Chicago International Film Festival

What fun! I get to review a panel of four film critics at the 2015 Chicago International Film Festival. The panel, entitled «Friend or Foe: How Do Film Critics And Filmmakers Get Along?» was not worth the price of admission (it was free). These gentlemen should confine themselves to print. It wasn’t a great topic to begin with, but a good discussion of how critics and filmmakers relate to each other might (I say might) have offered some insights on criticism in general. It didn’t. No one had prepared anything. The «performances» were perfunctory and it showed. The moderator had no introduction or overview of the topic and his questions were lame rather than probing. The panelists gave answers that were poorly thought out, poorly articulated and superficial. The most engaging panelist was a visitor from Argentina. Among the other panelists, one had a speaking voice that was hushed and couldn’t be bothered to project; the other was so inarticulate that his pauses, ums and uhhs made him unlistenable. Critics demand the highest standards of performance from the artists they review; how then can they enter the public forum to discuss their own craft and deliver dross this unpolished? Respect your audience, please.
Apart from this panel, my experience of the festival has been five stars, with a terrific selection of movies year after year. Keep up the good work, and ditch the critics panel, or make sure they perform up to appropriate professional standards. This year’s panel was a complete waste of everyone’s time.

This is the 50^th year of CIFF. Having reinvented itself many times over those years, it is a still a vibrant and relevant part of Chicago’s cultural landscape. Bringing us wonderful, cutting edge films from around the world, CIFF gives us peaks inside the lives, people, stories and cultures of so many countries around the world, yet it’s amazing to see the commonality of people’s hopes, fears, aspirations and circumstances despite the cultural, ethnic, language and other differences.
Congratulations and best wishes to Michael, Vivian and the team that bring us this gift each year.

I love this film festival! There were so many amazing films that it was so hard to be able to choose one to go see! My friend and I ended up seeing the highly anticipated Kill Your Darlings with Daniel Radcliffe and Michael C. Hall and it was incredible! I definitely recommend seeing this film!

Did you know there are free viewings for this event? Visit your Cultural Center for all the happenings in Chicago!

A total treat. The Chicago International Film Festival showcases almost 200 films from 50 countries all a variety of genres a topics. Often it’s the US première and often the cast, director, or producer will introduce a picture. It’s not unusual to see a celebrity in line, concessions, or near the theater.
Most of the flicks are shown at the AMC River East 21 which is a big bonus for this reviewer as its pretty nice and has a lot to do before and after the movie with the nice lounge and bowling alley (yup super for a date or a family night).
Sign up for the email list for the ‘tails (everyone says «deets» so I’m using «tails») or peep the website. I seriously challenge you not to find a film or 5 you want to see. It’s so cool because one really gets to see movies they’d never have heard of and/​or learn about different cultures or customs. Over the years I saw a bitchin movie Juan of the Dead, the first horror movie every made in Cuba and it was frick in hilarious black comedy with a bunch of Cuban and American quips. I also saw a creepy Spanish thriller and a German coming of age flick.
What are you waiting for?! Check it out!

This is one of my favorite cultural activities I’ve attended in the Chicago area. This year the festival presented about 180 films from 50 countries. There is always a great selection of films coming from a range of venerable directors to first-​time youngin’s. A lot of these films don’t receive distribution in the US, so this is a great chance to see something that has received buzz in other parts of the world and that tells a story that you would otherwise have never been exposed to. This year I saw an Egyptian film – something new to me.
Ticket prices may differ depending on how buzzworthy the film is but they usually hover around $ 13 for regular admission.
Most of the festival takes place at AMC River East which is easily accessible, clean and modern. I recommend joining the mailing list for updates on events and a free program mailed to you when next year’s festival rolls around.

Looks like I’m the first one to enter a 2011 review since the festival actually started on ¹⁰⁄₆. I went there to see one film which was directed and written by a grade school classmate. Saw him for the first time in decades and saw his film as well, The Return of Joe Rich. His piece was excellent and I wish him the best of luck in getting it distributed.
While I did not see any other films, this was my first «upfront» opportunity to visit the CIFF, and I was pretty impressed. They seemed to have a great variety of productions from all over the world. They were very organized and it was very easy to find CIFF staff to ask any questions.
While I wasn’t prepared to attend more showings, now that I know a little more about it, I will try to attend next year to see more of the films they feature. As a famous Chicago review team used to say, «two thumbs up.»

