Author Archive | Kasey Martin

The 56th Chicago International Film Festival is excited to welcome director Jiayan “Jenny” Shi to our fair city for the premiere of her film Finding Yingying. In April 2017, idealistic Chinese student Yingying Zhang came to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study agriculture. Six weeks later, she went missing. In what the Hollywood Reporter has called “a deft portrait of a family on the razor’s edge between hope and dread,” filmmaker Jiayan “Jenny” Shi chronicles the circumstances around Yingying’s disappearance and its devastating consequences on her family, friends, and community.[…]

The 56th Chicago International Film Festival is excited to welcome cinematographer-turned-director Bruno Santamaria to our fair city for the premiere of his film Things We Dare Not Do. In the small town of El Robolitio, 16-year-old Ñoño has a secret that runs counter to the local culture defined by machismo; Ñoño loves to dress in women’s clothes. In Things We Dare Not Do, Santamaria reveals repression, violence, and beauty in equal measures as he chronicles the story of an individual who bravely defies the gender norms of their society.[…]

The 56th Chicago International Film Festival is excited to welcome director Ignacio Márquez to our fair city for the premiere of his film The Special. In this thoughtful and uplifting debut, the profoundly charming Chuo is having to navigate the challenges of early adulthood with Down Syndrome. He feels a growing need for independence from his father José, who struggles to provide and care for his son as he grapples with demons past and the disappointments of dreams deferred. When Chuo lands a job at a small graphic design studio, he begins to find community and discover purpose and a sense of self.[…]

Today, the Chicago International Film Festival announced the competition juries for the 56th Festival!

Featuring a host of acclaimed filmmakers and film professionals from across the globe, the juries will review films competing for prizes in the following competitions: International Competition; New Directors Competition; International Documentary Competition; Out-Look; City & State; and Short Film Competitions.

The International Competition Jury will award the Gold Hugo for Best Film as well as a range of Silver Hugos and Plaques for awards, including Best Director, Best Actor/Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Screenplay.[…]