Film Fest News: Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema & Reeling39 Announce Sept. 2021 Line-Ups

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CHICAGO – September of 2021 is just around the corner, and two major Chicago film festivals have announced their Fall film line-ups … both Season 13 of the Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) and the 39th edition of the REELING LGBTQ+ International Festival.

APUC opens on September 15th, 2021, and will run through October 15th, and will have a hybrid of in-theater screenings (AMC River East and the Davis Theater, Chicago), Chi-town Drive In and virtual/online offerings. Reeling39 will take place from September 23rd through October 7th, and include in-theater (Music Box Theatre and Landmark Century Centre Cinema, Chicago) and virtual/online screenings.

Asian Pop-Up Cinema, Season 13

’Ascension’ (US/China) opens APUC on September 15th, 2021
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org

After experiencing the differing factors within the pandemic period in Seasons 10, 11 and 12, APUC will be going back to in-theater screenings along with other options for all audiences. For Season 13, they will offer films from Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, China, South Korea, United States and Canada. The season will highlight women in film, stories with humanitarian themes and action thrillers, including four restored martial arts classics. There will also be special screenings at the Korean Culture Center of Chicago (Wheeling, Ill., a free screening), the Illinois Institute of Technology Tower Auditorium (Chicago) and the Chinese American Museum (Chicago). APUC is curated by the Founder and Executive Director, Sophia Wong Boccio.

For the full line-up, CLICK HERE.

Reeling39 LGBTQ+ International Film Festival

The Reeling LGBTQ+ International returns after an all-virtual festival last year, and will offer a hybrid of in theater and online/virtual film screenings. Boasting 42 shows including 33 feature films and nine short film programs, this year’s festival includes films from more than 15 countries … including Israel, Turkey, Iran, Australia, Italy, Romania, and Chile. Now in its 39th year, Reeling is the second-oldest LGBTQ+ film festival in the world and a beloved Chicago cultural institution.

For the full line-up, CLICK HERE.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor, Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com