis youth circus troupe (scheduled to perform!) on their journey to perform with a mixed Jewish/Arab troupe in Israel. The costumes are different. The routines are different. The language is different. The food is different. But can a multi-cultural group of teens find the harmony that has eluded this part of the world for so long?

"Louder Than a Bomb," Greg Jacobs, Jon Siskel
Who ever said poetry was boring? Four teams of supremely talented Chicago high school students harness the ecstatic power of words as they prepare to compete in the world’s largest youth poetry slam right here in Chicago. Come see this multiple award-winning smash documentary makes its hometown debut.

"Love Translated," Julia Ivanova
Odessa, Ukraine: home to rich culture, beautiful architecture, pulsating discos, and busloads of lonely middle-aged guys looking to land hot 20-year-old brides. Burned by women back home, guys from Minnesota to Marseilles are heading East—but can they tell the difference between the girl of their dreams and the gold diggers? This seductive world premiere documentary follows a dozen delightfully awkward guys through a comedy of cultural misconceptions on a 10-day hunt for true love.

"The Minutemen," Corey Wascinski
Vigilantes? Outlaws? Red-blooded patriots? Armed and tireless, the self-appointed watchdogs of the U.S./Mexico border are taking the illegal immigration issue into their own hands. Filmed over four years, this fair and balanced (no, seriously) documentary sucks you in to the conflicted lives of eccentric old-timers in mountaintop trailer homes and scrappy San Diego soccer moms who are in a constant struggle to secure the sprawling border while maintaining their own sanity.

"Moving to Mars," Mat Whitecross
From the director of the acclaimed documentary "The Road to Guantanamo" comes a deeply absorbing and often comical year in the life of two Burmese families facing relocation from their refugee camp in rural Thailand to the mean streets of Sheffield, UK. One family patriarch is English-speaking and educated (and boy does he know it) while the other takes the term “fish out of water” to a new extreme, but this new life won’t be easy for either.

"Postcard to Daddy," Michael Stock
As a child, Michael Stock was sexually abused—by his own father. Twenty-five years later he is still looking for inner peace. In conversations with his family and friends and his own reflections, he paints an ever clearer, if contradictory picture of the consequences for each of the family members—including the filmmaker’s own extreme behavior. Yet instead of anger and hatred it’s a surprising air of hope and love of life that fills "Postcard to Daddy."

"Problema," Ralf Schmerberg
More than 70 years after the Nazis burned books in Berlin’s Bebelplatz Square, 112 influential people from 56 countries (including Willem Dafoe, Bianca Jagger, and Wim Wenders) gathered there for a momentous nine-hour discussion about where humanity’s been and where it’s going. Personal and passionate answers to 100 public-submitted questions were captured with hundreds of cameras and astoundingly edited with a potent collage of archival footage from our collective history. This visceral, mind-blowing film is required viewing.

"Sex Magic: Manifesting Maya," Jonathan Schell, Eric Liebman
Welcome to Sedona, Arizona, and the mystical kingdom of world-renowned sex shaman Baba Dez. Dez is thrown into a tailspin when his mission to heal women with sexual dysfunctions (he’s slept with more than a thousand) drives away his one true love, Maya. He’ll try to get her back the only way he knows how—by channeling her love while having sex with other women! Magic! This raucous documentary finds the gut-splitting comedy in Dez’s surreal drama. Mature audiences only.

"Thunder Soul," Mark Landsman
It’s time for some of that serious funky soul, ya dig? This electrifying, award-winning documentary celebrates the power of music and African American culture in the ’70s through the story of an inner-city high school funk band that rose to worldwide prominence on the back of one charismatic, life-changing teacher. Now the band’s getting back together to honor their beloved 92-year-old mentor, but can they still bring the funk after 35 years?

"Tony & Janina's American Wedding," Ruth Leitman
After 18 years in the U.S., a suburban Chicago family is torn apart by deportation orders. With Janina and six-year-old Brian trapped in Poland, Tony channels his fury and frustration into a crusade to bring his family home and fix the broken U.S. immigration system. His trajectory crosses with political heavyweights Luis Gutierrez, Rahm Emanuel, and a rising-star senator named Barack Obama in this emotionally urgent, galvanizing documentary that proves the immigration issue stretches far beyond the border with Mexico.

