Chicago International Film Festival

"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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