Podcast

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 – At the recent Doc 10 screening of “Pray Away,” a new documentary by Kristine Stolakis, Illinois State Representative Kelly Cassidy and Evanston (Illinois) Mayor Daniel Biss made introductory remarks regarding their role in establishing laws against “Conversion Therapy” … the industry that promises to “cure” gay or trans orientation.

CHICAGO – It’s Pride Week, ya all, part of Pride Month, culminating in the upcoming Pride Weekend … the more the Pride the better. 2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of the first official Gay Pride Parade in Chicago – the first “march” took place a year earlier in 1970, honoring the first anniversary of the Stonewall Inn Uprising.

CHICAGO – A titan of a TV/film character actor, who is also a novelist and judo champion, is turning 80 years young on February 13th, 2021. Bo Svenson has been featured opposite Robert Redford (“The Great Waldo Pepper”), was notable as a Southern lawman (“Walklng Tall” series), impressed Quentin Tarantino (“Inglourious Basterds”) and is still ready for his next act.

CHICAGO – After a successful festival run, the film “Breaking Fast” – a heartwarming gay romantic comedy – was released through Video-On-Demand on January 22nd, 2021. One of the key screenings previously was at REELING, the international Chicago LGBTQ+ film fest, and during that time an actor from Chicago with a vital role, Rula Gardenier, talked about “Breaking Fast” and her move to Los Angeles.

CHICAGO – Dennis Dugan, in directing Adam Sandler (“Happy Gilmore”), Chris Farley (“Beverly Hills Ninja”) and John Ritter (“Problem Child”), can rightly be considered a comedy director icon. He also for his latest film, “Love, Weddings & Other Disasters,” developed the story and wrote the screenplay for the first time.

CHICAGO – Now that the socially distanced Thanksgiving is past us, it’s time to turn to Christmas and the films that are associated with that holiday. Documentary director Dana Nachman has a series of emotional and true stories in her latest film “Dear Santa,” an overview of a gift-giving charity that starts with a child’s letter.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com reviews the new documentary “Truth is the Only Client: The Official Investigation of the Murder of John F. Kennedy” on the 57th Anniversary of the JFK assassination on November 22nd, 2020. The doc reassembles investigators of the 1964 Warren Commission.

CHICAGO – Combine the hilarity of prime observational comedy with the zen of inner peace, and you have Melinda Hill’s downloadable stand up special “Inappropriate.” This sharp master of laughs delivers an hour of riffs on her life and loves, including her viral tweet on fellow comedian Louis CK (#MeTooSoon).

CHICAGO – The 26th edition of Chicago’s Black Harvest Film Festival (BHFF) continues with online and virtual access. One of the short films, in the program “Voices of Our Time,” is writer/director Okema “Seven” Gunn’s “Black Mama Sable.”