Special Presentations

"Catching Hell," Alex Gibney
It’s the pop fly that will live in infamy. When Cubs fan Steve Bartman fatefully deflected a foul ball in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS, Chicago’s long-suffering Cubs fans found the perfect scapegoat to blame for their century without a World Series title. In this world premiere documentary from ESPN Films, Oscar®-winning director Alex Gibney ("Taxi to the Dark Side," "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room") explores the hysteria that turned a mild-mannered sports fan into the most hated man in Chicago.

"Waste Land," Lucy Walker
Winner of more than a half-dozen top prizes from Sundance to Berlin, this rightfully exalted documentary about the transformative power of art is one of the most inspiring films this year. Acclaimed filmmaker Lucy Walker (Blindsight, Countdown to Zero) travels with cutting-edge Brazilian artist Vik Muniz deep into the world’s largest landfill on the outskirts of Rio to create a large-scale art project using garbage as his material and the spirited trash pickers as his muses.

Film on Film

"Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff," Craig McCall
Throughout a career spanning 70 years, Jack Cardiff was widely considered to be the best cinematographer in the world—putting his breathtaking Technicolor touch on films like Black Narcissus, The African Queen, The Red Shoes, War and Peace, and even Rambo. A hit on its premiere at Cannes, this passionate tribute to the pioneer who forever altered the look of film journeys through cinema history with the late great Cardiff himself and new interviews with Martin Scorsese, Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, and many others.

"Daniel Schmid – Le chat qui pense," Pascal Hofmann, Benny Jaberg
This cinematic kaleidoscope is an enigmatic journey into the heart of an intensely imaginative boy who would grow up to be one of Swiss cinema’s most extraordinary artists. A natural storyteller, Daniel Schmid was reared during the 1940s in an old hotel that became his stage, its guests his characters. He’d grow up to direct film, theater, and opera alongside Fassbinder, von Praunheim, and Schroeter. This luminous documentary proves wonderful things that can happen when a child discovers the art of expression.

"Hitler in Hollywood," Frédéric Sojcher
What if WWII-era Hollywood took advantage of the war to undermine the burgeoning rival film industry in Europe? That’s the uproarious premise of this playful mockumentary, which follows Pulp Fiction’s Maria de Medeiros—playing herself—and her lovestruck cameraman as they traverse the continent uncovering the vast Hollywood conspiracy. Featuring cameos from European filmmaking giants Manoel de Oliveira, Volker Schlöndorff, and Wim Wenders.

"Michel Ciment, The Art of Sharing Movies," Simoné Laine
France’s answer to Roger Ebert, Michel Ciment is one of the most revered film critics in the world. With the touch of both an artist and a great admirer, director Simoné Laine delves into Ciment’s history as the driving force behind the film periodical Positif (and its infamous rivalry with the Truffaut- and Godard-penned Cahiers du cinema). Rarely has a critic been such an important figure in the film world, but The Art of Sharing Movies has testimonies by everyone from Bertrand Tavernier and Arnaud Desplechin to Quentin Tarantino and Joel Coen to back up that claim. A longtime friend and advisor to the Festival, Ciment will participate in a special conversation after the film.

Chicago International Names First Twenty in 2010 Lineup

Bryce J. Renninger — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:33:24 GMT

The Chicago International Film Festival unveiled the first twenty films confirmed for this year's lineup. All festival screenings will take place October 7 through October 21 at the AMC River East 21 Theater. The festival will start with the prison drama "Stone" from director John Curran ("The Painted Veil," "We Don't Live Here Anymore"), starring Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton.

The complete list of twenty announced films, (with descriptions from the festival):

"Tamara Drewe," Stephen Frears (UK)
When former ugly duckling Tamara Drewe sashays back into her hometown, life for her neighbors is thrown upside down. Now a devastating beauty, Tamara sets a contemporary comedy of manners into play using the oldest magic in the book: sex appeal.

"Trust," David Schwimmer (USA)
After carefree teenager Anna has her life shattered by an online sexual predator, her parents (Clive Owen, Catherine Keener) must find a way to cope with their own grief and anger while helping Anna to pick up the pieces. Chicago’s own David Schwimmer directs this powerful tale of familial devastation.

"Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Loong Boonmee raleuk chat)," Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand)
Winner of the top prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, this visionary yet playful film is an enchanting blend of heady spiritual imagery and tender human drama that confronts the largest of questions—what happens to us after we die?

"Waste Land," Lucy Walker (UK/Brazil)
One of the most inspiring and award-winning docs of the year follows Brazilian artist Vik Muniz deep into the world’s largest landfill on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro as he transforms the lives of its residents through a large-scale art project.

"Big Tits Zombie (Konkyu Dragon)," Takao Nakano (Japan)
A raucous crowd-pleaser that is definitely not for the whole family, this 3-D spectacle pits brassy strippers against a mob of the undead, which the ladies unwittingly revive by reading aloud from an ancient tome.

"Brother & Sister (Dos hermanos)," Daniel Burman (Argentina)
Acclaimed director Daniel Burman helms this graceful portrait of two idiosyncratic siblings who, after their elderly mother’s death, find themselves forced to confront the fissures in their relationship, with amusing and touching results.

"Come Undone (Cosa voglio di più)," Silvio Soldini (Italy)
By turns sexy and thought provoking, this realistic exploration of infidelity follows two people who fall into an extramarital affair almost by accident, at great risk to their own inner peace.

"Go for It!," Carmen Marron (USA)
In this coming-of-age tale from Chicago filmmakers, feisty teen Carmen faces the prospect of leaving her urban community when a teacher challenges her to use her talent and passion for dancing as a ticket to a brighter future.

"The Housemaid (Hanyo)," Im Sang-soo (Korea)
Im Sang-soo reimagines a classic of Korean cinema with this erotic thriller centering on the illicit affair between a wealthy, married pianist and his housekeeper. The resulting pregnancy ignites a powder keg of scheming and intrigue.

"The Last Report on Anna (Utolsó jelentés Annáról)," Márta Mészáros (Hungary)
Behind the Iron Curtain in Hungary, the secret police task a critic-turned-informant with convincing Anna Kéthly, a fiery exiled politician, to return to her homeland to face her accusers. From venerable, award-winning auteur Márta Mészáros.

"Leap Year (Año bisiesto)," Michael Rowe (Mexico)
Laura leads a meager life in her dingy apartment, doing little more than searching for the latest in a string of emotionless one night stands. Her routine changes when grim, intense Arturo enters her life.

"Louder than a Bomb," Greg Jacobs, Jon Siskel (USA)
Who ever said poetry was boring? In this award-winning documentary, four supremely talented Chicago high school poetry teams harness the ecstatic power of words as they prepare to compete in the world’s largest youth poetry slam.

"Mooz-lum," Qasim Basir (USA)
Pulled between his strict Muslim upbringing and the normal social life he’s never had, Tariq enters college questioning his faith, values, and identity. He searches for answers with the help of friends and mentors, but the sudden cataclysm of 9/11 changes everything.

"My Joy (Schastye moe)," Sergei Loznitsa
Russia’s open road is the setting for this striking, noirish directorial debut, in which a truck driver contends with the dangers of trackless back roads and hostile locals during what should be a routine delivery.

"Nannerl, Mozart’s Sister," René Féret
In this biopic centering on the other child prodigy in the Mozart family, Nannerl lives in the shadow of her famous younger brother, forbidden by her father and society from composing and performing her own music.

"Polish Bar," Ben Berkowitz (USA)
The wayward son of a prosperous Jewish clan, Reuben moonlights as a cocaine dealer, telling himself that it’s only until he makes it big as a nightclub DJ. But a visit from his Hasidic cousin causes him to question the life he’s chosen.

"The Princess of Montpensier (La princesse de Montpensier)," Bertrand Tavernier (France)
Chicago favorite Bertrand Tavernier (’Round Midnight") directs this lush, unsentimental take on the historical romance. A young, beautiful noblewoman in 16th-century France inspires passion, violence, and power struggles among the men around her as civil war tears the country apart.

"Red Hill," Patrick Hughes (Australia)
In this genre-bending Australian Western, city cop Shane Cooper relocates to the remote country town of Red Hill for the sake of his pregnant wife, not suspecting that a bloodthirsty escaped convict, bent on vengeance, is heading their way.

"Sasha (Saša)," Dennis Todorovic (Germany)
Sasha harbors a crush on his piano teacher Gebhard, but he struggles with coming out to his conservative family. When Gebhard’s impending departure abroad forces Sasha to act, they both face dire consequences.

"A Screaming Man (Un homme qui crie)," Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (France/Belgium/Chad)
Civil war rages in Chad, but pool attendant Adam cares only for his job and his son. When he loses his job, Adam finds himself contemplating a shocking act of betrayal in this Cannes Jury Prize–winner.

[For more information, visit the Chicago International Film Festival site here.]

"Mississippi Damned" Wins Big at Chicago Fest

Eugene Hernandez — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:52:40 GMT

Described as, a "powerful and uncompromising portrait of the compounding frailties and difficulties of a struggling black community," Tina Mabry's "Mississippi Damned" won the Gold Hugo for Best Film at the 45th Chicago International Film Festival.

The film, which debuted earlier this year at the Slamdance Film Festival, spans twelve years in the lives of three Black kids in rural Mississippi. Based on a true story, it follows their cycle of abuse, addiction and violence.

Mabry also won the screenwriting prize at the festival and Jossie Harris Thacker won a best supporting actress award for her role in the movie.

Marco Bellocchio's "Vincere" won three Hugo prizes at the festival. The Silver Hugo for best director went to Bellochio, while Silver Hugo acting awards went to Giovanna Mezzogiorno for best actress and Filippo Timi for best actor. The film also won a cinematography prize for Daniele Ciprì.

The fest jury gave a special mention to Andrea Arnold's "Fish Tank" and the film's Michael Fassbender won a best supporting actor prize.

In the New Directors competition, the Gold Hugo went to Adrian Biniez' "Gigante" from Uruguay.

List of feature award winners:

International Feature Film Competition
Gold Hugo for Best Film to "Mississippi Damned" (US) for its powerful and uncompromising portrait of the compounding frailties and difficulties of a struggling black community.

Silver Hugo for Special Jury Award to "Fish Tank" (UK) for its aesthetic boldness in taking us into a grim public-housing environment and showing us the transcendent spirit of a young girl that struggles to overcome the adult lies that engulf her.

Silver Hugo for Best Director to Marco Bellocchio ("Vincere", Italy) for taking us into the privileged details of a love story so well drawn that we cannot renege on what we have felt between the two main characters.

Silver Hugo for Best Actress to Giovanna Mezzogiorno of "Vincere" (Italy) for her astonishing understanding of love, its depth and its degradation.

Silver Hugo for Best Actor to Filippo Timi of "Vincere" (Italy) for bringing such a commanding virility to a young Mussolini that we are both entranced and repelled by his climb to power and evil.

Gold Plaque for Best Supporting Actress to Jossie Harris Thacker in "Mississippi Damned" (US) for her character’s multiple and believable life changes that give us insight into the tragedy that jealousy, alcohol, and neglect can lead to.

Gold Plaque for Best Supporting Actor to Michael Fassbender in "Fish Tank" (UK) for his stunning charismatic presence that infuses life into this sad family momentarily and then absconds in shameful weakness.

Gold Plaque for Best Screenplay to Tina Mabry of "Mississippi Damned" (USA) for it's well observed unfolding character depictions in a Mississippi community that keep us both fascinated and horrified by the events that life brings.

Gold Plaque for Best Cinematography to Daniele Ciprì ("Vincere", Italy) who has taken the human face, given its images breath in every sense, and allowed us into each second of this film’s dramatic contortions.

Gold Plaque for Best Art Direction to "Hipsters" (Russia) for its infectiously colorful and imaginative sets and its stimulating counterbalancing of a modern generation set against Soviet darkness.

Silver Plaque to "Backyard" (Mexico) for its exposé of the horrible crimes of violence against women in Juarez.

New Directors Competition
Gold Hugo to "Gigante" (Uruguay), a humorous and poignant story of people striving to connect in a contemporary world of isolation and loneliness. The film and its charm center on the admirably conceived central figure of the gentle, vulnerable and lovelorn giant.

Silver Hugo to "Made in China" (USA), an exemplary demonstration of guerrilla film-making, shot at speed but conceived and assembled with wit, charm, coherence and a distinctively wry view of 21st century entrepreneurism.