It’s good to be a Midwesterner. CIFF really lives up to the «international» part when it comes to selecting their yearly line-​up. it’s obvious that by its line-​up that it’s trying to be «edgy» or provocative. It excels at the latter, not so much the former.
Negatives:
— line-​up can be sometimes wanting in terms of «diversity» of voices (just because a film is in a foreign language doesn’t mean it’s a «different» voice. .. perspectives can be shared even if the country is millions of miles away)
— lack of conservatives voices
— most if not all small (read: films you’re NEVER going to see anywhere else) international films either dealt with:
A) emo crap (teen angst, no one understands me, sexual confusion/​awakening etc.)
or
B) mid-​life crisis (gotta leave my spouse cause I love this other person, love triangle drama)
Cliché madness. CIFF, is there a theme/​agenda to your line-​up?
Not really a negative, but the programmers read like a stereotypical liberal arts major wanting to «break away from the system”/“can’t work for the man» or «I am chained by the rules of society» type of attitude/​insecurity. Where’s the self-​esteem here? I mean, I thought we all graduated from college and matured? I guess not.
It does lacks the «wow» factor when it comes to line-​up other film fests and national/​international appeal, but I don’t see that as an issue.
Positives:
— organized
— line-​up, overall, is the most eclectic when compared to other fests
— film shorts are usually good/​interesting
— films about women in Middle East dealing with
social injustices, at least for 2011
— has films that premiered at TIFF, Cannes or Venice
— Cine Youth Festival showcase
I’m a supporter of this festival despite the negatives. I fully enjoy film so I can’t «really» dislike it. Its lack of notoriety makes it such a versatile event (most A-​list fests are mainly used as a way to find distribution and acts as another red carpet «come hither» opportunity for its stars — it becomes a business filled with clout that rivals Chicago politics when it comes to movie entrees) since it can concentrate on whats important: genuinely searching and screening films all around the world (not just those highly anticipated Oscar baits), promoting social awareness through film, helping Chicago’s youth see different perspectives through film (and while making film), and educating the Chicago mass about the industry through panels.
CIFF is «real.» It’s low-​key but the programs the festival offers the community are great and educational. Like Chicago’s theater community, it is indeed an «ensemble» reaching out to not only those who enjoy film, but also to those who may not otherwise have a chance to experience it. I get a «we’re in this together» type of feeling. And I like that feeling.
Score: 3.5÷5

Went to like 8 films this year and was very impressed with everything about this festival from the staff to the range and quality of the films shown. You will not be disappointed if nothing else you will be exposed to a diverse selection of films.
Please go to this festival and support indie movies.
Until next year CIFF…

I’ve done the smaller film festivals so this Chicago one to me was quite impressive.
GREAT selection of shows to choose from. Luckily, my girl had project to do so we went with a certain genre and goal. We ended up seeing ‘Mississippi Damned’ which ended up winning the top award this go around.
All the movies take place in the AMC River East, which is the most annoying theater to get to via public transporation. Besides, I think films like this would be best view in the Century Theater on Clark. But okay… just one theater, fine.
Very organized! Sometimes almost too much so it seemed. I felt like we were being kicked out of the theater with the Q&A afterwards. Then kicked out of the hallway outside while visiting with the director and actors.
Which leads me to the bonus of giving us the head’s up while purchasing tickets on who may be there. Great when choosing which showing to attend!
All in all, lots of fun and tough choices! I’m glad we apparently made the right one since it won the fest! Can’t wait to see more next year!

Good opportunity to see lots of films from all over the world. The best part is that they show all the films at AMC 21 and they do try hard to have the director/​producer/​actor present for Q & A.
We saw 9 movies this year, and 6 of them had a Q & A, which helped us appreciate the context and the process of film making so much more.
The logistics are getting better and better each year.

