CCFF2023: 10th Chicago Critic’s Fest Weekday Films Preview

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CHICAGO – The 10th Chicago Critics Film Festival (CCFF) continues through May 11th, with many screenings to come. On Wednesday, May 10th, a searing drama of sibling youth set in early 1990s Toronto is “Brother.” Click on BROTHER for tickets and more information.

Brother
Photo credit: ChicagoCriticsFilmFestival.com

Rating: 4.0/5.0

“Brother” is the story of Francis (Aaron Pierre) and Michael (Lamar Johnson), sons of Caribbean immigrants maturing into young men. Exploring themes of masculinity, identity and family, a mystery unfolds during the sweltering summer of 1991, and escalating tensions set off a series of events that change the course of the brothers’ lives forever. It’s a timely story about the profound bonding, the resilience of a community and the irrepressible power of music. Directed by Clement Virgo, who will appear on behalf of the film and participate in a Q&A after the screening.

CAPSULE REVIEW: Although the themes of immigrant difficulties and implications of rougher/poorer urban neighborhoods have been explored before, “Brothers” has a different take. It focuses on a family trying to do the best they can with what they’ve been dealt in life, and the slow realization that survival can be possible through love and appreciation. (7pm)

The 10th Chicago Critics Film Festival is the the only such festival in the country curated by film critics, and highlights the 2023 films from the early year festivals like Sundance and SXSW. Also showing on May 10th is the documentary “And the king said, what a FANTASTIC MACHINE” (directed by Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck) and “Revoir Paris” (Alice Winocour). The 10th Chicago Critics Film Festival Closing Night is May 11th.

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