FILM CENTER FROM YOUR SOFA OPENING FRIDAY 4/9:
The Man Who Sold His Skin; małni – towards the ocean, towards the shore; This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection.
NOW STREAMING:
Leona;
Another Round; The Vasulka Effect; Un Film Dramatique/A Dramatic Film;
Martha: Picture Story; A Shape of Things to Come; The Inheritance;
Stray; Gipsy Queen; Wojnarowicz; The Fever; Rose Plays Julie; Born in
Evin; Better Days; Shiva Baby; Oscar Nominated Shorts-Animated; Oscar
Nominated Shorts-Live Action; Oscar Nominated Shorts- Doc
STREAMING SOON:
The Road Up; Downstream to Kinshasa; Beast Beast; Hope
CLOSING SOON (4/8):
Leona; The Vasulka Effect; Un Film Dramatique/A Dramatic Film; Martha: A Picture Story
THE BLACK EXPERIENCE:
Un Film Dramatique; The Inheritance
|
New releases will be
available beginning 12:00 p.m. CT the day the film is available, unless
noted. Confirmed end dates listed when known, though subject to
extension. |
4/9 - 5/6
małni – towards the ocean, towards the shore
2020, Sky Hopkina, USA, 80 mins
In English and Chinuk Wawa with subtitles
EXCLUSIVE to the Film Center!
"Nothing short of astonishing." - Vikram Murthi, Rogerebert.com
A poetic, experimental debut feature circling the origin of the death
myth from the Chinookan people in the Pacific Northwest, małni – towards
the ocean, towards the shore follows two people as they wander through
their surrounding nature, the spirit world, and something much deeper
inside. At its center are Sweetwater Sahme and Jordan Mercier, who take
separate paths contemplating their afterlife, rebirth, and death.
Probing questions about humanity’s place on earth and other worlds, Sky
Hopkina’s film will have audiences thinking (and dreaming) about it long
after. (Grasshopper Films)
Awards & Nominations
Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival; Vienna International Film Festival; Images Festival; Media City Film Festival
|
|
|
|
4/9 - 5/6
THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT'S A RESURRECTION
2019, Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, Lesotho/South Africa/Italy, 117 mins
In Sesotho with English subtitles
"Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese's mise-en-scène and camerawork are breathtaking." - Diego Semerene, Slant Magazine “
Deserving comparison with the work of Pedro Costa, Andrei Tarkovsky,
and Souleymane Cissé, THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT'S A RESURRECTION marks
the introduction of a major filmmaker and the final powerhouse
performance of a remarkable actress. The late Mary Twala Mhlongo,
recognizable from Beyoncé’s blockbuster musical BLACK IS KING, gives a
heartbreaking career-capping performance as Mantoa, an 80-year-old woman
who has lived in a small Lesotho village for her entire life. While
preparing for her own death, she receives word of an accident that has
killed her only son, leaving her entirely alone, with only the respect
of her community, the traditions of her ancestors, and
the courage of her convictions.
When her community must relocate to make way for a nearby dam which
would flood her family’s burial ground, Mantoa draws a line in the sand
and becomes an unlikely political and spiritual leader. Cryptic,
impressionistic, and informed by magical realist literature, THIS IS NOT
A BURIAL, IT'S A RESURRECTION contains some of the most striking visual
compositions in contemporary cinema, all the more impressive
considering this is the first feature-length film for both
cinematographer Pierre de Villiers and production designer Leila Walter.
