Roger Ebert

Chicago International Film Festival Announces 2007 Award Winners

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:20:45 -0700

CHICAGO – The Chicago International Film Festival on Oct. 14 announced its 2007 award winners.

Mexico, China, Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States took top honors in the festival’s 43rd iteration.

Chicago audiences selected from 102 feature films, 14 documentaries and 33 shorts and student films spanning 43 countries. Films showcased both well-known and promising new filmmakers.

The festival’s highest honor is the Gold Hugo, which was coined after the mythological god of discovery. When perusing the awardees below, notice “Chicago 10” and “America the Beautiful,” which I mentioned back on Sept. 19.

Feature Film Competition

The Gold Hugo went to “Silent Light” (Mexico).
The Silver Hugo jury prize went to “Tuya’s Marriage” (China).
The Silver Hugo for direction went to Roy Anderson for “You, The Living” (Sweden).
The Silver Hugo for best actor went to Sam Riley for “Control” (U.K.).
The Silver Hugo for best actress went to Yu Nan for “Tuya’s Marriage” (China).
The Silver Hugo for best screenplay went to Matt Greenhalgh for “Control” (U.K).
The silver plaque went to Chico Teixeira for “Alice’s House” (Brazil).

The main feature-film jury included Rudi Dolezal (Austria), Mike Goodridge (Great Britain), Udo Kier (Germany), Juri Menzel (Czech Republic), Claude Nouchi (France) and Maryse Sistach (Mexico).

New Director’s Competition

The Gold Hugo went to “In Memory of Myself” (Italy).
The Silver Hugo went to “Not By Chance” (Brazil).

The new director’s jury included Bill Stamets (U.S.), Elizabeth Donius (U.S.), Phillip Bergson (U.K.) and Ron Falzone (U.S.).

Documentary Competition

The Gold Hugo for best documentary went to “Taxi to the Dark Side” (U.S.).
The Silver Hugo went to “Chicago 10” (U.S.).
The gold plaque in direction went to “America the Beautiful” (U.S.).
The gold plaque in photography went to “4 Elements” (Netherlands).
The silver plaque special jury prize went to “Operation Filmmaker” (U.S.) and “A Walk Into the Sea” (U.S.).

The documentary jury included Clayton Brown (Northwestern University; Evanston, Ill.), Peter Gilbert (Kartemquin Films, Chicago) and Lisa Nesselson (Variety, Paris).

Short Film Competition

The Gold Hugo for best short film went to “Hesitation” (France/U.K.).

Narrative Short Film Competition

The Silver Hugo went to “Partus” (Denmark).
The gold plaque went to “27,000 Days” (U.S.).
The silver plaque went to “Train Town” (U.S.).

Animated Short Film Competition

The Silver Hugo went to “Everything Will Be Ok” (U.S.).
The gold plaque went to “Yours Truly” (U.K.).
The silver plaque went to “Sleeping Betty” (Canada).

Experimental Short Film Competition

The gold plaque went to “The Delaware Project” (Canada).

Documentary Short Film Competition

The gold plaque went to “The Ladies” (U.S.).

The short film jury included Steve Prokopy (Ain’t It Cool News, Chicago), Justine Nagan (Kartemquin Films, Chicago) and Mike Gibisser (filmmaker, Chicago).

The Chicago Award

The festival says:

As part of the Chicago International Film Festival’s special section on local filmmakers, the Chicago Award is presented to a Chicago or Illinois artist for the best feature film, short film or documentary.

The award applauds and celebrates the tireless efforts of regional talents who are devotees to the art of cinema and for their contributions to the medium.

This year’s Chicago Award went to “Terra Incognita” (U.S.).

The jury included Mike McNamara (executive director, Midwest Independent Film Festival, Chicago); Malik Bader (filmmaker; 2006 Chicago Award winner for “Street Thief”); and Annie Porter (associate producer, “At the Movies With Ebert & Roeper,” Chicago).

Audience Choice Award

This award will be announced immediately following the completion of the festival after Oct. 17.

