Although this year’s Sundance Film Festival wasn’t heavy on Chicago content, the top Grand Jury Prize at the small, rival Slamdance festival went to Heidi Van Lier’s filmed-in-Chicago comedy “Chi Girl.” Van Lier, daughter of ex-Chicago Bulls star Norm Van Lier, wrote, directed and shot it in Chicago almost two years ago–and admitted she benefited greatly from her father’s good name in town.
“Because of my dad, I got everything for free,” she said with a laugh. “I basically name-dropped like you wouldn’t believe.” The movie is a “mockumentary” about a documentarian who stalks a woman who is stalking her boyfriend.
Van Lier, 28, a screenwriter for six years, described her style as “Woody Allen crossed with Albert Brooks, Carrie Fisher and a little bit of John Cassavetes.” She said the strong Slamdance reception has sparked distributor interest, and she hopes to nail down a deal soon.
