The
49th Chicago International Film Festival
announced today the full lineup of films selected to screen in the
International Feature, New Directors, Docufest, After Dark, Q Hugo, and
Short Film Competitions. The competitions feature a diverse mix of
established and new filmmakers and genres as well as World, North
American and US premieres. Sixteen films will compete in the
International Feature Competition, thirteen on the New Directors
Competition, ten in Docufest and seven in After Dark.
A downloadable press release, as well as an array of other press materials can be found
here
.
“Of the 180 films we will be presenting this year from 60 countries,
more than half will be competing for the Silver and Gold Hugo film
awards. They are the best of what’s new, innovative and exciting in
cinema,” said Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicago International
Film Festival,
Michael Kutza. “We are thrilled to have such a high caliber of films in competition.”
“The films in our various competitions demonstrate a broad concern with
the political, while also focusing in on the deeply personal and
intimate,” said Programming Director of the Chicago International Film
Festival,
Mimi Plauché. “Whether by rising young
filmmakers blazing trails in their nascent national cinemas or by
long-admired auteurs, in toto the competitions present an impressive
mosaic of contemporary international cinema.”
In addition to the five competition categories, the Festival presents
films in seven out-of-competition sections, including Special
Presentations, World Cinema, Black Perspectives, Cinema of the Americas,
City & State, Docufest, OUT-Look, REELWOMEN, and Spotlight Africa.
The Festival has added a new program this year: Comedy Focus, a
celebration of the role comedy has played in film history. As part of
this program, the Festival will present
Comedy, Italian Style, a look back at beloved comedies covering five decades.
For the 49
th Chicago International Film Festival, 131
feature-length films were selected, representing over 60 countries.
These films were selected from a total of 850 film submissions. 55 short
films were accepted out of 1,900 submissions.
The 49
th Chicago International Film Festival runs October 10- 24. The complete list of films is available at
www.chicagofilmfestival.com
.
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 trophies
for best actors, director, and writer—in North America’s longest-running
competitive film festival.
Banklady Germany (Director: Christian Alvart) —
Banklady
tells the true story of Gisela Werler, a law-abiding factory worker
from Hamburg who falls in love with a thief and becomes a media darling
as Germany’s first and most notorious female bank robber. Cunning, sexy,
and exciting, Gisela and her beloved Hermann pull off one daring heist
after another.
Banklady follows this outlaw who captured
Germany’s imagination, boldly defying gender expectations and living a
decades-long Bonnie and Clyde romance.
North American Premiere.
Blue Ruin USA (Director: Jeremy Saulnier) —
Blue Ruin
is a classic American revenge story that recently won the FIPRESCI
International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival where it
screened in the Directors’ Fortnight. The film follows a mysterious
outsider whose quiet life is turned upside down when he returns to his
childhood home to carry out an act of assassin, he winds up in a brutal
fight to protect his estranged family.
Chicago Premiere
How To Describe A Cloud Netherlands
(Director: David Verbeek) — Liling, a hip young DJ, returns to her rural
village to care for her ailing mother. On the advice of the doctor, she
tries to slow her blind mother’s memory loss by describing the world
around her. As Liling herself struggles to stay connected to the
physical world, she begins to become subsumed in her mother’s world of
mysticism and imagination. Beautifully dreamlike, this sincere and
poignant film follows Liling as she grows closer to her fading mother.
Chicago Premiere.
Just a Sigh France (Director: Jérôme Bonnell)
— Between performances of an Ibsen play in Calais, actress Alix
(exquisitely played by Emmanuelle Devos) travels to Paris for an
audition. On the train, she meets a mysterious, stoic Englishman
(Gabriel Byrne). Played out over the course of a day, the film
beautifully chronicles the blossoming of an all-too-brief love affair
between the two, a momentary romance that brings hope and passion into
Alix’s harried life, and comfort to her lover.
Chicago Premiere
Lifelong Turkey/Germany/Netherlands
(Director: Asli Özge) — This expertly crafted, gorgeously shot drama
explores the fading connection between Ela, a respected artist, and her
husband Can, a successful architect. As the two grow apart, Ela worries
that Can is cheating on her. Though in preparation for a major gallery
show, Ela finds herself increasingly distracted. With the sophisticated
tautness of a thriller and the devastating emotion of a tragedy,
Lifelong tracks one relationship’s heartbreaking disintegration.