Gold Plaque to "Partners" (Switzerland/France). "Partners" treats its brutal theme of the young trapped into commercial vice and violence without forfeiting affection for the victims or belief in their fundamental yearning for love and escape. We particularly admired the film’s skillful structure and excellent ensemble performances.

Docufest Competition
Gold Hugo to "Cooking History" (Austria/Slovakia/Czech Republic) for its originality and humor, and for presenting a view of war from an unexpected angle, so as to shock, entertain, and educate.

Silver Hugo to "Racing Dreams" (USA) for revealing in an unsparing yet sympathetic way the inner life of young people aspiring to break into professional sports.

Gold Plaque in Direction to "Soundtrack for a Revolution" (USA) for its inventive combination of historical footage, interviews, and musical performance.

"Precious," "Antichrist" and "Air Doll" Among 20 Unveiled for 45th Chicago Fest

Brian Brooks — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:26:33 GMT

The first twenty titles, including Sundance winner "Precious" by Lee Daniels, and Cannes titles "Vincere" by Marco Bellocchio and Lars von Trier's "Antichrist" are among the initial films unveiled by organizers of the 45th Chicago International Film Festival. Over 150 films will screen during the event, taking place October 8 - 21. American offerings in the initial grouping of films include Katherine Dieckmann's "Motherhood," Ti West's "The House of the Devil," Judi Krant's "Made in China" and Brian Caunter's "Chicago Overcoat," while anticipated international includes French director Claude Chabrol's "Bellamy," Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu's "Police, Adjective" and John Woo's "Red Cliff" (China).

The 20 films unveiled by the 45th Chicago International Film Festival with descriptions provided by organizers:

"Air Doll" (Kuki Ningyo), directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda - Japan
The acclaimed director of Nobody Knows and After Life returns with the modern fairy tale of an inflatable doll who takes on a life of her own, begging the question--what really makes us human?
Japanese with English subtitles.

"Antichrist," directed by Lars von Trier - Denmark/Germany
Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg star in this dark, erotic love story from the controversial writer/director of Dogville, Dancer in the Dark, and Breaking the Waves. A grieving couple retreats to an isolated cabin in the woods to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage. But nature takes its course, and things go from bad to worse....

"Backyard" (El traspatio), directed by Carlos Carrera - Mexico
Hundreds of women have gone missing or turned up dead in the border town of Juarez, Mexico, but new police captain Blanca Bravo (Ana de la Reguera) is determined to stop the savagery. The director of The Crime of Father Amaro helms this chilling thriller, based on actual events.
Spanish, English, Tzotzil with English subtitles.

"The Be All and End All," directed by Bruce Webb - UK
In this hilarious and heartwarming tale of true friendship, terminally ill teen Robbie doesn't want to die a virgin, so it's up to his lifelong mate Ziggy to get a girl into Robbie's bed... by any means necessary.

"Bellamy," directed by Claude Chabrol - France
Gerard Depardieu stars as a Paris police chief who becomes embroiled in an unorthodox murder mystery while on vacation in French New Wave veteran Claude Chabrol's playfully witty crime story.
French with English subtitles.

"Chicago Overcoat," directed by Brian Caunter - USA
This shoot-'em-up neo-noir crime drama--centering on an over-the-hill hit man (Frank Vincent, The Sopranos) looking for one last job to relive his glory days--is a stylish, accomplished debut from local filmmakers.

"Eye of the Storm" (No Meu Lugar), directed by Eduardo Valente - Brazil/Portugal
In the aftermath of an accidental death, three stories build to a gripping and unexpected climax, reminding us that the past is very much a part of the present.
Portuguese with English subtitles.

"A Frozen Flower" (Ssang-Hwa-Jeom), directed by Yoo Ha - South Korea
This bold and provocative tale of the forbidden love between a 13th-century Korean king and his male guard is laced with lust, betrayal, and epic battles.
Korean, Mandarin with English subtitles.

"Hipsters" (Stilyagi), directed by Valery Todorovsky - Russia
Moscow, 1955. Soviet uniformity is the order of the day, but incurring the wrath of all the grim-faced comrades in Russia isn't enough to stop a group of young "hipsters" from donning outrageous threads, puffing up their pompadours, pushing up their cleavage, throwing back martinis, and shakin' their hips. Could this romantic, infectiously fun musical be this year's Slumdog Millionaire?

"The House of the Devil," directed by Ti West - USA
This simmering retro suspense thriller centers on a cute college girl who takes a babysitting gig at a big, creaky country house lorded over by a creepy old couple with big plans to celebrate the night's rare lunar eclipse.

"Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno" (L'enfer d'Henri-Georges Clouzot), directed by Serge Bromberg, Ruxandra Medrea - France
A director and his gorgeous ingenue, actress Romy Schneider, set off on an ambitious plan to revolutionize the art of cinema. What went wrong along the way is the subject of this fascinating documentary.
French with English subtitles.

"Made in China," directed by Judi Krant - USA
Wes Anderson's whimsy meets David Mamet's love of duplicity in the peppy, comic tale of a wide-eyed Texas hayseed who travels to China to find a manufacturer for the novelty product he hopes will put him right up there with the guy who invented the whoopee cushion.

"Motherhood," directed by Katherine Dieckmann - USA
Uma Thurman shines in this charming, high-energy comedy as a beleaguered Manhattanite just trying to survive another day of the madness that comes with raising two young kids (and a husband and best friend).

"Police, Adjective" (Politist, adjectiv), directed by Corneliu Porumboiu - Romania
Winner of two top awards at Cannes, this austere cop drama about the conflict between an individual's moral conscience and the letter of the law affirms the singular talent Porumboiu revealed in his internationally acclaimed debut, 12:08 East of Bucharest.
Romanian with English subtitles.

"Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire," directed by Lee Daniels - USA
The story of 16-year-old "Precious" Jones--the victim of physical and emotional abuse by her father and poisonously angry mother--is sculpted into a vibrant, honest, and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome.

"Red Cliff," directed by John Woo - China
John Woo puts his singular stamp on the art of war in this Chinese box office smash. Set during the tumult of the third-century Han Dynasty, Red Cliff comes spring-loaded with scandals, spies, and scorching battles.
Mandarin with English subtitles.

"Vincere," directed by Marco Bellocchio - Italy/France
The closely guarded story of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's secret lover and son is revealed in fittingly operative proportions in this electrifying tour de force.
Italian with English subtitles.

"Who's Afraid of the Wolf" (Kdopak by se vlka bal), directed by Maria Prochazkova - Czech Republic
In a fantastical film for all ages, a young girl's imagination runs wild as she tries to understand the family crisis enveloping her and wake up from what she hopes is a bad dream.
Czech with English subtitles.

Short Films

This year's short films program includes Cannes Critics' Week favorite "Logorama" and "Horn Dog," a new animated work from Oscar-nominated director Bill Plympton.

Winter Comes Early To Chi-Fest

Indiewire — Tue, 21 Oct 1997 06:00:00 GMT

Winter Comes Early To Chi-Fest

by Mark Rabinowitz

The 33rd Chicago International Film Festival wrapped up on Sunday, with the
fest's juries announcing its Hugo Award winners in several categories, with
several categories not receiving Hugos as, according to the festival, Hugos
are awarded only to films "of incomparable excellence, creativity, and
originality." Best feature film Gold Hugo winner (and U.S. premiere) was
Alan Rickman's directorial debut, "The Winter Guest", starring Emma Thompson
and Phyllida Law (also Thompson's mother), which also screened at the
recently concluded Hamptons International Film Festival. The second place
Silver Hugo went to Taiwan's "The River", by Tsai Ming-Ling. The documentary
category is broken up into two sections, with two Sundance films taking the
Gold and Silver Hugos in the History/Biography section -- Mark Jonathan
Harris' "The Long Way Home", a documentary about Holocaust
survivors and their search for a new homeland and narrated by Morgan
Freeman and Michael Uys and Lexy Lovell's "Riding The Rails", respectively.
Hugos were not awarded in the following categories: Documentary Feature
(Science/Nature), Documentary Feature (Arts/Humanities), Documentary Short,
Experimental.

In addition, the International Film Critics Association FIPRESCI
(Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinematographique) awarded its top
prize to Bruno Dumont's New York Film Festival Entrant, "La Vie De Jesus" and
a Special Mention Certificate was given to Richard Kwietniowski's "Love And Death On Long Island".

[More information on the Chicago International Film Festival can be found
on their website @ "www.chicago.ddbn.com/filmfest"]

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