In its 28th year of showcasing films at the Chicago International Film Festival, the Black Perspectives Program has put archival classics back on the big screen, giving them the ability to impact new audiences in new ways. With the power of 4K restorative technology, meaning the visual and audio of a film are remastered and … Read more
Amidst the grim offerings of the Chicago International Film Festival, I found myself comforted by a trio of documentaries, which enchant in their reminder that the hope of renewal and transformation is never too far away. A son trying to connect with his mother amid her late-stage dementia, the construction of an iconic Chicago monument, … Read more
“I was doing a soap opera in New York. One day, somebody called me and asked if I could come out to Gary, Indiana,” recalls actor J. A. Preston. “Gary, Indiana? Are you crazy?” The film that would bring Preston to Indiana was director Ivan Dixon’s audacious adaptation of Sam Greenlee’s radical novel “The Spook … Read more
At this year’s Chicago Film Festival, I’ve noticed a prominent connection between intimate family tales in my viewing lineup. As a youngest daughter and little sister to two older brothers, I admit the domestic stories I gravitate towards are often ones with which I can identify. However, at this year’s festival, I found myself moved … Read more
While lighter fare is always appreciated, I expect most films I watch at festivals to be bleak and heavy. It’s sobering and heartening to see the ways creatives try to make sense of the world’s cruelties, from familial dysfunction to the loss of loved ones (to name a few recurring adversities). Such films feel all … Read more
While it is always a joy and privilege to travel for film festivals, there’s nothing quite like enjoying one from the comfort of one’s home city. That’s what makes the Chicago International Film Festival so special; for almost two weeks, the city’s artists, creatives, and cinephiles gather to watch a diverse array of films from … Read more
At this year’s Chicago Film Festival, I’ve noticed a prominent connection between intimate family tales in my viewing lineup. As a youngest daughter and little sister to two older brothers, I admit the domestic stories I gravitate towards are often ones with which I can identify. However, at this year’s festival, I found myself moved … Read more
As those who have been attending film festivals for any amount of time can attest, after watching the usual array of awards-bait titles and the kind of forgettable fodder that never manages to get any play outside of the festival circuit for a while, sometimes you are just in the mood for something a bit … Read more
Year after year, the Chicago International Film Festival’s documentary program features exceptional stories from around the globe. For its 60th year, the programming has shaped itself around the theme of legacy. It reflects sixty years of platforming emerging and established filmmakers, alongside one another, creating a symbiotic system for their success in reaching new audiences. … Read more
When the lineup for a film festival is first released to the public, most of the attention gravitates to the big-ticket titles, most often the latest works from the world’s most celebrated filmmakers. This is understandable, of course, but there can be just as much excitement to be found in coming across the work of … Read more