Interview

CHICAGO – It’s five times the fun for the fifth time. Filmmaker Jack C. Newell and Rebecca Fons of the Gene Siskel Film Center will conduct their 5th “Destroy Your Art” event. 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 Tuesday, September 26th, 2023. For more information, including tickets, click DYA.

CHICAGO – The 30th edition of the Chicago Underground Film Festival concludes their short run on Sunday, September 17th (8:30p), with the World Premiere of the documentary “For Kicks,” directed by veteran filmmaker Sean Patrick Fahey. For details and ticket info, click FOR KICKS.

CHICAGO – The 30th edition of the Chicago Underground Film Festival continues with the documentary “Sweetheart Deal,” co-directed by Elisa Levine and Gabriel Miller, which will screen on Friday, September 15th (9pm) and Sunday, September 17th (3pm) at Harper Theatre in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. For details and ticket info, click DEAL.

CHICAGO – On July 1st, 2023, Sarah Slight was named Artistic Director of the Raven Theatre, beginning with the 41st Season, which begins October 5th with Lucille Fletcher’s from-Broadway thriller “Night Watch.” In 2024, the season will continue with two original commissioned stage plays, Paul Michael Thomson’s ‘brother sister cyborg space’ in February and the final installment of the Grand Boulevard Trilogy, “The Prodigal Daughter,” by Joshua Allen. For all information and tickets, click RAVEN.

CHICAGO – The film festival season for Autumn 2023 is gearing up, and a local Chicago filmmaker has two of his short films in the mix. Writer/director George Ellzey Jr., has his family relationship films “Bosom” and “Cottage Grove” currently on the circuit. “Bosom” will screen on September 27th at the upcoming (click link) Charlotte Film Festival and “Cottage Grove” will be at the Wichita, Kansas, Tall Grass Film Festival on October 6th.

CHICAGO – Fall film festivals begin this week with Season 17 of the Asian Pop-Up Cinema, curated by Executive Director/Founder Sophia Wong Boccio. Opening Night is Friday, September 8th, with the Japanese film “Yudo,” subtitled “The Way of the Bath,” directed by Masayuki Suzuki. For tickets and info, click APUC 17.

CHICAGO – Two of the most cutting edge and modern artists have teamed up to present an unforgettable kaleidoscope of imagery in the hot up-and-coming neighborhood of West Town in Chicago, specifically at the West Town Chamber of Commerce space. The exhibit is called “Shadow Dancer,” and it is in its last month, closing on September 30th, 2023. For more information, click DANCER.

CHICAGO – “The Road Dog” refers to the stand-up comic who lives that life from town to town. The new film by the same name is co-written by Tony Boswell and Greg Glienna (also director), and will screen at the Park Ridge (IL) Pickwick Theatre (click here).

CHICAGO – Currently touring the film festival circuit, the new film “Unfriending” … by writer/director/brothers Brett and Jason Butler … is a pitch black comedy on our weirdly filtered world today. The Canadian filmmakers are veterans of five features, and have been building their reputations since the mid-2000s.

CHICAGO – Catching a young actor in an early career stride is like catching lightning in a bottle. Colin Ford has such a breakthrough role portraying Rickey Hill, a Texas ballplayer who is battling a degenerative disease that may not give him enough time to fulfill his major league dreams. The film is aptly titled “The Hill.”