LGBTQ+

CHICAGO – Happy Pride Weekend! To bring us into this proud celebration, HollywoodChicago.com presents three reviews of LGBTQ+ themed films, with audio overviews from Editor/Writer Patrick McDonald, contributor Jon Lennon Espino and guest reviewer/Founder of Cinema Femme, Rebecca Martin Fagerhoim.

CHICAGO – Happy Pride Weekend! HollywoodChicago.com kicks it off with a revisit to one of our favorite interview subjects, LGBTQ+ activist Gary G. Chichester. But this time we gave him an assignment … provide his personal list of the top Chicago historic LGBTQ+ sites in the city. The results are in the YouTube video below.

CHICAGO – Happy Pride from the Midwest Film Festival of Chicago, celebrating with a special film event on June 24th, 2024 … writer/director Cory Grant’s “Screams From the Tower.” For tickets and information, click SCREAMS.

CHICAGO – Just in time for Pride Month, Strawdog Theatre Co. presents an updated staging of the Oscar Wilde classic, “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Strawdog policy … the tickets are FREE (donations encouraged), but you must put in a reservation by clicking EARNEST.

CHICAGO – When one of Chicago’s own critic/entertainment reporters is instrumental in achieving a LGBTQ+ celebration during Pride Month, it’s a cause for OUR PRIDE. Jerry Nunn is that achiever, and he will oversee … as Co-Sponsor and Programmer … the Inaugural Critic’s Choice Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television on June 7th, 2024, at the Los Angeles Fairmont Hotel. Besides the creme of presenters and honorees scheduled for the event, it is Jerry who spearheaded the effort to make this celebration happen.

CHICAGO – Happy Pride Month 2024! One of the most beautiful and spirited LGBTQ+ films on the festival circuit last year was “The Mattachine Family,” written by Danny Vallentine and directed by his husband Andy Vallentine. Andy Vallentine talked to HollywoodChicago.com about his film that was partially autobiographical.

CHICAGO – In 1997. Filmmaker Kevin Smith released his third film (after “Clerks” and “Mallrats”) entitled “Chasing Amy.” The story, featuring Joey Lauren Adams, is about a lesbian whose fluidly also includes a romantic relationship with a man. Watching this film was a young female born person who was questioning their own identity, and used the film as a touch point for these feelings. Years later, that person is director Sav Rodgers, and he made a documentary about his experiences with the film in coming to self and its complicated history in “Chasing Chasing Amy.”

CHICAGO – The greatest annual 11 days of Chicago cinema is about to commence … the 59th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF)… and like last year will kick off with a block party in the vicinity of the historic Music Box Theatre on Southport Avenue.

CHICAGO – The queer community is everywhere in this spinning world, even Cuba. A new filmmaker, Hansel Porras Garcia, spotlights a story of Cuba in his debut feature film “Febrero” at the Chicago Reeling2023 International LBGTQ+ Film Festival on September 27th, 2023. For details and tickets, click FEBRERO.

CHICAGO – The 41st edition of the REELING International LBGTQ+ Film Festival kicks off on September 21st, 2023, and runs through October 7th. The Opening Night film is “The Mattachine Family” at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. For info/tickets click REELING41.