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CHICAGO – In this challenging year the 56th Chicago International Film Festival provided a sense of normalcy, within the context of the “new normal.” Offering virtual, online and in-person drive-in screenings, it succeeded in doing what its 2020 slogan said, “Film Will Take You There.”

CHICAGO – The Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) is competitive, and the 56th edition presented its awards on October 23rd, 2020, as a live virtual and online event on the CIFF YouTube page. The winner of the Gold Hugo as Best International Film was “Sweat” (France), directed by Magnus von Horn.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on October 22nd, 2020, reviewing the new Sacha Baron Cohen redux of “Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm,” and the last weekend of the 56th Chicago International Film Festival.

CHICAGO – The Chicago International Film Festival was founded in 1965 by Michael Kutza, and is the longest running “competitive film festival” in North America. So with that in mind it’s time for the 56th festival to confer those awards.

CHICAGO – The mercurial genius of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick is a cinephile’s dream, and his films continue to influence. A new documentary, “Kubrick by Kubrick,” directed by Gregory Monro, uses Kubrick’s actual words from past interviews.

CHICAGO – The Midwest Film Festival continues their 2020 Fall Drive-In Programs on October 21st, 2020, with the presentation of “Ad Community Shorts Night.” Doors open at 5:30pm at the Chi-Town Movies Drive-In near the Pilsen neighborhood … click here for ticket purchasing information.

CHICAGO – One of the most influential documentary makers in film history is Chicagoan Steve James of Kartemquin Films. His lens has commented upon not only the seminal “Hoop Dreams” (1994), but “Stevie” (2002), “The Interrupters” (2011), the Roger Ebert bio doc “Life Itself” (2014) and the recent “America to Me.”

MARIN COUNTY, CALIF. – James “Jamie” Redford was on a righteous mission. The activist filmmaker created documentaries that spoke of the ills society is facing, including “Toxic Hot Seat” (chemicals in households), “Paper Tigers” (childhood psychology), “Resilence” (a deeper dive into Adverse Childhood Experience) and his recent “Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution.” Jamie Redford died of bile duct cancer on October 16th, 2020, at his home in Marin County, California. He was 58.

CHICAGO – One of the prime Chicago-centric documentaries at the 56th Chicago International Film Festival is “For Madmen Only: Stories of Del Close.” Del Close was a legendary instructor in the Chicago comedy improv scene, and director Heather Ross created this multi-layered doc of his comic force.

CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on The Eddie Volkman Shoe on WSSR-FM (Star 96.7 Joliet, Illinois) on October 16th, 2020, reviewing the new Liam Neeson action movie, ‘Honest Thief, also featuring Robert Patrick of “Terminator 2.”