In May, Cinema/Chicago presents the inaugural Chicago Youth Media Festival, to showcase the work of filmmakers 21 years old and younger. Liam Neeson walks the 40th Chicago International Film Festival opening red carpet to bring Kinsey to Chicago. Audiences get a first look at Marc Forster’s Finding Neverland, Alexander Payne’s Sideways, and Annette Bening appears with István Szabo’s Being Julia. Robert Zemeckis introduces the World Premiere of The Polar Express alongside star Tom Hanks. The Festival celebrates the careers of Irma P. Hall, Harry J. Lennix, Robert Townsend, and Robin Williams, whose acceptance speech consists of an hour of improvisation.
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2003
In October, the Festival honors Nicolas Cage, Robert Benton, Robert Downey, Jr., and Taye Diggs. Stars Anthony Hopkins and Campbell Scott also attend, along with international auteurs Tsai Ming-liang and Peter Greenaway. Crimson Gold, from Iranian director Jafar Panahi, takes home the Gold Hugo for Best Feature, while top Chicago film critics present some of their favorite classics: the Chicago Sun-Times’ Roger Ebert hosts Japan’s esteemed benshi narrator to perform at Yasushiro Ozu’s I Was Born, But… (1932), the Chicago Reader’s Jonathan Rosenbaum selects Manoel De Oliveira’s Benilde or the Virgin Mother (1974) and the Chicago Tribune‘s Michael Wilmington revives Elia Kazan’s Wild River (1961).
2002
Clint Eastwood is honored at the Summer Gala, and Pierce Brosnan opens the Festival with his EVELYN at the Chicago Theatre. The program includes several seldom-screened classics including Harold Lloyd’s Hallelujah, I’m a Bum and Speedy, with orchestra accompaniment. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love screens, and Charles Dutton is honored.
2001
Faye Dunaway’s directorial debut The Yellow Bird opens the Festival, and the actress is honored at a lavish celebration at Marshall Field’s Walnut Room. Halle Berry wins the Black Perspectives Award, going on to win the Best Actress Academy Award for Monster’s Ball. Premieres include Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Amelie, Sani Simcha DuBowsi’s Trembling Before G-d, and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. Hou Hsaio-Hsien’s Millennium Mambo wins the Gold Hugo for Best Feature.
2000
Lord Richard Attenborough, hometown hero Harold Ramis, Asian auteur Sabu, and science fiction and horror director Joe Dante all receive tributes. Laurence Fishburne receives the Black Perspectives Tribute, and Richard Gere is honored with a Career Achievement Award on Opening Night, when Robert Altman’s Dr. T and the Women makes its debut at the Chicago Theatre. Also honored is longtime friend of the festival, iconic photographer Victor Skrebneski, and the Festival premieres American indie charmer David Gordon Green’s debut film, George Washington.
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