[…] The post 14 Chicago Intl Film Festival selections nominated for Oscars! appeared first on Cinema Chicago ..read more

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Chicagoans may know Billy Dec from his restaurant Sunda or his appearances on the Today Show, Criminal Minds, and Empire. But many may not know that Dec has Filipino heritage – and that’s what he decided to explore in making the documentary Food Roots. We chatted with Billy Dec and fellow Filipino-American Michele Josue, the director of Food Roots, about the project, discovering one’s heritage, their favorite Chicago films, and more. Q&A with Billy Dec What was the genesis of Food Roots?[…] The post Film Spotlight: Billy Dec & Michele Josue on <em>Food Roots</em> appeared f ..read more

Eric D. Seals is a Chicago-based director and cinematographer who’s worked on projects from live sports and Netflix documentary series to ads. His directorial debut, Bike Vessel, follows a bike trip he took from St. Louis to Chicago with his father after his dad changed his lifestyle following three quadruple bypass operations. The film is both a funny and touching portrait of a father-son road trip while also commenting on racial health disparities and the systemic racism Black men face.[…] The post Director Spotlight: Eric Seals on <em>Bike Vessel</em> appeared first on Cinema Ch ..read more

[…] The post Hidden Gems from the #ChiFilmFest Programming Team appeared first on Cinema Chicago ..read more

Minhal Baig is a Chicago native whose first film, Hala, screened at the 55th Chicago International Film Festival in 2019. We’re thrilled to present the U.S. Premiere of her next feature, the Chicago-set coming-of-age story We Grown Now, for Opening Night of our 59th Festival. We chatted with Minhal about the origin of the story behind We Grown Now, recreating 1990s Cabrini-Green on screen, and her favorite Chicago movies. How did you first come up with the idea behind We Grown Now?[…] The post Director Spotlight: Minhal Baig on <em>We Grown Now</em> appeared first on Cinema Chicago ..read more

Clare Cooney is an actor and filmmaker who rose through the ranks of the Chicago arts community. She’s appeared in NBC’s Chicago Med, Steve McQueen’s Chicago thriller Widows, and the indie feature Runner, among other shows and films. We’re thrilled to host the North American premiere of her directorial feature debut, the sarcastic, whip-smart horror-comedy Departing Seniors – shot right here in Chicago. We chatted with Clare about filming during COVID, refreshing the teen slasher genre, what it’s like to screen her film at the Music Box Theatre, and more.[…] The post Director Spotlight: Clare ..read more

Actor David Dastmalchian may be known for his roles in big-budget films – from The Dark Knight and The Suicide Squad to this summer’s Oppenheimer. But he’s the star of the upcoming indie production Late Night with the Devil, a found footage horror film about a fictional ‘70s talk show host whose personal and professional life are in free fall. In anticipation of the #ChiFilmFest screening of Late Night with the Devil, with David appearing in-person for a Q&A on Oct.[…] The post Actor Spotlight: David Dastmalchian on <em>Late Night with the Devil</em> appeared first on Cinema Ch ..read more

Haroula Rose is a Chicago native musician, writer, producer, and filmmaker. We were thrilled to screen her debut feature Once Upon a River at our 55th Festival in 2019, and we’re so excited to welcome Haroula back this year for the World Premiere of her next feature, the delightful family comedy All Happy Families, starring Josh Radnor, Becky Ann Baker, Rob Huebel. We chatted with Haroula about her very Chicago film, how music fits into her filmmaking, and of course, her favorite Chicago movies.[…] The post Director Spotlight: Haroula Rose on <em>All Happy Families</em> appeared fi ..read more

[…] The post Chicago International Film Festival Unveils 59th Edition’s International Competition Lineup appeared first on Cinema Chicago ..read more