By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com

CHICAGO FESTIVAL WRAPS UP ITS BEST EDITION YET!

Posted Monday, October 24th, 2011 - Comments Off on CHICAGO FESTIVAL WRAPS UP ITS BEST EDITION YET!
Be Sociable, Share!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 24, 2011 – The 47th Chicago International Film Festival wrapped up another successful 15 days of world-class cinema and events on Thursday, October 20, with the Closing Night presentation of Michel Hazanavicius’ THE ARTIST (France). This edition of the Festival featured one of its strongest lineups in a decade. From silent films to 3D to independent and genre films, the 47th Festival had something for everyone, proving once again that audiences want to see, and share, what the world is watching on the big screen alongside tens-of-thousands of fellow movie lovers.

“As the oldest competitive film festival in North America, we are an important destination for filmmakers, industry insiders and filmgoers worldwide,” said Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicago International Film Festival. “This year we took audiences on a trip to lands near and far, and introduced them to the latest trends and ideas in filmmaking. It was a truly remarkable Festival for our audiences and for our team who works so hard in making this a reality.”

More Movies, More Screenings

After a yearlong, worldwide search and careful consideration of 925 narrative films, 503 documentaries and 2,212 short films, 128 narrative films, 15 documentaries and 52 short films from more than 55 countries were chosen.

“Twenty of these films received their North American premiere and 21 their U.S. premiere,” said Mimi Plauché, Head of Programming of the Chicago International Film Festival. “And in keeping with our mission of discovering new and talented voices, the Festival also introduced audiences to the work of over 50 first-time filmmakers from around the world. And we also provided a first look to some of the most anticipated films of the season, some of which will be generating Oscar-buzz in the coming months.”

The Festival increased the number of screenings to accommodate our growing audience. A total of 354 performances were programmed this year. Visiting patrons from 36 states made the trip to Chicago to attend Festival screenings.

Programs and Tributes

The Festival celebrated its diverse array of programming this year by enhancing existing programs, introducing new ones, and honoring the contributions of filmmakers to the art of cinema.

Presented by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Spotlight South Asia inaugurated a three-year program highlighting the film culture of a different region of the world each year. This year, audiences were introduced to the remarkably exciting work coming out of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Master dance classes, panel discussions and special Community and Education Outreach screenings complemented the ten films featured in the program.

The Festival’s After Dark program, a perennial favorite, was expanded in its first-ever competitive year to include an international mix of ten thrilling feature-length and seven short films. The 47th Festival also showcased the work of 46 women filmmakers across all categories: International Competition, New Directors Competition, World Cinema, Docufest, Shorts and After Dark.

The Black Perspectives program honored actor Anthony Mackie with an Artistic Achievement Award and the Chicago Connections program honored native Chicagoans such as actor John C. Reilly, cinematographer Haskell Wexler, director Joe Swanberg, multimedia artist Braden King, voice-over legend Ken Nordine and scriptwriter Eric Monte, paying tribute to their respective contributions to the art of the moving image.

The 47th Festival also celebrated French film director/producer Claude Lelouch’s 50-year history as a filmmaker with a Silver Hugo award.

The World Under One Roof

More than 163 filmmakers from 28 countries participated in post-screening discussions and free public panels giving Festival audiences an insight into their work and the artistic process. Filmmakers had the opportunity to mingle with industry insiders, media and fellow film enthusiasts at the Festival’s Filmmaker Lounge, presented by Lincoln.

“We pride ourselves on being an audience-friendly Festival, one that gives filmmakers and moviegoers the opportunity to engage in a conversation,” said Managing Director Vivian Teng. “We rely on the continued generosity and support of our loyal sponsors, foundations and audiences. Without their passion and dedication, none of this would be possible.”

What the Students Were Watching

For 21 years, The Chicago International Film Festival has welcomed Chicago Public School students to theaters to participate in its Education Outreach Screening Program. Eight screenings were offered, including documentaries, feature-length narratives, an international shorts program and a screening of Cineyouth’s Best of the Fest. We welcomed students from 23 schools as part of this program, which brings over 5,000 CPS students to the movies every year.

“We presented Chicago students with an incredibly diverse and unique program this year during the Festival. The opportunity to see films in other languages and about other cultures is such an important and valuable one for students,” said Rebecca Fons, Education Program Manager. “Feedback from teachers has been so positive this year, with one teacher saying it perfectly: ‘Thanks for opening our eyes!’”

What’s Next

The 48th Chicago International Film Festival will be held October 11-25, 2012. The call for entries will open on January 2, 2012 with an early bird deadline of April 2. The regular deadline to submit entries will be June 22, with a late entry deadline of July 12.

For the latest information, visit www.chicagofilmfestival.com or follow us on Twitter (@chifilmfest) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/chicagofilmfestival).

Led by Presenting Partner, Columbia College Chicago, the 47th Chicago International Film Festival’s sponsors include: Premiere Partners – American Airlines, Lincoln; Producing Partners – AMC Theaters, DePaul University’s School of Cinema and Interactive Media, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Major Partners – Allstate, Intersites; Supporting Partners – Applitite, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Brugal Rum, Kodak, Second City Computers, WBBM, and the Festival’s Headquarters Hotel, JW Marriott Chicago.

###

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 Hugo Television Awards (April), CineYouth Festival (May), Intercom Competition (October) and year-round Education Outreach and Member Screenings Program.

# # #

Be Sociable, Share!

Posted in Movie City News, Press Releases | Comments Off on CHICAGO FESTIVAL WRAPS UP ITS BEST EDITION YET!

Comments are closed.

Quote Unquotesee all »

It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon