Covid

CHICAGO – The combination of the divisive Donald Trump election and the pandemic affected many U.S. communities. David Siev, an American filmmaker from a Cambodian-origin family, turned on his camera to tell the story of that time in his hometown of Bad Axe, Michigan. The results became the documentary “Bad Axe.”

CHICAGO – The Amazon Rainforest, in the country of Brazil in South America, is often called the heartbeat of the world … its ecosystem is a regulator for climate and nature. As this natural land – and the native people who have called it home – is threatened by development, the story is told by director Alex Pritz in “The Territory.”

CHICAGO – The Amazon Rainforest, in the country of Brazil in South America, is often called the heartbeat of the world. Its ecosystem is a regulator for climate and nature, and it’s currently being threatened by development. This story is told in “The Territory,” represented by Gabriel Uchida (producer) and Txai Surui (Executive Producer).

CHICAGO – A cinema treasure, the Gene Siskel Film Center, reopens in-theater screenings on Friday, August 6th, 2021, the first since the pandemic closure in March of 2020. During the closure, they also named a new Director of Programming, Rebecca Fons.

CHICAGO – It’s time again for live theater in Chicago, and The Factory Theater – in anticipation of their 2021-22 Season – is launching “Quiet Please! It’s A Silent Auction,” an online silent auction through the month of August (the 1st-31st). An amazing array of goods and services are available for bidding, and can be accessed by clicking here.

CHICAGO – Local filmmaker Michael Glover Smith broke through the after-the-pandemic ceiling with his recently completed fourth feature film, “Relative.” The ten day production, shot primarily in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, follows the adventures of a family negotiating the youngest son’s graduation gathering.

CHICAGO – One of Chicago’s most traditional film festivals will be doing what so many others have done in 2020, going virtual and online. The 36th Chicago Latino Film Festival (CLFF) will take place September 18th-27th. For a full schedule, click here. Founder and Executive Director Pepe Vargas talked to HollywoodChicago.com about the fest.

CHICAGO – When comic performer Ray Hui submitted his one minute film to the Asian Pop-Up Cinema’s “Stay-At-Home Short Film Competition” back in May, he didn’t realize that three months later his “2020 A Year in Review” would still be relevant. So add predictor-of-the-future to his long resume of comedy and performance.

HUNTLEY, ILL – Electrician by day and rockstar by night, hometown hero Pino Farina brings the northwest suburbs together through bi-weekly Facebook live performances. With a virtual jukebox of covers and original songs, Pino exudes a positive vibe, passion and talent that has helped fill these empty quarantine nights with lasting memories.