Archive | Festival News

A Letter from Mimi Plauché, Artistic Director:

Welcome to the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival. It is an honor to serve as the new Artistic Director of Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival. Following the tradition pioneered by Michael Kutza, this year’s program is electrifying, challenging, and entertaining. We continue our passion for presenting highly anticipated awards-season contenders side by side with indie treasures and exciting new discoveries.

It’s another great year for film. This year’s program has an eclectic mix of genres and styles from dark comedies that will make you laugh in spite of yourself to intense psychological thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat and insightful documentaries that will dare you to engage with the world in deeper ways.[…]

Sixteen films have been selected for the International Competition category, a selection of outstanding films competing for the Festival’s top honor, the Gold Hugo. Eleven of the 16 films in this year’s International Competition are made by Festival alumni returning with their latest masterpieces, including previous Gold Hugo winners (Joanna Kos-Krause and Aki Kaurismäki) and Silver Hugo winners (Mohammad Rasoulof and Diego Lerman). The Competition is rounded out by a collection of internationally celebrated, award-winning filmmakers and directors with ambitious second feature-length films (Jimena Montemayor, Andrea Pallaoro, and Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza).[…]

The Chicago International Film Festival today announced Marshall as the Opening Night film for the Festival’s 53rd edition, October 12-26, 2017. Director Reginald Hudlin, actor/producer Chadwick Boseman, actors Josh Gad and Sterling K. Brown, and producer Paula Wagner are scheduled to attend the premiere at AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.).

Led by evening sponsors Bloomberg Philanthropies and Wintrust Community Banks, the Opening Night celebration will be held at AMC River East 21 on Thursday, October 12 at 7 p.m.[…]

More than 400 guests celebrated actress Helen Mirren and Director Taylor Hackford at Cinema/Chicago’s Spring Gala

Celebratory Evening Featured an Intimate Conversation with Mirren and Hackford Highlighting Their Illustrious Careers and Creative Influences

Academy Award®-winning actress Helen Mirren and Academy Award®-winning director Taylor Hackford were in Chicago on Wednesday, May 24 at the Loews Chicago Hotel for Cinema/Chicago’s Spring Gala, celebrating their illustrious film careers. Proceeds from the event benefit Cinema/Chicago’s year-round education and outreach programs.[…]