CCFF2022: Opening Night Portraits of Director/Actor Cooper Raiff for ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’

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CHICAGO – The lines were out the door, the buzz was in the air and the Opening Night film of the 9th Chicago Critics Film Festival (CCFF) was “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” The Fest continues through May 19th, click CCFF for schedule and ticket info.

Cooper Raiff of ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ at the 9th CCFF. May 13, 2022
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

“Cha Cha Real Smooth” won the Audience Favorite Award at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and the director/featured actor Cooper Raiff made an appearance at CCFF on behalf of the film. Cooper Raiff also is Andrew, a recent college grad whose aimlessness is perplexing his family, including his mother (Leslie Mann) and stepfather (Brad Garrett). His life changes when he begins a business as a “party starter/DJ” at various Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, where he meets Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). It is scheduled to be released by Apple TV+ on June 17, 2022.

The 9th Chicago Critics Film Festival returns after a truncated 2021 event and the 2020 pandemic cancellation. It is the the only Film Festival curated by film critics, and highlights the 2022 films from the early year festivals like Sundance and SXSW.

Cooper Raiff Promotes ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com



In a Preview to a longer Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Cooper Raiff talks about “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” …

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