North American Premiere.
A Long And Happy Life Russia (Director: Boris
Khlebnikov) — Sasha, a city kid with agrarian ambitions, moved to the
country to head up a collective farming project, determined to make the
experiment work. A recent local government offer to buy up the farmland
seems too good to resist, but Sasha becomes staunch in his decision to
stay. Bolstered by the resolution of the local farmworkers, he is pitted
against the stakeholders in a decision that may cost him his livelihood
– or his life – in this heady social realist drama.
Chicago Premiere.
The Miracle (Denmark) Director: Simon Staho —
Jakob and Johanna were first loves, best friends, and ballroom
dancers—until she found a better partner. Years later, embittered Jakob
returns to find the once vibrant dancer wheelchair-bound and trapped in
an unhappy marriage to the local priest, who makes the hoped-for miracle
of her recovery the center of his ministry. Their romance rekindled,
they must choose between love and security. A sense of mystery and doom
pervade this gripping drama about passion, faith, and perversity.
US Premiere.
My Sweet Pepper Land Iraq/France/Germany
(Director: Hiner Saleem) — After the fall of Saddam Hussein, two
unlikely allies converge in a war-torn Kurdish village at the borders of
Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. Both Baran, a former Kurdish independence war
hero, and Govend, a beautiful young woman defying tradition by accepting
a post at a newly-opened school, are hell-bent on seeing order and
civilization restored to their damaged country. Elements of the Western
genre combine with awe-inspiring landscapes in director Hiner Saleem’s
socially-inflected frontier tale.
North American Premiere.
The Notebook Hungary (Director: János Szász) —
This atmospheric WWII thriller follows twin boys sent to the Hungarian
countryside to wait out the war’s violent barrage with their embittered,
cruel grandmother. Only 13 but grimly determined to survive, the
brothers decide that the only way to endure the horrors of war is by
extinguishing their own humanity. A chilling portrait of young psyches
warped by inconceivable trauma, this critical and audience favorite took
the top prize at the prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
Chicago Premiere.
Pioneer Norway (Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg) —
In this gripping, white-knuckle thriller, the Norwegian government has
enlisted an American diving company to guide their efforts to tap into
the North Sea’s immense oil deposits. Petter and a Norwegian team of
divers take on the extremely perilous task of guiding the pipeline 500
meters below the surface. When a sudden accident leads to disaster,
Petter must come to terms with the tragedy while attempting to uncover
where responsibility lies, quickly running afoul of a sinister
conspiracy.
Chicago Premiere.
The Priest’s Children
Croatia/Serbia (Director: Vinko Brešan) — Troubled by his small
island’s dwindling population, the young and dogmatic Father Fabijan
teams up with the local pharmacist and newsstand vendor to take family
planning into his own hands. Soon the picturesque island town is awash
with pregnant women and shotgun marriages, and word of the island’s
fertility turns it into a vacation spot for foreign tourists. The
unintended consequences of the plan soon spin out of control in this
irreverent, hilarious dark comedy.
US Premiere.
Stray Dogs Taiwan/France (Director: Tsai Ming-Liang) — The latest film from Taiwanese master Tsai Ming-Liang (
The Wayward Cloud)
tells the story of a father and his two children who live on the
margins in Taipei. Squatting in an abandoned building, they get by on
handouts and the father’s meager salary as a human billboard. Mysterious
and affecting, the story of the father’s unwinding is told with the
sublime, rapturous beauty that has come to be associated with Tsai’s
work in one of his most emotionally powerful films.
Chicago Premiere
A Thousand Times Good Night Norway (Director: Erik Poppe) —
A Thousand Times Good Night
follows driven war photographer Rebecca (Juliette Binoche in one of her
most powerful performances), known for her willingness to tackle risky
subjects. While photographing suicide bombers, she is badly hurt in an
explosion. When she returns home to Norway, her husband (
Game of Thrones’
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and daughter are tired of her risking her life
on dangerous assignments. They give her an ultimatum, making her choose
between her work and her family.
