We’re thrilled to screen more than 120 feature films at the 60th Chicago International Film Festival, from great new international features to special retrospective screenings, to celebrate our 60th Festival. But we’ve also got an array of exciting features, documentaries, and shorts that may fly slightly under the radar, yet are equally thrilling, thought-provoking, and moving.
Our Programming team works year-round selecting a carefully curated lineup of compelling films from around the globe, and they’ve highlighted some hidden gems at this year’s Festival to help moviegoers plan their #ChiFilmFest schedule:
Anthony Kaufman, Senior Programmer
Life and Other Problems
When a juvenile giraffe named Marius was euthanized by the Copenhagen Zoo a decade ago, the decision sparked an international outcry. But this fascinating, funny and thought-provoking documentary uses the incident as a launching pad for a range of wry and metaphysical inquiries into the name of life–both animal and human. Never has The Flaming Lips’ lyric “Do you realize/That everyone you know someday will die?” sparked so many loaded questions.
The Brink of Dreams
When a group of fearless teenage Egyptian girls take to the streets and put on plays that challenge their conservative society, the result is inspiring. It’s not just the joy and courage on the girls’ faces, but the surprise and curiosity that comes from the passersby–you can almost feel their worldviews changing on the spot. Now grown up and coming to the Festival, these young women have many more stories to tell.
Amir George, Programmer
Color Book
Color Book is a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant film that explores the tender bond between a father and his son with Down syndrome. Set against the backdrop of Atlanta and captured in stunning black-and-white, this film offers an intimate look at a single father navigating personal loss while trying to give his son an unforgettable experience. With a powerful performance from Will Catlett and echoes of neorealist classics, Color Book is a heartfelt, authentic portrayal of love, resilience, and the challenges of fatherhood. A must-see for those drawn to deep, human stories.
The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire
A captivating, poetic exploration of the life and work of a little-known Afro-Surrealist writer and anti-colonialist. Through a blend of documentary, essay, and biopic styles, director Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich invites audiences to experience the cultural and political landscape of mid-20th-century Martinique. Shot in lush 16mm and driven by fragments of Césaire’s sharp, revolutionary essays, this film offers a unique reflection on colonial resistance and forgotten voices. For lovers of unconventional storytelling and history, this film is a must-see.
Sophie Gordon, programmer
Suçuarana
We’re so thrilled to be hosting the World Premiere of such a special film! An excellent take on the road movie with a mystical edge, Suçuarana tows the perfect line between the ethereal and the deeply human. Anchored by a powerful lead performance, we follow Dora, who travels through the mining region of Brazil in search of her mother’s homeland, a place lost to time. I love this portrayal of such a fierce and independent woman, the beautiful connections and community she makes on her journey—and the standout performance from a superb dog. Cast and crew in attendance!
Cabo Negro
A standout in the OutLook program. Set against the backdrop of a luxury resort town, this film tells the story of a pair of queer friends who are outsiders in town, and for a brief time take refuge in a villa, escaping the harsh realities of their normal lives. I find expressions of true beauty in the connections they make with other misfits passing through Cabo Negro, sharing kinship and generosity with others who have been pushed to the margins of society. This film is gorgeous and rich but also quite nuanced. Director in attendance!
Sam Flancher, Programmer
When the Light Breaks
A mesmerizing, haunting work from Festival alum Rúnar Rúnarsson (Volcano, 2011, and Sparrows, 2015). The film is about coming to grips with sudden loss – it centers an impeccable lead performance from Elín Hall. Rúnarsson sets the action against the backdrop of the dramatic Icelandic landscape, pairing stunning photography with one of the year’s best scores. The film’s music and images will stay with you. It’s a film of uncommon power and beauty.
Silent Trilogy
A winsome, endlessly appealing collection of three short films that pay tribute to early silent cinema. Director Juho Kuosmanen certainly has an eye for casting, and these three films feature some of the most memorable onscreen faces of the year. The films aren’t afraid to dip their toes into the surreal—the final entry especially, which takes an unexpected journey to the cosmos.
Christy LeMaster, Shorts Programmer
The Painting (Le tableau)
(plays as part of Animated Shorts: Major Developments)
This film is utterly unique in the shorts program slate due to the exacting nature of how it is made, married to the elegance of its imagery. Using the shadow and light of the painstaking pinscreen animation technique, this film considers a portrait of Queen Mariana of Austria by Baroque painter Diego Velázquez.
Learn more about the films in Animated Shorts: Major Developments…
We Are Not Alone
(plays as part of Dramatic Shorts: Talk to Me)
Directed, edited, and animated by multi-disciplinary artist Adebukola Bodunrin, this striking low-fi sci-fi short is adapted from a short comic by Bodunrin’s husband, award-winning graphic novelist and screenwriter Ezra Claytan Daniels. Shot on salvaged Ektachrome stock and embellished with experimental scratch-animation techniques, the story follows a young Nigerian immigrant as she enlists the help of a stranger to communicate with an extraterrestrial vessel approaching Earth.
Natalie Holley, Shorts Programmer
About Time
(plays as part of City & State Shorts: Now and Then)
If you are a fan of romance, vulnerability, and intimacy captured on screen, this is the short film for you. Viewers will find themselves enamored by this tender and honest portrayal of two exes reminiscing and reconnecting against their better judgements. Moreover, About Time is chock full of Chicago talent on and off screen; including its two leads – Hyde Park local Namir Smallwood and McKenzie Chinn, a #ChiFilmFest alum in her own right.
Learn more about the films in City & State Shorts: Now and Then…
Trying (Estamos tentando)
(plays as part of Black Perspectives Shorts: Growing Pains)
Trying follows Luna, a young Afro-Brazilian who is struggling to land a full-time job after an exhaustive interview process. In an effort to drown her own sorrows, she reconnects with her childhood friend for a night of wine-assisted conversation. At its core, Trying is funny and sentimental without being overly sweet, and operates as an elevated stoner movie. It’s a really fun conclusion to the Black Perspectives shorts program, and we are thrilled to have the filmmakers in attendance all the way from Brazil!
Raul Benitez, After Dark & Shorts Programmer
After Dark Shorts: Disturbing Diversions
The After Dark shorts program is really diverse this year and I wanted to point out a couple films. Kombucha! is a short made by local filmmaker Jake Myers, who will be in attendance. The film is about an office worker who is new to a job and notices that his co-workers are drinking this Kombucha drink that is making them more productive and cheerful. He decides to try the drink and suffers some horrific side effects. Space Plug, directed by Marcus Anthony Thomas, is another wildly-inventive short, following a baby who grows up in a room in space – nourished by an extraterrestrial creature. He attempts to free himself from the room and the creature.
Learn more about the films in After Dark Shorts: Disturbing Diversions …
Fréwaka
The film is an Irish folk horror film about a woman who takes on a home-care job and encounters a supernatural entity, to horrifying results. Aislinn will be in attendance and will be part of the genre panel at Industry Days.
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