Close-up is on fans, not glam, at Chicago filmfest

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BY MOLLY WOULFE
TIMES FEATURES WRITER
(219) 852-4329
mwoulfe@nwitimes.com
| Monday, October 13, 2008 | (No comments posted.)

The 44th Chicago International Film Festival

When: Thursday through Oct. 29

Where: Opening and closing nights, the Harris Theatre, 205 E. Randolph St.; regular screenings, AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois St., and AMC 600 N. Michigan 9, 600 N. Michigan Ave.; select screenings at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave..

Cost: Opening night, film only, $30-$40; film and after-party, $80-$100 (post-screening cocktail reception at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington). Regular screenings: Single ticket, $12; seniors, $10; members, $9; matinees $7 (weekdays before 5 p.m.), gala presentations, $14-16. Black Perspectives tribute, $150. Closing night: $30-$40. The first 100 seats to any film starting before 5 p.m. are free to students and senors with valid IDs (they're only available on the day of the show at the theater box office. One ticket per ID.) Passes: 40 admissions, $285-$385; 20 admissions, $155-$210; 10 admissions, $80-$110.

FYI: Visit chicagofilmfestival.com or ticketmaster.com or call (312) 902-1500.

Stars jam Cannes. Indie directors swarm Sundance.

Everyone, dah-ling, makes a cameo at Toronto.

Cutaway to the Chicago International Film Festival, one of the oldest -- and most laidback -- filmfests in North America. The focus in on film-goers. Air-kissing is rare as personal assistants fetching soy lattes.

The Windy City's 44th filmfest, running Thursday through Oct. 29, has its glitzy moments, "but I do like the niche we've filled, which is we're really more of an audience festival, created for people who love film," managing director Ryan Jewell said.

The other festivals "are all respectable, but they're marketplace-centric. There are a lot of industry professionals. The normal film lover is sometimes left out, especially at Sundance," he continued. "It's a great film festival -- it does what it does -- but it's a marketplace for filmmakers and film companies to sell films and get their films distributed."

Founder Michael Kutza, Jewell and the Cinema/Chicago staff have booked more than 170 feature films, documentaries and shorts from more than 50 countries for their movie-palooza 2008. Tickets to most screenings are $12 ($10 for members) while admission to the much-anticipated Sidney Poitier tribute is $150.

Despite the harsh economy, this year's filmfest is a little bigger -- with a budget of $2.5 million, up from $2.4 million last year -- thanks to sponsors and donors, Jewell said. Staunch supporters include American Airlines, The Illinois Arts Council, Columbia College, Flashwood Academy and the Alphawood Foundation. Organizer also tightened their collective belt, switching to cheaper cell phones, recruiting more volunteers, even trading movie passes for printing to hold costs down.

The sudden payroll jump -- their staff swells from six to 60 around festival time -- accounts for a chunk of change. "Then we probably have an additional 50 to 100 volunteers," Jewell said. Volunteers serve "as everything."

First-night premiere

Festivities kick off Thursday with the premiere of "The Brothers Bloom," a con man-comedy starring Oscar winners Adrien Brody ("The Pianist") and Rachel Weisz ("The Constant Gardener) plus Mark Ruffalo ("Zodiac") and Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel'). Director Rian Johnson ("Brick") and Weisz will walk the red carpet at the 7 p.m. screening Thursday at the Harris Theater. The afterparty follows at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Oscar winner Poitier is the biggest name making an apperance. The Oscar winner will collect a lifetime achievement award Saturday, the highlight of the annual Black Perspectives tribute. The screen icon ("Lilies of the Field," "In the Heat of the Night," "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"') will discuss his career with Ebony and Jet publisher Linda Johnson Rice. The evening includes a cocktail reception and a selection of film clips spanning Poitier's career.

While the filmfest is light on A-listers, it has it share of luminaries. Directors in particular -- like Martin Scorsese, who premiered "Who's That Knocking On My Door" here in 1967 -- are loyal to filmfests that gave them their first ovations.

Thus British director Mike Leigh ("Cheeky") is back with his new comedy "Happy-Go-Lucky" (Friday) and Gregory Nava will host the screening of his restored illegal-immigrants drama "El Norte" (Oct. 26), the first U.S. indie nominated for the best screenplay Oscar (Oct. 26). Jada Pinkett Smith has yet to confirm her attendance at her directorial debut, the drama "Human Contract" (Oct. 28)." But Darren Aronofsky -- who helmed Mickey Rourke's comeback flick "The Wrestler" -- will attend the movie's Midwest debut (Friday).

