Film News

CHICAGO – After making its sensational opening night local debut at the Chicago Critics Film Festival in May, the film “Saint Frances” – directed by Alex Thompson and written by (also lead actor) Kelly O’Sullivan – will kick off the the fifth season of the Elevated Films Chicago series on Thursday, June 13th (7:30pm), at the Ace Hotel Chicago. For more information and tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – Genre films, those categories of movies that have specific themes – horror, thriller, comedy – but remain undefined in their unique qualities, is exactly what the Cinepocalypse Film Festival is all about. The week-long 2019 edition of the fest kicks off on Thursday, June 13th, at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre with the World Premiere of “Verotika,” written and directed by Glenn Danzig, founder and vocalist of the legendary band Misfits. Danzig will appear on behalf of the film. For more information and tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – It’s alternative cinema in Chicago time, as the 26th Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF) kicks off on Wednesday, June 5th, 2019, and runs through Sunday, June 9th. The Opening Night film is “Empty Metal,” a “war movie without a war, a nightmare you’re ashamed to admit was actually a dream.” Screenings take place at The Logan Theatre in Chicago, and tickets – which include an after party – can be purchased by clicking here.

CHICAGO – It has been a week of spectacular cinema treats at the 7th Chicago Critics Film Festival, and tonight it wraps up with “Light from Light,” a 2019 multi-festival recognized film. Write/director Paul Harrill and lead actor (and comedian) Jim Gaffigan will appear on behalf of the film, at 8:30pm on Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. For more details and tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – Tonight what heights we’ll hit. The 7th Chicago Critics Film Festival (CCFF) begins on Friday, May 17th, 2019, and offers a week of 2019 film greatness, selected by Chicago Film Critics from the major festivals so far. This will be a whole week at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, Click here for the schedule.

CHICAGO – For the past five years, the film house of Full Spectrum Features have been presenting and then distributing a program of short films, which are based in Chicago and features the rising filmmaking talent in the Windy City. On Thursday, May 16th, 2019 (7pm), Full Spectrum Features presents Chicagoland Shorts Vol. 5, at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).The event is free, and advanced tickets have been claimed, but there will be walk up opportunities that night. Click here for details.

CHICAGO – One of the most honored recent films of Hong Kong, “Still Human,” will have its Chicago Premiere in a co-presentation by Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema and the Hong Long Economic & Trade Office. The emotional drama, about a disabled Hong Kong man (Anthony Wong) and his Filipino caregiver (Crisel Consunji), recently won accolades from the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Udine Far East Film Festival. First-time feature director Oliver Chan – she is a female filmmaker, despite the moniker – and lead actress Crisel Consunji will appear on behalf of the film at the Gene Siskel Film Center, on May 13th, 2019 (8pm). Click here for tickets and details.

CHICAGO – How does one man rediscover and revive an art form? This question is answered in the magnificent “Bathtubs Over Broadway,” a 2018 documentary about the quest of comedy writer Steve Young, as he saves the legacy of the “industrial musical,” a form of American corporate entertainment from the 1950s through the ‘70s. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com will host a screening of the film on Monday, May 13th, 2019 (7:30pm), and facilitate a discussion afterward, at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove, Ill. To purchase tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – The end of the 2019 academic year means graduation is nearing, and Chicago’s Columbia College – offering a curriculum that blends creative and media arts, liberal arts and business for nearly 7,000 students – is celebrating with their undergraduate “Advanced Practicum.” The short film program, which combines collaborative talent for directors, producers and post-production, is part of the day-long events of the college’s “Manifest Urban Arts Festival.” For more information about Advanced Practicum, click here.

CHICAGO – The 2019 CineYouth Festival launched on Friday, April 26th, and the kickoff featured a Sundance Film Fest award winner, “Jawline.” The documentary, directed by Liza Mandelup, is a ripped-from-the-now overview on the impact of teenage life through the creation of social connections online rather than in reality. The 15th edition of the CineYouth Fest will feature 64 films from 18 different countries, all produced by filmmakers who are 22 years old or younger. All the screenings, workshops and other happenings are FREE and open to the public. For more information, click here. The CineYouth Festival runs through Sunday, April 28th.