57th Chicago International Film Festival preview
As a lifelong movie fan, I consider it an honor to be part of the vast network of writers and enthusiasts covering the 57th Chicago International Film Festival. There are a lot of films on this year’s slate to be excited about, and here’s a short list of what’s got me buzzing:
Memoria: The mystery surrounding Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s latest feature is already proving too much for me. I feel if I don’t experience it soon, I may be driven mad.
One Second: A historical drama set during China’s Cultural Revolution that was mysteriously withdrawn from the 69th Berlin International Film Festival checks a lot of boxes for me. That it’s a suspected victim of politically motivated censorship only sweetens the deal.
Story of Film: A New Generation: I recently re-watched Mark Cousins’ epic 15-hour documentary series The Story of Film: An Odyssey and found it just as immersive the second time around. I have no reason to believe his new chapter, which covers 2010 to the present, will prove any less intriguing.
The Odd-Job Men: Charming and comedic slice-of-life films are always a welcome treat these days. If the film is half as funny as its trailer, The Odd-Job Men should fit this bill nicely.
Brother’s Keeper: Headed in the opposite direction is Ferit Karahan’s film about an abusive boarding school in Turkey’s Anatolian mountains. I’m a sucker for frustrating tales of bureaucratic ineptitudes, and Brother’s Keeper looks to be that and more.
Fabian: Going to the Dogs: Based on a novel by German author Erich Kästner (whose books were burned by the Nazis), Fabian: Going to the Dogs is about love and loss just as the Third Reich begins to rise to power. This fascinating time and place in history is rife with possibility for drawing comparisons to contemporary culture and politics.
Hit the Road: An Iranian family road trip comedy/drama that promises plenty of surprises. Boasting a superb cast, Hit the Road might be the surprise sleeper of the festival. —James Rosario
Photo: Neon
Covering the Chicago International Film Fest with Asheville Movies, I'll be watching films that run the gamut of genre and scope, including international features, documentaries, horror, and awards darlings.
Top of the list will be Pablo Larraín's Lady Diana biopic, Spencer, featuring a dynamite cast of Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall and Sean Harris, plus such well-received documentaries as Andrea Arnold's Cow, Jonas Poher Rasmussen's Flee, and an inside look at Pete Buttigieg's run for President, Mayor Pete.
Also on the docket are horror/thriller films Broadcast Signal Intrusion and The Beta Test, both of which highlight up-and-coming genre directors, and Silent Land, a Polish film from first time feature director Agnieszka Woszczynska about a couple who has to deal with circumstances out of their control.
With the variety and caliber of films coming to the festival, there’s plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks. —Joel Winstead
Photo: Apple TV+
After consecutive mediocre dramas in Dark Waters and Wonderstruck, Todd Haynes looks to get his groove back with The Velvet Underground. Focusing on music has yet to result in a dud from the beloved filmmaker, and a documentary on Lou Reed & Co. seems like a perfect fit.
Asghar Farhadi has such a strong track record that he could make a film about a professional Yellow Pages reader and I’d still want to see it ASAP. But A Hero, about an Iranian man’s fateful short-term penitentiary leave, sounds like the type of tense, tightly plotted human drama that’s defined his best work.
With each new feature, Joachim Trier (Oslo, August 31st; Louder Than Bombs) stretches himself on a thematic and technical level, and his coming-of-age dramedy The Worst Person in the World seems poised to continue that trend while building on the strong feminism of his telekinesis thriller Thelma.
In what sounds like a movie lover’s dream, Bergman Island follows a filmmaking couple (Tim Roth and Vicky Krieps) whose annual pilgrimage to the cinema-rich Swedish island of Fårö blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Better yet? It’s written and directed by the great Mia Hansen-Løve (Eden; Things To Come).
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Portrait of a Lady on Fire, but saw enough promise to be curious about what writer/director Céline Sciamma would do next. Petite Maman, about a preteen girl who makes a friend in the woods surrounding her home, sounds a bit like Portrait Jr., but the 72-minute runtime should keep the story from meandering too much.
As a longtime tennis player in need of numerous history lessons on the game, I’m excited to learn more about Arthur Ashe via the documentary Citizen Ashe. As a cinephile, I’m curious to see how co-director Sam Pollard follows up a hot 2020 that saw his films Mr. Soul! and MLK/FBI earn widespread critical acclaim.
A decade ago, I became so bored and, frankly, appalled watching Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo’s In Another Country that I lost interest in seeking out more of his work. Nevertheless, I’m willing to challenge myself and check out his latest drama, In Front of Your Face, about an actress harboring a secret. —Edwin Arnaudin
(Photo: Neon)
