Next On The Circuit: the Chicago International Film Festival

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Monday, 12 October 2009 15:58

Written by Eric Lurio

With the Toronto and New York Film Festivals over, the next major stop on the Festival circuit is The Chicago International Film Festival--now in its 45th annual edition. Most of the films  have be spotlighted at these and other festivals, which is only fair, since the people of the Windy City deserve a chance to see these films as much as the Big Apple and T.O.--right?

That’s what festival founder Michael Kutza felt in 1964, when he and his friends at Cinema/Chicago decided to start the event. First held in 1965, it has been a beloved institution ever since.

Getting off the Red Line, at Grand Street, The Festival is just three shor-tsh blocks east, and one block south, to the AMC River East 21--right next to the Lucky Strike Bowling Alley. There’s nothing particularly special about this particular googolplex aside from it’s location, but it’s that view of some of the most amazing architecture in the American Midwest that makes worth the trip…aside from the movies, of course.

This year,  they’re going to show such favorites as Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist, Oren Moverman’s The Messenger, Lone Scherfig’s An Education, and John Woo’s Red Cliff.

The big premiere at this year’s festival is David Bowers’ Astroboy, a big screen fully-computerized extravaganza retelling the origin of Amine’s version of Mickey Mouse®. This is not to denigrate Katherine Deickmann’s Motherhood, which is opening the festival, it’s just that Astroboy may very well be the real Oscar® contender to come out of here.

This festival is, like most others of its size, is divided into categories: the Main Competition, which is for an award called the Golden Hugo (which is also the name for another, more prestigious award for science fiction); New Directors; the Galas; The Shorter Side of Things, for, naturally, shorts; After Dark, for horror and weirder stuff; then there’s the ethnic sections: Black Perspectives, for African American films; Cinema of the Americas, for Latinos; ReelWomen, for the ladies; OUTrageous, for gay community; Animation Nations, for toons; and Illinois[e]makers, for local productions.

Then there are the parties. Chicago isn’t called the Second City for nothing, and there are going to be movie stars galore. The whole thing lasts about two weeks, from October 8th through the 22nd, 2009.

For more info go to: http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com

The Chicago International Film Festival
October 8th - the 22nd, 2009
AMC River East 21

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