US Premiere.
The Verdict Belgium (Director: Jan Verheyen) —
A successful businessman with a beautiful wife and daughter, Luc Segers
leads an idyllic life. It all falls apart when a botched burglary leads
to the murder of his wife and the death of his daughter. Luc quickly
identifies the killer but a procedural error lets him off scot-free,
devastating Luc even further. A taut, award-winning courtroom thriller,
The Verdict follows Luc’s obsessive efforts to enact justice.
US Premiere.
Wałesa: Man Of Hope Poland (Director: Andrzej
Wajda) — Lech Wałesa, an electrician, husband, and new father, works at
the Gdansk shipyard. Arrested at a protest, Walesa discovers that he is
a born leader. When he speaks, people respond, and he soon becomes the
voice and face of the growing Solidarity movement. Aware of the dangers
his position entails, he is still determined to fight for his country.
Legendary director Andrzej Wajda (
Ashes and Diamonds,
Katyn) tells the inspiring story of a Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader.
US Premiere
Le Week-End UK (Director: Roger Michell) — An unreservedly honest, emotionally resonant love story from director Roger Michell (
Notting Hill) and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi (
My Beautiful Laundrette),
Le Week-End
follows Meg (Lindsay Duncan) and Nick (Jim Broadbent), whose 30-year
marriage is dominated by routine and built up resentments. An
anniversary holiday to Paris only makes matters worse, with each word
and action inciting deep-seated rancor. An accidental meeting with an
old American colleague (Jeff Goldblum) challenges the couple to find
some way to re-ignite the spark.
Chicago Premiere.
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, introducing the next generation
of the world’s great filmmakers.
The Blinding Sunlight China (Director: Yu
Liu) — Three generations of men live together in a poor Beijing
neighborhood: father Li drives an illegal motorcycle taxi; son Kai is
trying to graduate before getting expelled; and Li’s father collects
recyclables for petty cash. They do whatever it takes to get by,
negotiating the systems of authority that rule their daily lives. With a
raw visual style, this stark neo-realist drama presents a penetrating
look at working-class life and the corruption and graft pervading every
level of society.
US P remiere.
Chasing Fireflies Colombia (Director: Roberto
Flores Prieto) — Manrique’s lonely existence watching over an abandoned
salt mine in the remote Colombian Caribbean suits him just fine.
Content in his isolation, with a dog that spends its nights chasing
fireflies as his sole companion, his world is upended when his teenage
daughter Valeria shows up as if out of nowhere. As the days pass,
Valeria’s determined but cheerful presence forces Manrique out of his
routine in this beautiful, understated story about family, love, and the
small joys of life.
North American Premiere.
The Girls On Liberty Street USA (Director:
John Rangel) — With only one week left until she leaves for the Army,
teenager Brianna spends her final days at her home in the Chicago
suburbs packing and saying goodbye to friends. But in her quiet moments
and the seemingly mundane interactions with family members, Brianna’s
anxiety about her decision is palpable. Eschewing melodrama, the film
imbues this simple story with a deft style and effortlessly natural
performances, creating an assured portrait of a young woman in
transition.
World Premiere.
Illiterate Chile (Director: Moisés Sepúlveda)
— For fifty years, Ximena has managed to get by without being able to
read. When Jackeline, a young unemployed teacher, comes into her life,
Ximena’s isolation is disturbed. Jackeline’s efforts to teach Ximena how
to read prove almost
Herculean as they clash, but it soon becomes evident that the two women
need each other in ways they could never predict. Mesmerizing
performances drive this intimate, engrossing chamber drama about
learning and acceptance.
North American Premiere.
La Jaula De Oro Mexico (Director: Diego
Quemada-Díez) — Three Guatemalan teens depart on the treacherous
1,200-mile trek towards the United States, riding atop dilapidated
trains in the hope of finding a new life. Together they must undergo an
unrelenting, arduous journey in which no one they meet can be trusted
and catastrophe waits around every corner. Constantly upending audience
expectations, this unrelenting immigration thriller will leave viewers
at the edge of their seats until its nail-biting climax comes to a
shocking close.
