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CHICAGO – One of the realizations that came out of the pandemic was that Drive-In movie theaters are still viable. When regular theaters closed, the Drive-In filled the void where they were available. Filmmaker April Wright has had a lifelong love for the Drive-In, and has explored their revival and challenges afterward in “Back to the Drive-In.” The documentary will have a limited two-day (April 13/14, 2022) run at the historic Music Box Theatre in Chicago, click DRIVE-IN DREAMS for showtimes.

CHICAGO – Filmmaker James Ponsoldt has earned the moniker “veteran” in front of his name, after notable hits like “The Spectacular Now,” “The End of the Tour” and “The Circle” (with Tom Hanks). He’s back with a seasonal film called “Summering,” featuring four girls going through their own “Stand by Me” moment.

CHICAGO – Comic book adaptations aren’t just for superheroes anymore. “Paper Girls,” by Brian K. Vaughan, has been adapted into a TV series that will stream on Prime Video beginning July 29th, and features Riley Lai Nelet, Camryn Jones, Fina Strazza and Sofia Rosinsky as the paper route foursome.

CHICAGO – Rujanee Mahakanjana continues to evolve. The filmmaker is an atmosphere, which played out in her early works and is proceeding through a film 12 years in the making (“Lab 99”), her founding of a content website (pixquid.com), several projects and a return to the in-person SHORTCUT 100 International Film Fest.

CHICAGO – The “Scream Queen” is a venerable show business category, and there are few better practitioners of the art than Portia Chellelynn. Her latest scream role is in “H.P. Lovecraft’s Witch House” – directed by Bobby Easley – which has just been released (July 5th, 2022) on digital through Video-On-Demand and DVD.

CHICAGO – An incisive look at disability perceptions at the movies is on tap at the Midwest Film Festival with “Code of the Freaks” on June 7, 2022. The film is directed by Salome Chasnoff and co-written by Aly Patsava. For ticket info, click MFF FIRST TUESDAY.

CHICAGO – One of the breakout performances in Michael Glover Smith’s new film, “Relative,” is from Elizabeth Stam, who portrays the pivotal role of Hekla. The “Relative” special Chicago general releases will take place (click links) at Music Box Theatre and the Gene Siskel Film Center on June 8th and 10th.

CHICAGO – In an extraordinary flash of timing, the new French film “Happening” gets a general release in select theaters on May 13th, right in the midst of an another abortion debate in the U.S. The story of a young woman seeking the procedure in 1963 features Anamarie Varolomei and is adapted by director Audrey Diwan. They spoke to HollywoodChicago.com.

CHICAGO – The tradition of the music salon goes as far back as 16th Century Italy, and is designed as a destination “either to please or to educate.” On May 7th, 2022, Soprano Kirsten Leslie Karadzhova and pianist Paul Dykstra will present the first Art Song Series at Dykstra’s “Salon des Artiste” music studio in the Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. For complete details regarding this “free to the public” event, see below.

CHICAGO – As performance ramps up again in 2022, one of the great comic voices on the stand-up comedy scene is Katie Hannigan. The veteran jokester has recently released a comedy album, the perfect-for-the-times title of “Feeling of Emptiness.” Ms. Hannigan riffs on herself essentially, with sharp observations on being a woman in these particular times.