EUROPEAN UNION FILM FESTIVAL
(through Thursday)
The European Union Film Festival ends its three-week run at the Gene Siskel Film Center Thursday after a successful opening fortnight. Working closely with local consulates and cultural institutes, the festival chooses movies from each of the 15 members of the EU and screens most of them twice. Thirteen of the festival’s 30 films will be screened during the last week. Highlights include “The Piano Teacher,” a French-Austrian co-production directed by Michael Haneke, which stars Isabelle Huppert as a stern keyboard instructor who is hooked on pornography and self-mutilation; and “Happy Days,” an Irish film version of Samuel Beckett’s 1961 play, directed by Canadian Patricia Rozema (“Mansfield Park”).
The fifth European Union Film Festival plays at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago,164 N. State St. Tickets: $8 ($4 for Film Center members). 312-846-2600 or www.siskelfilmcenter.org.
FESTIVAL OF CINEMA FOR THE DEAF
(Thursday through March 4)
Sponsored by the Chicago Institute for the Moving Image (CIMI), this first-time festival has been in the planning stages for 16 months, according to institute director Joshua Flanders. Its goal is to show movies made by or starring deaf artists, while also presenting documentaries or fiction films about the deaf experience. In addition, the festival is intent on exploring new technologies for the deaf and, accordingly, will present screenings of “A Beautiful Mind” and “Monsters, Inc.” with state-of-the-art digital captioning. New films on the docket include “Breaking the Silence” from Hong Kong, about a hearing mom dealing with her deaf son, and the Israeli short film “Journey of the Deaf,” which will be part of the festival’s Opening Night Gala at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Piper’s Alley.
The first Festival of Cinema for the Deaf will play at various venues. Tickets: $5 (except the Opening Night Gala, which is $50 for the screening and reception). 847-922-0767 or www.cinemaforthedeaf.org.
IRISH FILM FESTIVAL
(March 1-3)
The little festival that could, the Irish Film Festival continues to draw large crowds for its small but friendly South Side three-day event, as it pulls in the pre-St. Patrick’s Day crowd and provides them with a sampling of contemporary Irish cinema. Films this year will include, at 8 p.m. Friday, the U.S. premiere of “Silent Grace” by director Maeve Murphy (who may be in attendance); “The Most Fertile Man in Ireland,” directed by Dudi Appleton, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and “The Crooked Mile,” directed by Stephen Kane, at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Beverly Arts Center is moving into a larger, more techno-friendly facility next year, so look for the Irish Fest to grow.
The third Irish Film Festival plays at the Beverly Arts Center, 2153 W. 111th St. Tickets: $10 (except the Opening Night Gala, which is $30 for the movie and reception). 773-445-3838 or www.beverlyartcenter.org.
HONG KONG FILM FESTIVAL
(March 2-April 2; on weekends and Mondays)
Hard-core action, gangster and swordplay film fans are always the first in line for this monthlong festival, which looks to provide a brief overview of current Hong Kong moviemaking with the screening of 10 films. Offerings include Patrick Leung’s “Born Wild,” concerning a young man’s search for the killer of his twin brother; Jingle Ma’s “Goodbye, Mr. Cool,” about an ex-con’s futile attempt to walk the straight and narrow; and Dante Lam’s “Hit Team,” dealing with a group of policemen who cross over to the dark side to help their disabled partner. Also on this year’s program is a three-film salute to celebrated actress Maggie Cheung, which includes a screening of “Actress,” the 1991 film that first brought Cheung to the attention of international audiences.
The 14th Hong Kong Film Festival plays at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St. Tickets: $8 ($4 for Film Center members). 312-846-2800 or www.siskelfilmcenter.org.
WOMEN IN THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR INTERNATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL
(March 15-24)
It has been 20 years since Women in the Director’s Chair took on the task of celebrating female film and video makers, and despite a small staff and tight budget, it continues to be one of the premiere showcases for untapped talent worldwide. This year’s program, which is typically eclectic, will feature documentaries (Kara Lynch’s “Black Russians”), experimental work (Trin-Minh-Ha’s “The Fourth Dimension”) and fiction films (Lebanese director Mai Masri’s “Frontiers of Dreams and Fears”). As usual, many of the filmmakers will be in attendance to discuss their work.
