Film News: CUFF Closing Night Film is ‘Manlife: The Last of the Lawsonians’ on June 4, 2017

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CHICAGO – It’s been five days of off-the-wall cinema, filmmaker appearances, afterparty happenings and showing off the emerging Logan Square neighborhood. The 2017 Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF) is wrapping up on Sunday, June 4th, with a day of film presentations, culminating with the special U.S. and World Premiere of “Manlife: The Last of the Lawsonians.”

The documentary focuses on 90 year-old Merle Hayden, the last member of the utopian movement Lawsonomy, which seeks to preserve the legacy of his Commander, Alfred Lawson. Lawson invented the United States’ first passenger airliner, but his company went bankrupt during the Great Depression. Dismayed by the economic policies at work, Lawson created the Direct Credits Society, a movement against what Lawson called “the one percent” (sound familiar?) The Society advocated for economic reform and “justice for everyone that harms no one.” Once the Depression ended, and the country went back to work, the movement faded. But there was one disciple left… Merle Hayden. The documentary tells the story of his loyalty to the cause, a relationship from the past and a life that still needs redemption.

Merle Hayden is the Subject of ‘Manlife: The Last of the Lawsonians’
Photo credit: CUFF.org

The 24th Chicago Underground Film Festival is an annual event showcasing independent, experimental and documentary films from around the world. Their mission is to promote films and videos that dissent radically in form, technique, or content from the “indie” mainstream, and to present adventurous works that challenge and transcend commercial and audience expectations. 25 programs comprised of narrative, documentary and experimental features, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 20 countries, make up the main body of the festival, along with nightly parties and live music, discussions and other networking and community building events. The Closing Night includes an afterparty, click the first link below to get details.

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com