Film Feature: 48th Annual Chicago International Film Festival Highlights, Part Three

Submitted by mattmovieman on October 18, 2012 - 8:53am

Here are another four titles that may deserve your attention with official synopses from the Chicago Film Festival. If we had the time and money, we’d check these out.

Post Tenebras Lux
Photo credit: The Chicago International Film Festival

“Post Tenebras Lux”
October 19th, 2:30pm
October 21st, 1:30pm
October 24th, 6pm

An astonishing visual tour de force from Mexican filmaker Reygadas (whose previous film, 2007’s Silent Light, won the Gold Hugo), this enigmatic, elusive film presents the occurrences around a family of four. Mundane domestic events are punctuated with tableaux of overwhelming beauty, while some sinister force lurks outside. Filled with arresting images from one of world cinema’s most innovative visual masters, Post Tenebras Lux is a truly sui generis work.

Director Travis Fine and producer Kristine Fine are scheduled to attend all three screenings.

Bound by Flesh
Photo credit: The Chicago International Film Festival

“Bound by Flesh”
October 19th, 5pm

The Hilton sisters’ incredible story begins in England in the early 1900s when their mother, after discovering she had given birth to conjoined twins, sold the babies to a woman who viewed the girls exclusively as “cash cows.” Their new caretaker/manager put the young pair on display in the back of pubs, eventually taking them on tour in carnivals and circuses. When the twins came to America, they instantly became a gigantic success, but the 23-year-old sisters were unable to cope with the dishonest agents and managers that would exploit them over and over again throughout their lives. Leslie Zemeckis’ compelling documentary explores the colorful, tragic lives of the world’s most famous conjoined twins.  Director Leslie Zemeckis is scheduled to attend the screening.

Starlet
Photo credit: The Chicago International Film Festival

“Starlet”
October 20th, 9:30pm

21-year-old “actress” Jane spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates and taking care of her Chihuahua, Starlet. Sadie, an 85-year-old widow, passes her days alone tending to her flower garden. An unlikely friendship forms between the two after Jane makes an intriguing discovery at Sadie’s yard sale. Jane attempts to befriend the caustic older woman in an effort to satisfy her curiosity, and secrets emerge as their relationship grows.

An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
Photo credit: The Chicago International Film Festival

“An Oversimplification of Her Beauty”
October 21st, 6:15pm
October 22nd, 8:30pm
October 23rd, 3:15pm

Starring director Terence Nance as a version of himself, a young man attempts to make a female friend something more. A single event motivates an abstract and witty introspection into the origins of his feelings toward her. Brazenly mixing live action with animation and eschewing classical narrative structure, “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty” is a stylish, exhilarating American debut.

Director Terence Nance is scheduled to attend all three screenings.

Stay tuned to HollywoodChicago.com for coverage of the CIFF 2012 award ceremony.