Michael Kutza's Chicago International Film Festival ( CIFF ) is back in its 46th incarnation from Oct. 7-21 with another tantalizing mix of eagerly anticipated star-driven features to obscure, offbeat "finds" that are the hallmark of the fest. More than 150 films from 50 countries are on the schedule this year. And, as usual, a host of stars and filmmaking celebrities—from Edward Norton and Forest Whitaker to Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle—will attend festival screenings and the many red-carpet events.
LGBT-themed film fans will happily note that CIFF's OUTrageous program—described in festival literature as showing "bold gay-themed films [ that ] fearlessly exhibit new artistic perspectives on sexuality"—returns with a nice assortment of internationally flavored queer-themed films. ( See capsule descriptions below. ) In addition to the nine movies in the OUTrageous program, CIFF will many films with LGBT undertones—either because they feature queer movie audience faves ( like Hilary Swank in Conviction, screening Oct. 10, or Helen Mirren in Julie Taymor's The Tempest screening on Oct. 19 ) or are hotly anticipated by dedicated queer community cineastes ( Out director Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Palme d'Or-winning Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives screening Oct. 10 and Oct. 15 ) . Note: The Oct. 12 screening of Black Swan, the eagerly awaited Natalie Portman-Mila Kunis backstage ballet drama is sold out.
Stone, a crime drama from director John Curran, finds Robert DeNiro as a parole officer faced with deciding the parole of Edward Norton, a felon convicted of murdering his grandparents and covering it up with a fire. Frances Conroy and Milla Jovovich costar. ( The film opens here for a commercial run at the end of October. ) Norton and Curran will attend the red-carpet premiere festivities on Thursday, Oct. 7, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph, followed by a cocktail/hors d' oeuvres reception at theWit Hotel, 201 N. State.
CIFF's annual Black Perspectives Tribute honors Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker with a career retrospective award Saturday, Oct. 9, beginning with red-carpet arrivals at the Chase Auditorium, 10 S. Dearborn, at 7 p.m. followed by the tribute and onstage Q&A with Whitaker, awards presentation and a reception at theWit.
Paula Wagner—longtime producing partner of Tom Cruise whose films include War of the Worlds, The Others and the Mission Impossible movie series—will be the subject of a REELWoman tribute by the fest Tuesday, Oct. 12, beginning at 6 p.m. at the AMC River East, 322 E. Illinois, with an after-party location TBD at press time. Wagner will be in attendance.
The centerpiece screening of the festival is the eagerly anticipated 127 Hours, the latest film by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle. This movie is the true story of trapped hiker Aron Ralston, who made a courageous—and visually graphic ( take note, you squeamish types ) —decision to cut off his arm to save his life. Queer-audience fave James Franco, star of Howl and Milk, plays Ralston. Boyle will attend the Wed., Oct. 13, screening at AMC River East at 7 p.m. as well as the after-party at Sunda, 11 W. Illinois.
Visionary horror director Guillermo Del Toro ( Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy ) will be the subject of a career retrospective via the fest's Cinema of the Americas tribute at AMC River East Friday, Oct. 15, beginning at 6 p.m. and continuing with an after-party at JBar, 610 N. Rush. The director will attend and The Devil's Backbone, one of Del Toro's early films, will be shown.
Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington star in the fest's closing-night feature, a political thriller called The Debt, which screens Thursday, Oct. 21 at AMC River East at 7 p.m.. Newcomer Jessica Chastain, who also stars in the film, will introduce the screening and attend the post-screen reception ( location TBA ) .
The nine films in the OUTrageous film program include the following titles. ( Note: Descriptions come from CIFF press materials. )
—Amphetamine ( Hong Kong ) : The fledgling relationship between swimming instructor Kafka and successful businessman Daniel is threatened by Kafka's dual battle with drug addiction and his own questions about his sexual identity. Their feelings and futures become hopelessly entangled as complications and obstacles multiply. It's for mature audiences only, and has subtitles; screens Oct. 8, 15, 16
—Beautiful Darling ( USA ) : Transgender pioneer Candy Darling shone in Andy Warhol's films, Lou Reed's songs and Tennessee Williams' play but hid a crippling isolation that haunted her until her tragic death. Her life and career are profiled via Candy's best friend, Jeremiah Newton; Candy's own letters ( voiced by Chloë Sevigny ) ; new interviews; and archival footage featuring Warhol, Dennis Hopper, Jane Fonda and Kim Novak. Screens Oct. 15, 16
—Family Tree ( France ) —When stern patriarch Frédérick refuses to attend his eldest son's funeral, his absence outrages his surviving children and dredges up secrets that threaten to shatter the family. Three generations of actors create an unforgettable portrait of a family that doesn't know itself. French with subtitles; screens Oct. 9, 10, 11
—For 80 Days ( Spain ) —Sixty years after their brief teenage flirtation, Axun and Maite experience an unexpected reunion in a hospital while caring for comatose relatives. Their lives in the interim could not have been more different—Axun married and started a family, while Maite pursued an academic career as an out-and-proud lesbian—but they cannot deny their lingering mutual attraction. Basque with subtitles; screens Oct. 18, 19
—Heartbeats ( Canada ) —French-Canadian prodigy Xavier Dolan ( I Killed My Mother ) returns with a hyper-stylized ode to the pleasure and pain of young love. Dolan costars with the devastatingly stylish Monia Chokri as best friends vying for the affections of a beautiful but elusive Adonis named Nicholas. Swooning romanticism is offset by a wry sense of humor. French with subtitles; screens Oct. 14, 15
—Loose Cannons ( Italy ) —Tommaso, the co-heir to his family's pasta business, returns home ready to drop a pair of bombshells on his conservative, homophobic father: He is giving up his stake in the business to pursue a writing career in Rome, and he is gay. Unfortunately, his brother and the daughter of a rival businessman interfere with his plans to abdicate his role as the perfect son in this comedy of family and food. Italian with subtitles; screens Oct. 12, 13, 15
—Man at Bath ( France ) —This movie is a steamy exploration of the aesthetics and emotions underlying sexual intimacy. After his lover, Omar ( Omar Ben Sellem ) , breaks up with him, the gorgeous, muscle-bound Emmanuel ( French porn star François Sagat ) embarks on an erotic tour of Paris. Both men try to forget each other through a series of passionate trysts, but are the physical delights they find elsewhere enough to heal the rift that has opened between them? Needless to say, this is for mature audiences only. French with subtitles; screens Oct. 9
—Postcard to Daddy ( Germany ) —As a child, director Michael Stock was sexually abused—by his own father. Twenty-five years later, he is still looking for inner peace. In conversations with his family and friends and in his own reflections, he paints an ever-clearer, if contradictory, picture of the consequences for each of the family members ( including his own extreme behavior ) . German with subtitles; screens Oct. 8
—Sasha ( Germany ) —A bittersweet take on the coming-of-age film, Sasha follows a gifted young man who returns from vacation to find that his piano teacher and secret crush, Mr. Weber, is moving abroad. As Mr. Weber's departure looms, Sasha decides to act, regardless of the impending consequences. German, Serbian, Croatian with subtitles; screens Oct. 9, 10
As noted, other than where noted, all films will screen at the AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois. Complete information on tickets, show times and special events are available by calling 312-332-FILM ( 3456 ) or visiting www.chicagofilmfestival.com .
