Chicago Critics Film Festival Announces Full 2024 Lineup with Sing Sing, Ghostlight, Babes, I Saw the TV Glow, More | Festivals & Awards


SING SING

Director: Greg Kwedar | 105 mins

Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other men who are incarcerated, including wary newcomer (Clarence Maclin), in this stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art, starring an unforgettable ensemble cast of formerly incarcerated actors.

Screens: Friday May 3 at 6:30pm; with filmmaker Greg Kwedar and stars Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, Paul Raci and Sean “Dino” Johnson scheduled to attend.

SLEEP

Director: Jason Yu | 95 mins

SLEEP follows newlyweds Hyun-su (LEE Sun-kyun, Parasite) and Soo-jin (JUNG Yu-mi), whose domestic bliss is disrupted when Hyun-su begins speaking in his sleep, ominously stating, “Someone’s inside.” From that night on, whenever he falls asleep, Hyun-su transforms into someone else, with no recollection of what happened the night before. Overwhelmed with anxiety that he may hurt himself or their young family, Soo-jin can barely sleep because of this irrational fear. Despite treatment, Hyun-su’s sleepwalking only intensifies, and Soo-jin begins to feel that her unborn child may be in danger. 

Screens: Friday May 3 at 11:59pm

THELMA

Director: Josh Margolin | 97 mins

The feature directorial debut of Josh Margolin, Thelma is a poignant action-comedy that gives veteran Oscar® nominee June Squibb (Nebraska) her first leading role and features the final performance of trailblazing actor Richard Roundtree (Shaft). Squibb, who did most of her own stunts in the film, plays Thelma Post, a feisty 93-year-old grandmother who gets conned by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson (The White Lotus’ Fred Hechinger) and sets out on a treacherous quest across Los Angeles, accompanied by an aging friend (Roundtree) and his motorized scooter, to reclaim what was taken from her. 

Screens: Saturday May 4 at 4:15pm

WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Director: Nicholas Tomnay | 101 mins

Ryan, a chef with gambling problems, meets an old friend in a Latin American villa where he’s been hired to cook an elaborate private meal for incoming guests. After assuming his friend’s identity to take over the lucrative gig, Ryan comes to realize he may have bitten off more than he can chew.

Screens: Tuesday May 7 at 4:30 pm