US Premiere.
Life Feels Good Poland (Director: Maciej
Pieprzyca) — Mateusz is an intelligent, romantic young man tragically
trapped inside his own body, suffering from severe cerebral palsy that
makes speech and controlled movement nearly impossible. Born into a
loving family, Mateusz’s protected world is shattered when circumstances
place him in an institution where he is misunderstood and mistreated.
Featuring an astonishing, virtuoso lead performance,
Life Feels Good beautifully recounts the true story of one man’s extraordinary efforts to endure in the face of impossible odds.
US Premiere.
The Major Russia (Director: Yury Bykov) — In
the dead of a snowy Russian winter, police major Sobolev, rushing
recklessly to the hospital for the birth of his child, causes a fatal
accident. Panicked and under great pressure from his colleagues, he
participates in the cover up of his crime. But that decision will have
disastrous consequences, compounded at each step by the increasingly
elaborate scheme and its violent results. The tension builds to an
electric climax as the guilt-wracked Sobolev goes on the lam in this
thrilling crime drama.
US Premiere.
Miele Italy (Director: Valeria Golino) — This
tautly written drama follows Irene – nicknamed “Miele” (Italian for
“Honey”) – as she treads legal and moral boundaries performing assisted
suicides on elderly hospital patients. Progressively dehumanized and
alienated, Irene finds what’s left of her morals challenged when she is
approached by a depressed, fatalistic, yet physically healthy architect
who has lost his will to live. A thought-provoking, humanistic character
study featuring sharp, sensitive performances,
Miele represents a mature and capable directorial debut from celebrated actress Valeria Golino (
Respiro).
Chicago Premiere.
Of Good Report South Africa (Director: Jahmil
X. T. Qubeka) — This modern day film noir tracks Parker, a shy high
school teacher arriving at a new school. While he is earnest in his
passion for teaching, his extra-curricular attentions are drawn to a
gorgeous young woman. When he realizes she is a student at his very
school—and forbidden fruit—he grows increasingly obsessed. When the girl
goes missing, a female detective comes snooping around, fueling
Parker’s unstable, even dangerous, behavior as she gets closer to the
shocking truth.
US Premiere
Stockholm Stories Sweden (Director: Karin
Fahlén) — The lives of five seemingly unrelated lost souls intertwine in
Sweden’s chilly capital in this delicate and wryly funny ensemble film.
A precocious yet untalented young writer, a friendless advertising
genius, a tight-lipped workaholic, a shy upper-class boy with a secret
crush, and a recently dumped young woman all come to realize hard truths
about love and life over the course of several days.
World Premiere.
Suzanne France (Director: Katell Quillévéré) —
Suzanne (beautifully played by the enthralling Sara Forestier) grows up
an inquisitive, strong-minded girl in a loving but unstable home with
her sister and much absent truck-driving father. When, as a teen, she
falls in love with a local tough guy and becomes pregnant, her life
takes a plunging trajectory as she continues to choose love above all
else. This poignant family portrait explores the ties and limits of
family bonds through one young woman’s heartrending journey.
North American Premiere.
Wild Duck Greece (Director: Yannis Sakaridis)
— Out of work and deeply in debt, telecommunications expert Dimitris
abandons his rural hometown in northern Greece and makes for the capital
at the behest of his former boss, who enlists his help in tracking down
a shadowy group of phone hackers. But what was supposed to be a
straightforward job soon grows exponentially more complicated when
Dimitris happens upon some dark secrets his employer is hiding in this
slowburning, suspenseful exploration of life in Athens.
US Premiere.
Wolfschildren Germany (Director: Rick Ostermann) — A remarkable story inspired by true events,
Wolfschildren
follows 14-year-old Hans and his younger brother Fritz, orphaned after
WWII, on the long and difficult journey to Lithuania where family
friends might take them in. Almost immediately, the brothers are
separated, and Hans must make his way alone through treacherous
territory, fighting off disease and hunger while outrunning the Soviet
army, praying that he and his brother will find each other again in this
beautifully shot, true-life thriller.