The Women in the Director’s Chair International Film and Video Festival will play at assorted venues, including the group’s home screening room at 941 W. Lawrence Ave. Tickets: $8 ($6 for WIDC members). 773-907-0610 or www.widc.org.
ASIAN AMERICAN SHOWCASE
(April 5-14)
The Asian American Showcase is more than a film festival; it’s a full-fledged artistic happening, complete with concerts, poetry readings and performance pieces, much of it playing out this year in the new, larger lobby of the Gene Siskel Film Center. But the movies have always taken center stage, and this year is no exception, as the festival offers 13 features and six programs of shorts. Highlights include Justin Lin’s controversial “Better Luck Tomorrow,” about a bunch of not-so-nice Asian-American high school students, which was greeted with angry boos at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; and Timothy Bui’s “Green Dragon,” starring Forest Whitaker and Patrick Swayze, a drama that plays out at a California refugee camp in 1975. Both filmmakers will be present, as will other directors with movies in the festival.
The seventh Asian American Showcase plays at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St. Tickets: $8 ($4 for Film Center members). 312-846-2800 or www.siskelfilmcenter.org.
CHICAGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL
(April 5-17)
As the Latino culture continues to have a profound influence on the Chicago arts scene, the Chicago Latino Film Festival grows larger and more influential. Showcasing movies from Spain, Portugal, Latin America and the United States, it also includes special sidebars devoted to women filmmakers, animation and, this year for the first time, an “immigration film series.” Highlights of this year’s fest include Wilfried Huismann’s “Dear Fidel,” about an ex-CIA agent who falls in love with Castro; “Tricky Life,” from Uruguay, addressing the issue of prostitution in Spain; and “Savages,” concerning illegal immigration from Africa that leads to modern-day slave trading in Spain. The opening night film will be “The Escape,” an Argentinean film about a 1920s prison escape. Closing night will feature “Honey for Oshun,” by Cuban director Humberto Solas, who will receive the festival’s “Gloria” lifetime achievement award.
The 18th Chicago Latino Film Festival will play at the Biograph Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., and Facets Multimedia, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave. Tickets: $7-$9. 312-431-1330 or 312-409-1757 (hot line), or www.latinoculturalcenter.org.
CHICAGO ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
(May)
Sponsored by the Asian and Asian American Studies program at Loyola University, the Chicago Asian American Film Festival is a documentary-heavy gathering of films that tend to focus on issues such as immigration and assimilation, while keeping an eye on historical concerns, like Japanese internment camps and the persecution of Chinese and Koreans at the hands of the Japanese army during World War II. This year’s program is still being worked on, but the hope is that some of the film and video makers will accompany their films to the fest.
The ninth Chicago Asian American Film Festival plays at assorted venues around Loyola University’s Lake Shore campus. Admission: $5 (free for Loyola students, faculty and alumni). 773-508-2935 or www.luv.edu/depts/asian-st/filmfest.
SILVER IMAGES FILM FESTIVAL
(April 29-May 12)
The Silver Images Film Festival, which was founded in 1994 by Terra Nova Films, was specifically conceived to present films and videos that deal with issues surrounding the aged or the process of aging. Last year’s festival included one of the very best documentaries I saw in 2001, “Amargosa,” about a 74-year-old dancer and painter who abandoned the art world of New York in the 1960s to open an opera house in Death Valley. This year’s festival features “Rue De Retrait,” by French director Rene Feret, a tale about care-giving that is based on a novel by Doris Lessing. There will be apre-festival gala on April 25 at the Cultural Center, where actor Cliff Robertson will be honored.
The ninth Silver Images Film Festival will play at assorted film venues, hospitals and nursing facilities around the Chicago area. Admission: $3 (some films free; the gala is $100, which includes an awards dinner and clips). 773-881-6940 or www.terranova.org.
ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL
(May 2-9)
Though the Israel Film Festival has been in existence since 1982, playing to large crowds in New York and Miami, it added Chicago to its traveling list only in 2000. In just two years, however, it has become one of the most popular festivals on the spring calendar. Last year’s highlights included “Time of Favor,” about an Israeli soldier who gets involved in a misguided plot to blow up an Arab shrine; “Is Jerusalem Burning?” which addresses the mythology that grew out of a famous battle during Israel’s 1948 war of independence; and “Kapo,” a fascinating ethical examination of those Jews in concentration camps who agreed to work as guards and overseers for the Nazis. This year’s festival will feature 20 Israeli features, documentaries and TV dramas, with a healthy dose of Q&A sessions. A festival gala will be held on May 2.
The Israel Film Festival will play at assorted venues, with the majority of screenings at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark St. Tickets: $8.50. 877-966-5566 or 312-297-4803 or www.israelfilmfestival.com.
CHICAGO LESBIAN AND GAY NTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
(July 25-Aug. 4)
After a year’s hiatus, the Lesbian and Gay Festival is back in a new time slot (moved up from November). The hope is that this earlier time will eliminate the problem of many of the best gay and lesbian films being sold for theatrical distribution before the festival could screen them. Discussions are ongoing about possible films and venues, but if history is any indicator, the crowds will come out no matter where the movies are being shown.
The 21st Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival will play at assorted venues. 773-293-1447 or www.chicagofilmmakers.org/reeling/
BLACK HARVEST INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF FILM AND VIDEO
(Aug. 2-11)
Black Harvest affords adventurous filmgoers the chance to experience region-specific movies from such far-flung countries as Guinea-Bissau and Cameroon, while also keeping an eye on what young black filmmakers are up to in the U.S. Though the festival tends to be uneven at times, the top films are usually among the most fascinating and challenging you are likely to see all year. This year’s program is still being worked on, in hopes that films can be found from even more African countries.
The eighth Black Harvest International Festival of Film and Video will play at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St. Tickets: $8 ($4 for Film Center members). 312-846-2800 or www.siskelfilmcenter.org.
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL
(August)
At press time, the Underground Festival was debating whether to move their festival to a different spot on the calendar, but for now, it is still being planned for late summer. Though this year’s program of films and videos is still being screened and categorized, chances are good that there will be at least a few offbeat gems buried in the mix. Over the years, a few of my very favorite films have first shown at the Underground Fest, including such neglected treasures as “The Delicate Art of the Rifle” in 1996, “The Seller” in 1997, “The Acid House” in 1999, “In the Dark” in 2000 and last year’s “We Sold Our Souls for Rock ‘N Roll.” There will be plenty of music and parties after the films, along with a lifetime achievement award yet to be determined.
Venues and ticket prices for the ninth Chicago Underground Film Festival have yet to be set. 773-327-3456 or www.cuff.org.
ONION CITY FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL
(September)
The Onion City Festival, initially established by the now defunct Experimental Film Coalition, returned to the festival calendar last year after a short hiatus, with the goalof showcasing and celebrating the glories of experimental and avant-garde filmmaking. Most of the films are shorts, with programs being built around countries or themes, but the festival’s welcome return allows audiences a chance to see what is going on outside the mall theaters and in down-and-dirty editing rooms across the country.
The 14th Onion City Film and Video Festival will play at assorted venues, including Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N. Clark St. 773-293-1447 or www.chicagofilmmakers.org.
CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
(Oct. 3- 17)
The oldest, largest and most inclusive of all local film festivals returns for its 38th year determined to duplicate the success of last year’s event, where it wisely decided to trim down and focus more on quality versus quantity. As usual, the festival must wrestle with its split personality — glitz vs. substance, Hollywood star vehicles vs. buried gems — but for anyone willing to take a few shots in the dark, the Chicago International Film Festival almost always has something for everyone. My advice? Skip the big name movies that are sure to get a regular theatrical release and concentrate instead on those curious-sounding films from faraway places that you may never get a chance to see again.