Special Tributes

On Oct. 4, 2007, Roger Ebert was presented with a Gold Hugo lifetime achievement award. The entire 2007 festival was dedicated to the legendary film critic.

On Oct. 12, 2007, John Cusack was presented with a career achievement award preceding the Chicago premiere of his “Grace is Gone” film.

On Oct. 13, 2007, Jeffrey Wright was presented with a career achievement award during the festival’s 11th black perspectives tribute.

The 2007 festival concludes on Oct. 17. The 2008 festival will be held one week later from Oct. 9 to 22, 2008.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Chicago International Film Festival Kicks Off With Tribute to Legendary Critic Roger Ebert

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 02:54:17 -0700

CHICAGO – Producers, writers and actors all took a backseat on Thursday night as the Chicago International Film Festival kicked off its 43rd year with a moving tribute to legendary film critic Roger Ebert.

Roger Ebert and wife, Chaz Hammelsmith, at the
Chicago International Film Festival on Oct. 4, 2007.
Photo by Evan O’Donnell/HollywoodChicago.com
The scores of people gathered around the Chicago Theatre were raring to see the major players involved with the making of one of the most anticipated films of the year: “The Kite Runner”.

It turns out they didn’t become thoroughly animated until they saw Ebert emerge from his car with his faithful wife, Chaz, at his side.

The opening-night celebration for the Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) paid tribute to the venerable critic – for whom the festival is dedicated and who is now known as the No. 1 pundit in America – for his decades of work in the film industry.

Opening night of the Chicago International Film
Festival paid tribute to Roger Ebert on Oct. 4, 2007.
Photo by Evan O’Donnell/HollywoodChicago.com
The ceremony moved inside where a capacity crowd of who’s who people – including the chancellor of the University of Illinois, directors, actors and general well wishers – congratulated Ebert on his accomplishments.

The highlight of the night was when Ebert took the stage and spoke a few words with the help of his synthesizer. He has had to use the mechanical voice ever since undergoing surgery to remove thyroid cancer in 2003.

“The Kite Runner” director Marc Forster at the
Chicago International Film Festival on Oct. 4, 2007.
Photo by Evan O’Donnell/HollywoodChicago.com
Ebert paid homage to HAL from “2001: A Space Odyssey”. He was in high spirits and his wife said he is on the road to recovery. She asked the audience to keep him in their prayers as he prepares to undergo the next round of surgeries in November.

A video was presented full of actors and directors congratulating Ebert on his career. It was inspiring how many people talked about him in such warm and glowing terms. Directors including Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood talked of how – after all these years – they still seek Ebert’s approval.

From left to right, “The Kite Runner” director Marc Forster, author
Khaled Hosseini and star Khalid Abdalla at the Chicago International
Film Festival on Oct. 4, 2007
Photo by Evan O’Donnell/HollywoodChicago.com
Ebert has transcended his role as a film critic to what can only be described now as an ambassador for film. He has changed the way we watch movies and will continue to do so for years to come.

It was a night people in attendance won’t soon forget. The evening showed everyone the role of what critics can and should be in the industry. Ebert has done it the right way and has proven himself not only as a film aficionado but as a journalist as well.

By Evan O’Donnell
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Coming to Chicago on Dec. 14, Watch Out For Acclaimed Indie Film ‘Juno’

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:37:01 -0700

CHICAGO – On Sept. 12, 2007, I published a list of independent films coming through the Chicago circuit over the next few months.

While I’m familiar with many of them, I wasn’t with a film called “Juno” from director Jason Reitman. It was the smash of the Toronto International Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival.

Enough said. Watch out for it. It opens on Dec. 14 at Landmark Century Centre in Chicago. Here’s the just-released trailer.

It’s being touted as an end-of-year best screenplay possibility. The film features Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Thirlby, Rainn Wilson, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner.

Roger Ebert on Sept. 9, 2007 said Page could snag a best-actress nomination:

I don’t know when I’ve heard a standing ovation so long, loud and warm as the one after Jason Reitman’s “Juno,” which I predict will become quickly beloved when it opens at Christmas time and win a best actress nomination for 20-year-old star Ellen Page.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com