North American Premiere.
DOCUFEST COMPETITION
From history to personal stories, verite to semi-fiction, this
collection of documentaries from around the world competing for the Gold
Hugo presents the diverse and vibrant state of contemporary non-fiction
filmmaking
American Vagabond Finland/Denmark/USA
(Director: Susanna Helke) — Growing up gay in a family and a community
that refuse to accept him for who he is, James leaves his hometown for
San Francisco. Moving with his boyfriend Tyler, James imagines easily
finding a home in the world’s gay Mecca, but without jobs they end up
living among the city’s sizable community of homeless queer youth. Both
stylized and deeply personal, this moving documentary presents an
intimate portrait of its subjects’ joys and struggles.
North American Premiere.
Despite The Gods Australia (Director: Penny
Vozniak) — Filmmaker Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David and director of
the notorious Boxing Helena, traveled to India in 2008 to make Hisss, a
modern-day comedy horror-musical film about the beautiful but vengeful
snake goddess Nagin. But everything devolves rapidly into chaos as the
bloated production falls behind schedule, the set growing increasingly
tense and combative as Lynch fights with her producers for control of
the film, all the while trying to look after her young daughter and
maintain her sanity.
US Premiere.
The Exhibition Canada (Director: Damon
Vignale) — In an attempt to deflect the public gaze away from Canada’s
most notorious serial killer and onto the lives of his victims, artist
Pamela Masik creates paintings of the women killed by Robert Pickton.
However, her work is quickly met with a backlash from the victims’
families and the Vancouver Aboriginal community. Unafraid to confront
moral ambiguity, this documentary examines every nuance of the debate
over whether her work is art, tribute, or exploitation.
US Premiere.
Honor Diaries USA/Israel/Canada (Director:
Paula Kweskin) — Spurred on by the Arab Spring, nine courageous women’s
rights advocates gather to discuss gender inequality and a long history
of oppression. Provided a platform by filmmaker and human rights lawyer
Paula Kweskin, these women speak from personal experience about the
hardships women endure in Muslim-majority societies. This inspiring
documentary gives voice to these women as they recount their efforts to
effect change in their own communities and in the larger world.
World Premiere.
Infiltrators Palestine/UAE/Lebanon (Director:
Khaled Jarrar) — At the wall separating Israel and Palestine, artist
and filmmaker Khaled Jarrar and his small, handheld camera observe
people making the dangerous, difficult crossing into Israel under
constant threat of discovery by patrolling border guards, and the
smugglers that assist them. With urgency and immediacy, Jarrar documents
their efforts in this raw and endlessly compelling film that captures
the struggle and determination of those whose lives have been forever
disrupted by the wall.
US Premiere.
Mothers China (Director: Xu Huijing) — In
rural China, the job of enforcing the Communist Party’s one-child policy
falls on government bureaucrats tasked with imposing fines, birth
control, and forced sterilizations. Xu Huijing documents this process in
his native village of Ma, following the tenacious efforts of the local
birth control chief during an increased sterilization quota period,
revealing the absurd and tragic local consequences of high-level
government policy.
North American Premiere.
Stop-Over France/Switzerland (Director: Kaveh
Bakhtiari) — Learning that his cousin Mohsen has left Iran illegally,
filmmaker Kaveh Bakhtiari travels to Athens, a common middle ground for
undocumented migrants hoping to reach other European countries.
Stop-Over captures the constant tension of these immigrants’ everyday
lives in the shadows, where every trip outside a crowded safe house is
fraught with the danger of arrest and deportation, in a powerful
first-person account of life lived under the radar.
Chicago Premiere.
Tough Bond USA (Directors: Austin Peck,
Anneliese Vandenberg) — On the streets of Nairobi, Tough Bond brand glue
is the drug of choice for kids living on their own, numbing themselves
to hunger while surviving off scraps. This incredibly moving documentary
provides an intimate look at four of these kids – who call themselves
“Survivors” – following them over the course of three years and taking
the viewer deep into their lives. Filmmakers Peck and Vandenberg employ
impressive technical virtuosity in capturing the world of these
embattled but resilient children.
