Gene Siskel Film Center

CHICAGO – The European Union Film Festival is an annual happening at Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center, and will take place in 2023 from March 1st-31st. Kicking off the Fest will be an appearance from actors Lena Olin and Tora Hallström.

CHICAGO – The controversial phrase “Good Guy with a Gun” is now a title for the latest feature film from John Mossman, who wrote and directed the story of a mother and son trying to rebuild their lives after losing their husband/father to gun violence. The twist is they’re rebuilding in a small town with an entrenched gun culture. The film makes its Midwest Premiere at Chicago’s Midwest Film Festival, on Monday February 27th, 2023, at the downtown Gene Siskel Film Center.

CHICAGO – It’s 2023 for the Midwest Film Festival. The Chicago institution – the only ongoing monthly film fest in the city – has their Opening night on Monday, January 30th, 2023, with a screening of the 2022 “Best of the Midwest” short films.

CHICAGO – In November 2022, the Executive Director of Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center … Jean de St. Aubin … announced she will leave the position in February of 2023. Ms. de St. Aubin joined the Film Center in 2003, snd has overseen many transition points during her tenure, including of course the closure due to the pandemic.

CHICAGO – Putting together a documentary, especially as it involves a step-by-step process, can take a bit of time. Filmmaker Jack C. Newell has spent 10 years putting together “How (Not) to Build a School in Haiti.” The Premiere of the film is Friday, September 16th at Chicago’s Gene Siskel Film Center. Click HAITI for info and tickets.

CHICAGO – First Tuesday for the Midwest Film Festival (MFF) is on September 6th, 2022, presenting the short “Prairie Girls” (Benett Holgerson) and feature “Provo” (Emma Thatcher) at the Gene Siskel Film Center. For ticket info, click MFF SEPT FIRST TUESDAY.

CHICAGO – It’s been three years, there is definitely a need to get together and destroy something. So in the spirit of this urge, power couple filmmaker Jack C. Newell and Rebecca Fons of the Gene Siskel Film Center, will conduct their 4th “Destroy Your Art” event, back from its last incarnation in 2019. The idea is a filmmaker creates a film, shows it once to the audience, and then destroys it forever. This will take place this year at the historic Music Box Theatre on August 25th, 2022. For more information, including tickets, click here.

Previous | Image 1 of 6 | Next

Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon talk about Damon’s career

CHICAGO – In an expected fun and wild back-&-forth between two movie icons, Matt Damon accepted the Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award at the 50th Anniversary fundraiser for the Center … which raised $200,000. Damon did a live virtual interview moderated by Robert Downey Jr., screened at the fundraiser event on June 25th, 2022.

CHICAGO – Matt Damon, the leading man whose roles play like a character actor, is the latest recipient of the Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award, part of the Center’s 50th Anniversary fundraiser (click here for details) He will do a live virtual interview moderated by Robert Downey Jr., which will be s

CHICAGO – It was 100 years ago today – June 10th, 1922 – that Frances Gumm was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, but the world would soon know her as Judy Garland. The entertainer, who went from child star to adult fame, is honored by her daughter Lorna Luft.