The cumulative power of Mantoa’s sacrificial crusade, Mhlongo’s earthy
performance, and Mosese’s visionary artistry announce an
unmistakable landmark in African cinema. (Dekanalog)
Awards & Nominations
Special Jury Prize for Visionary Filmmaking, Sundance Film Festival
Winner - Best Actress, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Africa Movie Academy Awards
Winner - FIPRESCI Prize, Hong Kong International Film Festival |
|
|
|
4/9 - 5/6
THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN
2020, Kaouther Ben Hania, Tunisia/France/Belgium/Germany/Sweden/Turkey, 104 mins
Arabic, French, Flemish and English
"A provocative contemporary take on a Faustian bargain." - Alissa Simon, Variety
In this darkly satirical commentary on artists, commerce, immigration
and borders, Tunisia director Kaouther Ben Hania takes a winking aim at
modern art, exploitation and the Syrian refugee crisis. Young Syrian
lovers Sam and Abeer are forced apart when they both flee - him to
Beirut after escaping unlawful imprisonment, and her to Brussels, in the
arms of a diplomat she is pressured to marry. Desperate to acquire a
coveted visa and be reunited with the love of his life, Sam accepts an
outrageous offer: let the controversial, wildly successful (and cocky)
modern artist Jeffrey Godefroy tattoo Sam's back, thus making him a
piece of art that can travel across any border freely. Sam
quickly realizes the emotional and physiological cost of his canvas, as
he is put on display in an exhibit for onlookers to gawk, and his price
to be named. In equal turns tender and outrageous, Ben Hania explores
how audiences consume culture, how artists appropriate crises, and how
the relationship between art and audience shifts in unpredictable ways
when the art can look, talk, and scream back. (Rebecca Fons)
Awards & Nominations
Nominee - Best International Feature Film, Academy Awards
Winner - Best Arab Film, El Gouna Film Festival
Winner - Best Actor, Venice Film Festival
Winner - Best Screenplay, Stockholm Film Festival |
|
|
|
Spring (exact dates TBD)
THE ROAD UP
2020, Jon Siskel and Greg Jacobs, USA, 93 mins
THE ROAD UP follows four participants in Cara, a Chicago job-training
program, as they struggle to find the path from rock bottom to stable
employment. Throughout, they are guided, goaded, and challenged by
their impassioned mentor, Mr. Jesse, whose own complicated past compels
him to help others find hope in the face of poverty, addiction,
homelessness, and trauma. Taken together, their stories create a
powerful mosaic of the struggles that millions of Americans face every
day in a precarious and unforgiving economy—the daunting and often
interconnected challenges that prevent so many from joining the economic
mainstream. Because when everything behind you is wreckage, and
everything in front is an obstacle, how do you find the road up?
(Description courtesy of Siskel/Jacobs Productions)
|
|
|
|
4/16 - 5/13
BEAST BEAST
2020, Danny Madden, USA, 85 mins
EXCLUSIVE to Film Center through May 6!
CC
"The doc-style cinematography allows the camera to act as an undercover
agent, going deep into Gen Z territory." - Yolanda Machado, TheWra
BEAST BEAST, the unsettling debut feature from Danny Madden, is a bold
exploration of adolescence, social media and gun culture, crammed into a
tinderbox and set ablaze with a moment of tragic violence. Adapted from
Madden's award-winning short film KRISTA, BEAST BEAST connects the
exuberant theater kid Krista (Shirley Chen) with her sullen neighbor
Adam (Will Madden), and Nito (Jose Angeles), the new kid who likes
skateboarding, and who likes Krista. All three teenagers have a
relationship with being watched, but not with being seen - Krista works
on her craft and audition tapes, Adam awkwardly perfects videos for his
"Prime Shooter" pro-gun YouTube
channel, and Nito and his buddies record their hijinks for social media
- all while their parents and teachers fade into the disconnected
background. As Krista and Nito quickly fall for each other, Adam grows
more isolated, until a petty crime explodes into an unthinkable - but
all too familiar - moment of bloodshed. Madden's assured BEAST BEAST is a
swirling, verite-style cinematic ride, with three authentic, grounded
performances at its core, and a clanging drumbeat score that perfectly
signifies the film's ever-rising temperature. (Rebecca Fons)
The Gene Siskel Film Center is proud to present films and programs
that entertain, inform and challenge audiences. Based on lived
experiences, the content we put on our screens may impact our individual
audiences in different ways. To that end, when possible and
appropriate, we include an online content consideration on film and
program titles that may include potentially harmful content, depictions
or themes. We encourage audiences to also inform themselves on the
content of films and programs by reading synopses, watching trailers,
and exploring film reviews. If you have questions, concerns or would
like to provide feedback, please email Director of Programming Rebecca
Fons (
rfons@artic.edu). Thank you for being part of our effort to make all Film Center audiences feel safe and welcome in our spaces.