US Premiere.
Trucker and the Fox Iran (Director: Arash
Lahooti) — Newly released from a psychiatric hospital after a bout of
severe depression brought on by the death of his pet fox, truck driver
Mahmood Kiyani Falavarjani returns to his family, work, and favorite
hobby – filmmaking. Having previously won awards for his short films
starring his beloved, lamented fox, he sets out to film his most
ambitious project yet: a love story between two donkeys. Arash Lahooti’s
sympathetic documentary captures Mahmood’s fascinating life as family
man, eccentric animal lover, and artist.
US Premiere.
AFTER DARK COMPETITION
Flesh-eating zombies, bloodthirsty vigilantes, mysterious maladies,
and more – this line up of the best new horror and extreme films is
guaranteed to titillate and terrify!
Big Bad Wolves Israel (Directors: Aharon
Keshales, Navot Papushado) — When the seemingly meek schoolteacher Dror
is arrested – and then released due to a police blunder – as the lead
suspect in a brutal child murder, renegade detective Miki and enraged
grieving father Gidi take the law into their own hands in search of
information and bloody justice. Their violent rage quickly spins out of
control in this fantastically intense, darkly funny revenge thriller
from the pioneers of Israeli horror cinema.
Chicago Premiere.
Borgman Netherlands/Belgium/Denmark
(Director: Alex van Warmerdam) — Driven by the authorities from his
underground hideout, the enigmatic Camiel Borgman is on the run. Covered
in dirt, he arrives at Marina and Richard’s large suburban estate
asking to use their shower, thus beginning a game of sly calculation as
he insinuates himself into their home. He soon starts to manipulate the
family with almost preternatural charisma as his more sinister plans
make themselves known in this chilling demonic tale.
Chicago Premiere.
Cheap Thrills USA (Director: E.L. Katz) —
When down-on-their-luck buddies Craig and Vince are propositioned by
insouciant wealthy couple Colin and Violet to perform increasingly risky
dares, the cashstrapped duo agrees. Craig and Vince soon find
themselves in the strangers’ living room, progressively degrading and
debasing themselves and each other as the stakes get higher and higher.
This twisted, darkly funny game of cat and mouse was the winner of the
2013 SXSW Audience Choice Award.
Chicago Premiere.
Contracted USA (Director: Eric England) —
When gorgeous lesbian Samantha has a drunken one night stand with a
strange man, she contracts what she thinks is a sexually-transmitted
disease. But the truth is far more disturbing. As her horrific condition
worsens, her friends begin to fear for her... and themselves. A gory
body-horror film in the vein of David Cronenberg, Contracted provides
truly gut-wrenching, visceral terror.
North American Premiere.
Go Goa Gone India (Directors: Krishna D.K., Raj Nidimoru) — A rollicking zombie rom-com,
Go Goa Gone
follows two stoner friends, Luv and Hardik, who are both having a rough
time. In desperate need of a vacation, they tag along with their
roommate Bunny on a trip to the gorgeous beaches of Goa. After following
a beautiful woman to a remote island for a rave, they awake to discover
the island’s population has turned into zombies. Along with a
gun-toting Russian mobster, they must battle the undead hordes.
Chicago Premiere.
Nothing Bad Can Happen Germany (Director:
Katrin Gebbe) — One day, young Tore – a member of the “Jesus Freaks”
Christian punk movement – meets Benno by the side of the road. Before
long, Tore moves into a tent in Benno’s garden, gradually becoming part
of his family. But Benno can’t resist playing cruel games designed to
test Tore’s faith. As the violence becomes more and more extreme, Tore’s
capacity for love is pushed to its limits in this disturbing,
nihilistic drama.
Chicago Premiere.
Raze USA (Director: Josh C. Waller) — A young
woman awakens in a concrete bunker, quickly discovering that she is not
alone. Before she realizes what is happening, she is in combat for her
life. So begins the first round of a modern-day gladiatorial tournament
in which young women fight each other to the death at the whim of their
sadistic unseen captors. If they lose, their loved ones will pay the
price. Starring Tarantino’s go-to stunt woman, Zoe Bell, this gritty,
ultra-violent tale pulls no punches.