Keeping it fan-friendly

The chance to chat with filmmakers during post-screening Q&A's helps sets the fest apart, organizers said.

Cine-philes "interact with the filmmaker on an intimate level," feature film programmer Mimi Plauche said. ""The question-and-answer sessions are really interesting. You get so many people who want to continue the conversation. They have to leave the theater -- because we need to clean it up and get it ready for the next film -- and the conversation continues in the lobby. Most of the filmmakers are willing to continue talking."

As a concession to fans, this year's fest is largely confined to two central venues. Cinema/Chicago has tapped four screens at both the AMC River East, 322 E. Illinois St., and the AMC 600 N. Michigan 9, 600 N. Michigan Ave., with River North serving as the "Festival Village." Remastered films will be shown at the Music BoxTheatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.

In years past, "we got a lot of complaints from customers, how they would leave one film and want to see a film that started right afterward and it would take them an hour to get there by public transportation or they would have to park twice," Jewell said. "This year, while talking to AMC, we talked about consolidating it. All of the screenings are virtually within a mile of each other except for a few we have at the Music Box. ... We've kind of taken over the whole (RIver North) area. You're able to come and park once and make an entire day of it." Local restaurants will offer special discounts to show-goers.

At press time, Chicago film critic Roger Ebert's involvement in the 2008 fest was up in the air. The Pulitizer Prize winner, 66, has battled cancer since 2002 and currently talks via a computerized voice system. Festival organizers dedicated last year's event to Ebert.

Organizers are hopeful the face -- and thumb -- of U.S. film criticism might emcee the screening of "El Nortre." Ebert "has been with us almost since the beginning," Plauche said. "He always has tickets if he wants them."

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The 44th Chicago International Film Festival
When: Thursday through Oct. 29
Where: Opening and closing nights, the Harris Theatre, 205 E. Randolph St.; regular screenings, AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois St., and AMC 600 N. Michigan 9, 600 N. Michigan Ave.; select screenings at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave..
Cost: Opening night, film only, $30-$40; film and after-party, $80-$100 (post-screening cocktail reception at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington). Regular screenings: Single ticket, $12; seniors, $10; members, $9; matinees $7 (weekdays before 5 p.m.), gala presentations, $14-$16. Black Perspectives tribute, $150 at the Chase Auditorium, 10 S. Dearborn St. Closing night: $30-$40. The first 100 seats to any film starting before 5 p.m. are free to students and senors with valid IDs (they're only available on the day of the show at the theater box office. One ticket per ID.) Passes: 40 admissions, $285-$385; 20 admissions, $155-$210; 10 admissions, $80-$110.
FYI: chicagofilmfestival.com or ticketmaster.com or (312) 902-1500.

Select showings
(Theater code: RE = AMC River East 21; 600N = AMC 600 N. Michigan 9)
"FAMILY VALUES"
The family that steals together, stays together? In this screwball French comedy, the ideal of "family values" gets a new twist as communication breaks down between husbands and wives, parents and children. FYI: 5:15 p.m. Oct. 25, 600N; 5 p.m. Oct. 26, 600N; 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28, 600N.

"HEAVEN ON EARTH"
In a tragedy inflected with Indian mythology and a touch of magical realism, acclaimed Canadian director Deepa Mehta unflinchingly examines the problem of domestic violence in immigrant communities. FYI: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, RE; 6:10 p.m. Oct. 20, 600N.

"HAPPY-GO-LUCKY"
The latest from Oscar-nominated director Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky" presents a poignant portrait of an eternal optimist making her way through a world inhabited by grouches and cynics. An in-person tribute to Leigh will precede the screening of the film. FYI: 7 p.m. Friday, RE

"HUMAN CONTRACT"
Jada Pinkett Smith's directorial debut presents a searing look at the inexorable and often damaging connection between desire and power in a society where the traditional conjugal relationship is no longer the norm. FYI: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28, RE.

"O'HORTEN"
When train engineer Odd Horten retires after a lifetime of timetables, schedules and predictability, he finds himself in some bewildering situations. Proof positive there is humor to be found in aging, "O'Horten" presents director Bent Hamer's wonderfully quirky view of the human condition. FYI: 6 p.m. Oct. 27, RE.

"PRIDE AND GLORY"
Gavin O'Connor's bold family drama freshly dissects the moral code that binds together generations of men whose loyalties to family, to force and to the law are inseparable yet incongruous. FYI: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22, RE.

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