Nick's Flick Picks: The 2011 Chicago Film Festival

<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" link="#003399" vlink="#003399" leftmargin="35" rightmargin="35"> <table width=680><tr><td> <br> <TABLE cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0> <TR><TD width=480 valign=center><Font Face=Garamond Color="#003399" Size=+3><b>Chicago Film Festival 2011:<br>    The Short Films</b></Font></TD> <TD align=right valign=center><img src=chifest11tabs1.jpg width=200 hspace=2></TD></TR></TABLE><hr> <b><Font Color="#660066">Short Film Jury:</Font></b> Domenica Cameron-Scorsese, Nick Davis, Todd Lillethun <hr> Since I am serving on the competition jury for this year's short films, I would like to spotlight that category of <a href=chifest11page.html target="_top">this year's Chicago Film Festival</a> even more strongly. Without giving anything away about the jury's conversations (except that, surprise, our responses overlapped more on some selections than on others), I think we all agreed that this year presented a true bumper crop. We each perceived real standouts, if not always the same ones, in the narrative, animated, and documentary modes, and in all seven of the curated Programs listed below, which is how the Festival will exhibit the work. Sometimes, for funding reasons, festivals get stuck incorporating locally-produced works or student efforts that wouldn't otherwise make the grade, but it's my total delight to tell you that the Chicago-based "City & State" program is every bit the magnificent equal of the other six, and that student-produced films comprised many of the most potent entries across a terrific general field. I was truly, deeply impressed, and I really think audiences will respond strongly, so I hope you're all buying tickets!<br> <br> I won't grade these shorts, but having secured the Festival's blessing, I will offer Tweet-length reactions, plus longer capsules about some of my personal pets... which aren't always the "best" in each group, but may have resonated for other reasons, or captured something about the form that the companion films within its program don't attempt. I'm starting now, while you still have time to scoop up tickets... especially to the City & State screenings, which have already begun selling out the house. So don't delay, but check back in for conversation!<br> <hr> <br> Click <a href=chifest11shorts.html>here</a> to reorganize these titles in Animated, Documentary, and Narrative modes.<br> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1><b>Program #1: City & State (Oct 10, Oct 14 & Oct 16)</b></Font><br> <Font Color="#660066"><b><i>Grouping a truly impressive range of locally-made work</i></b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856083/"><i>The Doctor's Wife</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Julian Grant)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843289/"><i>The Ghosts</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Eddie O'Keefe)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2063699/"><i>L Train</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Anna Musso)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1785636/"><i>The Truth</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Hill Harper)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1931587/"><i>The Vacuum Kid</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Katharine Mahalic)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1816723/"><i>Winter</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Alaric Rocha)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1><b>Program #2: Pen & Paper (Oct 14 & Oct 16)</b></Font><br> <Font Color="#660066"><b><i>Collecting the bulk, though not all, of the stunning animated shorts</i></b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2023406/"><i>Belly</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK, dir. Julia Pott)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1776087/"><i>Birdboy</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Spain, dirs. Pedro Rovero & Alberto Vazquez)</Font><br> <Font Color="#003399"><u><i>Bride Can</i></u></Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Iran, dir. Ronak Taher / <Font Color="#003399">no link available</Font>)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1725828/"><i>The Eagleman Stag</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK, dir. Michael Please)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1687867/"><i>Flowers for Jupiter</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Chris Mars)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.robertproch.com/index2.html"><i>The Gallery</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Poland, dir. Robert Proch)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1928177/"><i>Guard Dog Global Jam</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Miscellaneous)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1791520/"><i>Heavy Heads</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Denmark, dir. Helena Frank)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2048760/"><i>Hellville</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(France, dir. Miscellaneous)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1929242/"><i>El Macho</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK, dir. Daniela Negrin Ochoa)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1763314/"><i>The Renter</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Jason Carpenter)</Font><br> <Font Color="#003399"><u><i>Traumdeuteg</i></u></Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK, dir. Lauri Warsta / <Font Color="#003399">no link available</Font>)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1><b>Program #3: Midnight Mayhem (Oct 14 & Oct 15)</b></Font><br> <Font Color="#660066"><b><i>Packing plenty of scares, though blood is not always spilled</i></b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1666567/"><i>Beating Hearts</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Matthew Garrett)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1806855/"><i>Cropped</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Australia, dir. Dave Wade)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2048851/"><i>Dream of 1st of April 1999</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(France, dir. Miscellaneous)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1817149/"><i>Foal</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Austria, dir. Christoph