Chicago Premiere.
SHORT FILM COMPETITION
The short film program, encompassing more than 50 films from 25
countries, offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the creative visions of
some of the most talented, original new filmmakers working today.
Including a gorgeous lineup of films from across Africa, a dozen
spectacular animated shorts, a terrifying late night lineup, and a
selection of inspired short documentaries, you’re sure to discover
something new and unforgettable. The Chicago International Film Festival
is an Oscar® qualifying festival for Narrative and Documentary short
films. Seven Short Film programs will screen back-to-back
throughout Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19. Visit
www.chicagofilmfestival.com to view the full list of titles.
Shorts 1: City & State - Local Heroes
Our showcase of films made in Illinois or by Illinois-based filmmakers
is a wild ride, including gripping horror, off-the-wall animation, and
beautifully observed storytelling.
Shorts 2: Animation - Cel Division
Drunken rampages, the pains of puberty, and the ruthless nature of the
food chain are brought to life through stop motion, cel animation,
rotoscoping, pen and paper and more. Including new films by three former
Festival award winners!
Shorts 3: Midnight Mayhem - Night Terrors
There are wild, drug induced hallucinations. There are psychedelic
monkey-infested forests. There is unicorn hunting with a side of death
metal. There are marauding one-eyed men. Miss at your peril.
Shorts 4: Our Lovers’ Story
Prepare to be charmed, seduced, and heartbroken by these seven short films for anyone who has ever fallen in or out of love.
Shorts 5: Spotlight Africa – From Earth’s Center
These award-winning African short films tell us stories rich with
sympathy and symbolism, hailing from across the continent and beyond.
Shorts 6: Nature or Nurture?
Seven insightful documentary studies of relationships with people,
animals, and even inanimate objects, and the comfort, meaning, and sense
of belonging they can bring to our lives.
Shorts 7: Anyway, Anyhow , Anywhere
Unexpected and often challenging situations lead to quite unpredictable
outcomes in this lineup of unique and stylish short narrative pieces.
Tickets, Festival Passes and Theater Information
Festival Passes are on sale until October 9. Pass options include:
Moviegoer (10 regular admissions): $95 for Cinema/Chicago members, $125 for non-members.
Passport (20 regular admissions): $180 for Cinema/Chicago members, $240 for non-members
Passes can be purchased online at
www.chicagofilmfestival.com
.
Individual tickets will be available to Cinema/Chicago members on
September 18-20. General public tickets will be on sale starting
September 21. Tickets can be purchased online via Ticketmaster
www.ticketmaster.com/chicagofilmfestival
;
by phone at 312-332-FILM (3456); or by visiting the Festival box office
at AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.) beginning September 21 or at
the Cinema/Chicago office (30 E. Adams, Suite 800) beginning September
23.
Festival screenings will be held at the AMC River East 21 Theater (322 E. Illinois St.).
For more information, visit
http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/festival_guide/tickets/
Festival Sponsors
Led by Presenting Partner Columbia College Chicago, the 49th Chicago
International Film Festival's sponsors include: Official Airline -
American Airlines; Headquarters Hotel - JW Marriott Chicago; Producing
Partners: AMC Theaters, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences;
Major Partner: Intersites; Supporting Partners: DePaul University
School of Cinema and Interactive Media, Stella Artois, Effen Vodka, WBBM
Newsradio 105.9, Cultivate Studios; Participating Partners: State Farm,
AARP, Tres Generaciones®, Comcast, Allstate, Spotlight Cinema Networks,
Casale del Giglio, Second City Computers, Shutterbox Entertainment,
Gibson’s Restaurant Group, Creative Technology.
About Cinema/Chicago
Cinema/Chicago is a not-for-profit cultural and educational
organization dedicated to encouraging better understanding between
cultures and to making a positive contribution to the art form of the
moving image. The Chicago International Film Festival is part of the
year-round programs presented by Cinema/Chicago, which also include the
International Screenings Program (May-September), the Chicago
International Television Competition (April), CineYouth Festival (May),
Intercom Competition (October) and year-round Education Outreach and
Member Screenings Program.