Thanks to support from Mayor Jane Byrne, the Festival holds its Opening Night at the Chicago Theatre for the first time. Special effects master Peter Ellenshaw Sr., Karen Black, and Maximillian Schell receive honors, and films from 24 nations are screened. Hungarian drama Angi Vera from director Pál Gábor receives the Gold Hugo for Best Feature.
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1978
President Jimmy Carter offers the Festival his congratulations, and Martin Rosen’s much-anticipated Watership Down holds its World Premiere. Honorees include Mickey Mouse, who arrived via train from Disneyland and met with Mayor Michael Bilandic before a screening of classic Disney animation clips; and Orson Welles who, unable to attend in person, created a special short film for the occasion. Debuts at the Festival include Hungarian film A Quite Ordinary Life by Imre Gyöngyössy and Barna Kabay, and Spanish director Jaime Chavarri’s To an Unknown God.
1977
Peter Weir’s Picnic at Hanging Rock holds its U.S. Premiere, and Sidney Lumet’s Equus debuts at the Festival, which also holds a retrospective of Mel Brooks’ films. Tributes honor Ann Miller, Lindsay Anderson, Krzysztof Zanussi, and legendary costumer Edith Head. Celebrated Cuban auteur Tomas Gutierrez Alea’s The Last Supper wins the Special Jury Prize.
1976
Cult classic documentary Grey Gardens from Albert and David Maysles, and Wim Wenders’ Kings of the Road both hold their debuts, with Wenders taking home the Gold Hugo. Chicago native Charlton Heston and Metro Goldwyn Mayer costume designer Helen Rose are honored.
1975
Opening Night of the 11th Chicago International Film Festival features the World Premiere of Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, with star Jack Nicholson leading a delegation of cast. A tribute to Pier Paolo Pasolini is planned, but the celebration becomes a memorial when the director is murdered the night before his departure for Chicago. Stanley Donen is honored, with notable screenings including Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda’s Land of Promise, which takes home the Gold Hugo.
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