After closing its doors March 14, 2020 due to COVID-19, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's (SAIC) Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., will reopen for in-person screenings Friday, Aug. 6.
With safety protocols and vaccine incentives in place, the center will welcome guests back with an eclectic selection of international, independent, and classic cinema, including a premiere run of Leos Carax's Annette, a Fellini anniversary retrospective and a Chicago Favorites series that will feature films curated by notable community members. Confirmed community members include Steve James (Hoop Dreams; City So Real) and LaSaia Wade, director of the local trans/queer organization Brave Space Alliance.
The center will offer a mix of members-only preview screenings as well as public ones.
Reopening plans include a range of health and safety measures based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health. Measures include:
Masks required by all staff and patrons unless seated and actively eating or drinking;
Staggered showtimes and ample time between shows to mitigate crowds;
Ticket pre-orders for films encouraged to reduce lines;
Hand sanitizer and disposable face masks available for patrons; and
Regular cleaning and sanitization of the facility, including theater seats, handrails, doors, surfaces, and restrooms.
The center will continue to offer its virtual cinema series, Film Center from your Sofa; its filmmaker discussion series, Screen to Screen; and its Talking Pictures Lecture series, featuring World Cinema of the 1950s with Jonathan Rosenbaum on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. CT through July 1. In July, the center will offer members tickets to its virtual cinema at the $6 member price.
See SiskelFilmCenter.org .