As the weather begins to get colder, people begin to move their exercise regimens inside. Some people do yoga. Some people take up the stationary bike. What do I do? I attend the Chicago International Film Festival.
Anyone who doubts the workoutability of the festival has never run between the 600 North Michigan and AMC River East 21 for two showings 20 minutes apart. Or, at least the festival goer *used* to have to do this. CIFF (as its affectionately known to those in the know) keeps shedding theaters as the years progress. The 2009 festival is almost completely at the River East 21. Yay for convenience (even if it’s not the most public transportation friendly of movie venues), boo for cutting into my workout!
Of course, less screens mean less movies as well — which is probably the bigger disappointment. This year’s pared down festival only interested me a couple of days. There were less Polish films, less Russian films (though look out for «Hipsters,» it might be a breakout hit), less future underground British hits, less animated gems (though I highly recommend «Mary and Max» with the voice work of Toni Colette and Phillip Seymour Hoffman). And less, unlike certain forms of exercise, is not more here.
Sure buried somewhere in the films is probably the next «Slumdog Millionaire» (the surprise hit of last year’s festival) but I can’t tell what it is. But some people will have seen it first here and started a buzz which will have made the whole thing worthwhile for some director and those people who want to be part of film’s next wave.
But, really, CIFF this year due to its smaller scope really just felt insignificant. Like some small city’s festival instead of a major cultural event in Chicago. Or maybe, on a positive) the lack of buzz was just that my ears weren’t ringing from running back and forth in the cold between downtown theaters.

Film Festivals: Where the artisans and critics come out. I have to start by saying that this is my first film festival. Tickets were $ 12 dollars for non members, which I found to be alright.
I would assume that the prices are other international festivals are about the same. The Naperville Film Festival held international films and the screenings were $ 3. The difference I think was that Naperville presented the screenings in a 2^nd rate theatre and a hotel. So I took that 3 flights of escalators and the downtown scenery attributed to the ticket difference.
The venue: The AMC River North and was nice. Huge stadium seating seating.
The film: Girls on the Wall… By itself 5 stars, a documentary about juvenile girls and their stories transitioning in and out of youth centers.
The crowd: Very good questions and insightful. I left with some great thought from the movie and discussion after.
The festival: Great! This is my first experience of a film festival and I loved the opportunity to hear the vision of directors, actors, producers, etc. It takes you much deeper than the movie. I definitely plan on going to more festivals now.
Overall: If you are a person who likes movies for more than just laughs or screams check it out. I can not speak for all the featured films, but the festival does a great deal to go deeper than the surface of film.

I love film festivals and movies in general. What I don’t love is an unorganized event. I showed up for Desplechin’s new film (
) on Sunday the 26^th. However, when I arrived I was told that it had played the previous day. The vacant looking twenty-​something also informed me that, «yeah, the information on the web site is from last year.»
Well then how about you fix things? If you’re aware of the problem, could you address it? Was last year’s schedule so awesome that you decided to just leave it there forever? Also, the festival hot line doesn’t have great hours. And when I called during their business hours, they didn’t answer.
I’m giving the CIFF two stars because I think every film fest is probably worthy of two stars based on principle alone. Please, try harder.

Chicago International Film Festival presents «America the Beautiful»
Saturday Oct. 6 Première
Film/​Reception/​Fashion Show $ 40.00
Fashion Show and Reception $ 25.00
312−332-FILM
A thought provoking Film documentary «America The Beauty» is the attempt to tell the truth behind the fashion, plastic surgery, and cosmetics and beauty Industry.

If you like film, you’ll like this film festival. There’s something for everyone!
My strategy:
— Get a program guide before the festival starts.
— Go to your favorite coffee/​tea shop, order a drink, find a comfy chair, pull out a pen.
— Read through all the film listings and mark the films you MUST see with a solid circle in the margin. Mark films you might see with an open circle; films that kind of look interesting with a dash; films you don’t want to see with an X.
— Go to the film calendar grid and outline or highlight the films you marked in the previous sections.
— Plan your schedule around the dates & theaters you highlighted. Maybe catch a few movies in a row at the same theater.
— If it looks like you’re interested in 10 movies throughout the festival, get a Moviegoer pass (for 10 movies).
Okay, that process is for the overly organized person who does not like to miss out on anything. For anyone else, just show up at a sponsoring theater and pick something!
Bring a pen to the theater as they have you fill out a short judging ballot for each film. AND as a bonus, sometimes the director, producer or actors from the films are in attendance and answer questions at the end of the movies! Check the program guides for more info.
Films are primarily at Lamdmark’s Century Centre and AMC River East 21, with a few showings at Music Box Theatre.

I used to love getting the CIFF program in the mail to mark off all the films I wanted to see. I’ve always viewed this festival as a preview of Oscar, SAG, and GG winning films. This festival and the Latino Film Fest are the two I miss… I still look online at the selections to note which films I should keep on my radar…