Podcast

CHICAGO – One of the closest persons to John Lennon in the decade between the break up of The Beatles and his untimely death was May Pang … his lover from 1973 to 1975 … a time in Lennon’s life often called the “Lost Weekend.” Pang narrates a new documentary that sets their record straight, aptly titled “The Lost Weekend A Love Story.”

CHICAGO – The family farm is fast becoming extinct, and the people who continue to try and keep those farms are under tremendous pressure, financially and otherwise. This theme plays out in the documentary “Greener Pastures,” produced by Ian Robertson Kibbe and produced/directed by Sam Mirpoorian.

CHICAGO – Award winning documentary filmmaker Aviva Kempner is making an appearance in Chicago on behalf of her latest film – co-directed with Ben West – on the continuing controversy regarding sports teams named after Native American tribes and images.

CHICAGO – While at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, there are shuttles between the film theaters, and often en route some prime networking takes place. On one such shuttle connection was Tara Bopp, a featured actor in the world premiere of the short film “Never Fuggedaboutit,” a sly take on two legendary media events.

CHICAGO – Carla Bruni is a Chicago preservationist, and had a unique idea for a Fellowship within her discipline. Her idea became “Community Glue,” a gathering of repair artists and seamstresses to … you guessed it … repair/mend broken and damaged items, instead of throwing them away.

CHICAGO – A hugely successful Season 16 of Sophia’s Choice Asian Pop-Up Cinema concludes this weekend … April 15th & 16th … with four films from Taiwan, part of the Taiwan Cinema Showcase. For tickets and more information, click links to DAY OFF, MARRY MY DEAD BODY, GAGA and LOST IN FOREST. “Lost In Forest” includes an appearance and Q&A from director Johnny Chiang and featured actor Lee Kang Sheng.

CHICAGO – The world broke open and came to a more evolved place after the digital campaign of #MeToo and #TimesUp late last decade. In the entertainment industry especially, the stories of institutional sexual harassment was legion and pervasive.

CHICAGO – Spring is busting out all over for film festivals, and upcoming is the Wisconsin Film Festival, taking place within the environs of the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wisconsin, from April 13th-20th, 2023, The popular fest is celebrating 25 years, and features a mix of current festival films, local filmmakers, International films and special presentations of cinema history. For all information and ticket availability, click WIfilmfest.org.

CHICAGO – Another Chicago creator has a World Premiere. Alyssa Thordarson, who makes her director debut with Michael Glover Smith, will present the short “Paper Planes” at the AfterImage Film Fest (Fox Valley, Illinois) on April 15, 2023.

CHICAGO – Perseverance is most likely the greatest trait, beyond talent and creation, in filmmaking. Jennifer Scott had a passion project that she co-wrote 13 years ago, and after the various stops and starts over a course of getting it off the ground, the film “Eyes Upon Waking,” went before the cameras in 2019, and is currently on the film festival circuit.