The 38th Chicago International Film Festival will play at assorted venues, including an opening-night gala. Tickets: $6-$10 (gala, special presentations are more). 312-332-FILM or www.chicagofilmfestival.com.
FESTIVAL OF FILMS FROM IRAN
(Oct. 5-Nov. 3)
World politics has made this an especially timely and well-attended festival, but even without johnny-come-lately interest, the Iran fest has consistently been one of the most select and intelligent festivals of the year. This is due in large part to the fact that Barbara Scharres, director of programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center, regularly attends the Fajr Film Festival in Iran each winter to get a firsthand look at the latest films. Two of her choices for this year’s festival are “Examination,” by Naser Refaie, which focuses on the individual stories of assorted teenage girls who are waiting outside the gates of their high school to take a high-pressure academic exam, and “I Am Taraneh, Age 15,” directed by Rasul Sadr-Ameli, about the tragedy that ensues when a girl is courted, and then impregnated, by an older man.
The 13th Festival of Films from Iran plays at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St. Tickets: $8 ($4 for Film Center members). 312-846-2800 or www.siskelfilmcenter.org.
CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL
(Oct. 24–Nov. 3)
Though the program for this year’s Children’s Festival is still being discussed, it seems that no matter what films are chosen, the crowds roll in. And why not? How many other festivals can provide wall-to-wall movies that families can attend together without fear of a spear or laser beam suddenly splitting someone’s head open? In addition to the hundreds of films and videos, many of them from foreign countries, there will also be workshops, seminars, concerts, etc. There is also talk of a tribute to the late Astrid Lindgren, the writer who created Pippi Longstocking.
The 19th Chicago International Children’s Film Festival will play at Facets Multimedia, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., and other venues. Tickets: $4-$5. 773-281-9075 or www.cicff.org.
MARGARET MEAD FILM FESTIVAL
(October or November)
For almost three decades, the American Museum of Natural History in New York has presented a film and video festival to honor the memory of the anthropologist who worked there before her death in 1978. Seeking to share the wealth, they also put together a shorter “road version” that tours various venues across the country, including our own Field Museum. Most of the films deal with cultural and anthropological issues, and accordingly, most of them are documentaries.
The Margaret Mead Film Festival plays at the Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. Tickets: free with museum admission. 312-665-7400 or www.fieldmuseum.org.
POLISH FILM FESTIVAL IN AMERICA
(Nov. 2-17)
Perhaps more than any other festival during the year, the Polish Film Festival reflects the artistic temperament of the old country, because it draws its many films and tapes, and its large number of guests, directly from the Polish arts community, which is more than willing to have its actors and directors feted by such a huge and appreciative Polish audience. Last year’s festival included the U.S. premiere of “Quo Vadis” (Poland’s entry for the Academy Award), a big-screen extravaganza about the fall of the Roman Empire that featured the most terrifying and realistic lions and Christians scene I have ever seen. Another standout was “Hi, Tereska,” which dealt with the trying life of a 15-year-old girl who must fend for herself. The Polish Festival is famous for its fancy parties, and this year should be no different.
The 14th Annual Polish Film Festival in America plays at the Gateway Theatre, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave. Tickets: $6-$7. 773-486-9612 or www.pffamerica.com.
NEW FRENCH CINEMA FILM FESTIVAL
(December)
With each passing year, this ambitious winter festival becomes more engaging. The festival, which focuses on the work of first- or second-time French directors, really hit the target a few times last year, with such offerings as “Stand-By,” about a wife who is abandoned by her husband at the airport and decides to lead the life of a prostitute; “De L’Amour,” which focuses on the trials and travails of a young factory worker and her Arab boyfriend; and “The Magnet,” which chronicles the hard-knock life of Middle Eastern immigrants in Marseilles.
The sixth New French Cinema Film Festival plays at Facets Multimedia, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave. Tickets: $5-$7. 773-281-9075 or www.facets.org.