Please note that BEAST BEAST contains scenes of guns and gun violence.
Awards and Nominations:
Official Selection - Sundance Film Festival, Indie Grits, SXSW Film Festival
Winner - Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature, Atlanta Film Festival
Nominee - NEXT Innovator Award, Sundance Film Festival |
|
|
|
4/23 - 5/27
DOWNSTREAM TO KINSHASA
2021, Dieudo Hamadi, France/Congo/Belgium/Democratic Republic Of Congo, 89 mins
In Swahili and Lingala with English subtitles
EXCLUSIVE to Film Center!
“DOWNSTREAM TO KINSHASA offers a conveyance experience that’s as
intense, urgent, and shocking as any I can recall seeing.” - Eric Hynes,
Reverse Shot
In June 2000, the city of Kisangani, in the Democratic Republic of
Congo, was the scene of heavy weapons fighting between the armies of
Uganda and Rwanda. The damage caused was immense: more than 10,000
shells exploded. Thousands of deaths, thousands of injured and material
damages estimated at several hundred million dollars.
Since then, the Association of Victims of the Six-Day War has been
fighting for the recognition of this bloody conflict and demanding
compensation for the damage suffered. Uganda has been found guilty of
war crimes by the International Court of Justice, but the amount of
compensation to be paid out is still being discussed two decades after
the war. Tired of the bureaucratic negotiations and unsuccessful pleas
that have been drawn out for years, tired of the patent indifference of
their fellow countrymen, the members of the Association have finally
decided to take their fate into their own hands. After a long journey on
the Congo River, they will voice their claims in Kinshasa, the
capital, where the institutions are based and where most of the former
leaders in this war have found refuge. (Icarus Films)
Awards and Nominations:
Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes Film
Festival, AFI Fest, Seville Film Festival, Singapore International Film
Festival, Cascade Festival of African Films, DocYard Film Series
Winner: Golden Dove and Jury Prize - DOK Leipzig Documentary Film Festival
Winner: Best Documentary - Amiens International Film Festival 2020 |
|
|
|
4/23 - 5/27
HOPE
2019, Maria Sødahl, Norway, 125 mins
Norwegian and Swedish with English subtitles
"It's not easy to make a film about a life-threatening illness that is
as rich and joyous as this one can be, perfectly balanced at other times
by the very real stakes." - Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Hammer to Nail
Anja lives with Tomas in a large family of biological children and
stepchildren. For a number of years the two adults have grown
independent of each other, with creative jobs in parallel worlds. When
Anja gets a terminal cancer diagnosis, their modern life breaks down and
exposes neglected love. Alone with her grief and her fears, Anja
realizes that she needs Tomas’ full help and support. It’s their only
chance. How else will their children find the strength once she is gone,
if their parents are unable to weather the storm together? Anja and
Tomas are thrown into a crash course in mutual trust, and eventually a
joint struggle, to deal with this unexpected and premature death.
By getting to know each other anew, they unconsciously become principal
characters in a love story, finally learning to truly love each other
after a long life spent together. (KimStim)
Awards & Nominations
Official Selection - Toronto International Film Festival, Palm Springs
International Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Brussels
International Film Festival, Nordische Filmtage Lübeck
Winner - Label Europa Cinemas, Berlin Film Festival
Winner - Best Actress, Best Production Design, Amanda Awards, Norway
|
|
|
|
SEE THEM BEFORE THEY'RE GONE! |
|
The following films are closing soon! Click here for a full list of streaming titles. |
THE VASULKA EFFECT
(Closing 4/8) |
|
UN FILM DRAMATIQUE (A DRAMATIC FILM)
(Closing 4/8) |
|
MARTHA: A PICTURE STORY
(Closing 4/8) |
|
NOW STREAMING IN FILM CENTER FROM YOUR SOFA |
|
Closing dates are noted when available. Click here for a full list of streaming titles.
Leona;
Another Round; Leona; The Vasulka Effect; Un Film Dramatique/A Dramatic
Film; Martha: Picture Story; A Shape of Things to Come; The
Inheritance; Stray; Gipsy Queen; Wojnarowicz; The Fever; Rose Plays
Julie; Born in Evin; Better Days; Shiva Baby; Oscar Nominated
Shorts-Animated; Oscar Nominated Shorts-Live Action; Oscar Nominated
Shorts- Doc |
|
WOJNAROWICZ
(Closing 4/15) |
|
A SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME
(Closing 4/15) |
|
THE INHERITANCE
(Closing 4/15) |
|
GYPSY QUEEN
(Closing 4/15) |
|
ROSE PLAYS JULIE
(Closing 4/15) |
|
BORN IN EVIN
(Closing 4/22) |
|
OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS-DOC
(Closing 4/28) |
|
OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS-LIVE ACTION
(Closing 4/28) |
|
OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS-ANIMATED
(Closing 4/28) |
|
SHIVA BABY
(Closing 4/29) |
|
ANOTHER ROUND
Nominated: Best International Feature; Best Director, Academy Awards
(Closing 5/6) |
|
BETTER DAYS
(Closing 5/6) |
|
SCREEN TO SCREEN VIRTUAL DISCUSSION SERIES |
|
Join the Gene Siskel Film
Center's free virtual discussion series, featuring Q&A with
filmmakers and special guests. All times noted below are CT. read more |
Oscar Nominated Shorts
Wednesday, March 14, 6pm CT
The Film Center presents an exclusive Facebook Live chat with select 2021 Oscar-nominated shorts filmmakers!
Guests include: Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard (COLETTE- Doc); Doug
Roland (FEELING THROUGH - Live Action), and Ben Proudfoot and Kris
Bowers (A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION - Doc).
Moderating the conversation will be the Film Center's own director of programming Rebecca Fons.
Register for the Q&A here. |
The Film Center presents an exclusive Facebook Live chat for małni –
towards the ocean, towards the shore with director Sky Hopinka,
moderated by Ernest M. Whiteman III (Northern Arapaho), Director of
First Nations Film and Video Festival Inc.
Register for the Q&A here. |
HOW TO GET THE FILM CENTER FROM YOUR SOFA |
|
To bring you the best in
independent and international film, Gene Siskel Film Center curates its
selection through many different distributors. Price per film may vary,
but all films will be less than the price of a movie ticket. Streaming
is easy, just:
1. Go To SiskelFilmCenter.org and find the movie you want to watch.
2. Click on "Stream Now" button. (You may need to set up an account on the streaming service.)
3. Pop some popcorn and enjoy your film.
|
About the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Since 1972, the
Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
has presented cutting edge cinema to an annual audience of 85,000. The
Film Center’s programming includes annual film festivals that celebrate
diverse voices and international cultures, premieres of trailblazing
work by today’s independent filmmakers, restorations and revivals of
essential films from cinema history, and insightful provocative
discussions with filmmakers and media artists. Altogether, the Film
Center hosts over 1,500 screenings and 200 filmmaker appearances every
year. The Film Center was renamed the Gene Siskel Film Center
in 2000 after the late, nationally celebrated film critic, Gene Siskel.
Visit www.siskelfilmcenter.org to learn more and find out what’s playing today.
About the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
For
more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists,
designers, and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts
graduate program ranked number two by U.S. News and World Report
, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as
well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago
museum, on-campus galleries, and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s
undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate students have the
freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago
and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as
Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia
O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman. Learn more at
saic.edu. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