Rainer)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1851936/"><i>Friend of Flies</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Sweden, dir. Emil Gustafsson Ryderup)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1907676/"><i>Ghost</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(South Korea, dir. Dahci Ma)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1895306/"><i>The Unliving</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Sweden, dir. Hugo Lilia)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1><b>Program #4: In 'n' Out (Oct 14)</b></Font><br> <Font Color="#660066"><b><i>Some of the racier content, whether comic or, so to speak, played straight</i></b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1782433/"><i>Ex-Sex</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Michael Mohan)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1706378/"><i>Grandpa's Wet Dream</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Japan/USA, dir. Chihiro Amemiya)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1861384/"><i>Method</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dirs. Rider Strong & Shiloh Strong)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1881028/"><i>Pass the Salt, Please</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Tatjana Najdanovic)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1764616/"><i>Sugar</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(The Netherlands, dir. Jeroen Annokkee)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1811377/"><i>Venus</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Denmark, dir. Tor Fruergarrd)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1><b>Program #5: When Worlds Collide (Oct 15)</b></Font><br> <Font Color="#660066"><b><i>Resonant confrontations between disparate characters or among divergent visions of our globe</i></b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1717140/"><i>720 Degrees</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Bangladesh, dir. Ishtiaque Zico)</Font><br> <Font Color="#003399"><u><i>Krass</i></u></Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Iceland, dir. T&#243mas H. J&#243hannesson / <Font Color="#003399">no link available</Font>)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1914309/"><i>Meathead</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(New Zealand, dir. Sam Holst)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1964923/"><i>Minuto 200</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Colombia, dir. Frank Benitez Pe&#241a)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1769320/"><i>Narkis</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Israel, dir. Noam Ellis)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1997412/"><i>The Runaway</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Spain, dir. Victor Carrey)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1753662/"><i>The Shirt</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Germany, dir. Jonas Rothlaender)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1762363/"><i>The Strange Ones</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dirs. Lauren Wolkenstein & Christopher Radcliff)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1><b>Program #6: A Question of Timing (Oct 15)</b></Font><br> <Font Color="#660066"><b><i>Crystallizing a particular place and moment or meditating more broadly on time's passage</i></b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1776052/"><i>After-School Special</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Jacob Chase)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1924400/"><i>The Extraordinary Life of Rocky</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Belgium, dir. Kevin Meul)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1894574/"><i>The Heist</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK/Ireland, dir. Thomas Hefferon)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1733710/"><i>Just That Sort of a Day</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(India, dir. Abhay Kumar)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1910587/"><i>Ostrich's Flight</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Brazil, dirs. Clara Izabela & Ze Inle)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1895441/"><i>The Shower</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Chile, dir. Mar&#237a Jos&#233 San Mart&#237n)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646168/"><i>Time After Time</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Laurie Thomas)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1><b>Program #7: Truth Be Told (Oct 14)</b></Font><br> <Font Color="#660066"><b><i>In a CIFF first, a program devoted to most, but not all, of the nonfiction entries</i></b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877615/"><i>Bitter Lemon</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Bangladesh, dir. Nazmun Nakeb)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1735320/"><i>Caretaker for the Lord</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Scotland, dir. Jane McAllister)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2023385/"><i>Flying Anne</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(The Netherlands, dir. Catherine Van Campen)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1850379/"><i>Goodbye, Mandima</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Switzerland, dir. Robert-Jan Lacombe)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1853493/"><i>Grandmothers</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK, dir. Afarin Eghbal)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1673499/"><i>The High Level Bridge</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Canada, dir. Trevor Anderson)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <Font Face=Garamond> <table cellpadding=12><tr> <td>Trackbacks:</b></td> <td><b><a href=chifest11.html target="_top">Permalink</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=chifest.html target="_top">Chicago Page</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=movies11.html target="_top">2011</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=movarchs.html target="_top">Home</a></b></td> <td><b><a href="http://blog.nicksflickpicks.com" target="_new">Blog</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=email.html target="_top">E-Mail</a></b></td> </tr></table> </Font> </center> </body>