The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival, October 12-26, 2017 screened dozens of films in 14 categories; the following are capsule summaries of 7 of them. What these films have in common are issues of black/interracial perspectives and/or their setting in Chicago; 3 are documentaries. Each is timely, unique, intriguing and multi-faceted.
Catch “The Best of the Fest”, today and tomorrow, October 25th and 26th, 2017 at AMC River East, 221 E. Illinois St., Chicago.
– “Black Cop”, 2017, 91 minutes
DIRECTOR Cory Bowles
COUNTRY CANADA
CATEGORY Black Perspectives, World Cinema
This is an in-your-face satire about police/community problems and racial tension, mixed with irony, humor and savvy. The main character is a far from perfect black cop, overwhelmed with his very real sense of duty as a dedicated officer which is in conflict with his moral obligation to his own people, whom he sees persecuted. He is pushed over the edge when unfairly profiled while out of uniform, and takes justice in his own hands. A beautifully executed fable, with a mystical component, and very strong performances, this film will make you think more than twice about the nature of justice.
PRODUCER Aaron Horton
SCREENWRITER Cory Bowles
EDITOR Jeremy Harty
CINEMATOGRAPHER Jeff Wheaton
CAST Ronnie Rowe Jr., Sophia Walker, Lanette Ware, Simon Paul Mutuyimana, Christian Murray, Ambyr Dunn, Taylor Olson, Sebastien LaBelle
Production Company: Blac Op Films
-“Can’t Turn Back: Edith + Eddie and ’63 Boycott”, 2017, approx. 30 minutes each
DIRECTOR Laura Checkoway (Edith + Eddie), Gordon Quinn (’63 Boycott)
COUNTRY United States
CATEGORY Black Perspectives, City & State, Documentary
Superstar documentary filmmakers, Chicago-based Kartemquin Films (Hoop Dreams) double half-hour documentaries about “interracial harmony, conflict, and societal injustice.”
In Laura Checkoway’s award-winning “Edith + Eddie”, we meet a thoroughly engaging and loving couple, America’s oldest interracial newlyweds, aged 96 and 95. Their obvious contentment is shattered by a family squabble over- what else-property. Unfortunately, a sinister and vapid court-appointed guardian wreaks havoc. You’ll never forget this pair- or this film!
“63 Boycott”, by Gordon Quinn (Golub), using never-before-seen footage, is a stirring chronicle of the Chicago Public School Boycott of October 22, 1963. Told through the eyes of activists present at the time, with commentary by Natalie Y. Moore, author of the seminal text on segregation in Chicago, “The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation”. Viewers are transported to the time when more than 200,000 Chicagoans, mostly students, marched to protest segregationist policies. A very moving and important study of social protest.
PRODUCER Edith + Eddie: Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee Wright; ’63 Boycott: Gordon Quinn, Tracye Matthews, Rachel Dickson
EDITOR Edith + Eddie: Laura Checkoway, P. Corwin Lamm; ’63 Boycott: Liz Kaar
CINEMATOGRAPHER Edith + Eddie: Neil Barrett, John Larson; ’63 Boycott: Rachel Dickson, Gordon Quinn
–“Rogers Park”, 2017, 87 minutes
DIRECTOR Kyle Henry
COUNTRY United States
CATEGORY City & State, U.S. Indies
East Rogers Park, on Chicago’s far north lakefront is now an urban oasis for the middle class. In this well-shot snapshot of a slice of life, two interracial couples struggle with the realities of sexually stagnant marriage. The white people are siblings with a very troubled relationship, and in each pair there are also secrets, frustrations and resentments which strain the friendship between the couples. The portrayals of character are in-depth, the dialogue realistic, and the Chicago-based actors give naturalistic performances amid sharply-focused cinematography.
PRODUCER Kyle Henry, Jason Wehling, Alan Berg, Louis Black, Ross Putman, Haos Film
SCREENWRITER Carlos Treviño
EDITOR John Fecile
CINEMATOGRAPHER Drew Xanthopoulos
CAST Christine Horn, Jonny Mars, Antoine McKay, Sara Sevigny
PRODUCTION COMPANY AOK Productions, Arts+Labor, Production for Use
FILM SOURCE AOK Productions LLC
–“Princess Cyd”, 2017, 96 minutes
DIRECTOR Stephen Cone
COUNTRY United States
CATEGORY City & State, Out-look Competition, U.S. Indies
Cyd, a 16-year old victim of early tragedy, is visiting her maternal aunt, a well-known author in Chicago. A teenager eager to explore life, she is filled with sexual feelings and eager to explore them in an unencumbered way. As she puts it, “I like everything”. During her stay in Chicago, she and her aunt develop a bond based on mutual admiration and respect.
Director Stephen Cone (Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party) is skillful at developing LGBTQ coming of age stories with compassion and passion, and especially at placing burgeoning sexuality in the context of many other life issues. This is a fine film; tender, sensitive and realistically wrought.
PRODUCER Grace Hahn, Madison Ginsberg, Stephen Cone
SCREENWRITER Stephen Cone
EDITOR Christopher Gotschall
CINEMATOGRAPHER Zoe White
CAST Rebecca Spence, Jessie Pinnick, Malic White, James Vincent Meredith, Tyler Ross, Matthew Quattrocki
PRODUCTION COMPANY Sunroom Pictures
FILM SOURCE Wolfe Releasing
–“For Ahkeem”, 2017, 90 minutes
DIRECTOR Jeremy S. Levine, Landon Van Soest
COUNTRY United States
CATEGORY Black Perspectives, Documentary
In this wrenching portrayal of a love story in a violent and poor black neighborhood in St. Louis, the audience meets Daje Shelton, struggling to complete high school and create a family with Antonio and their son, Ahkeem. She’s a brave and committed young woman with a lot to overcome, but to whom much has been given by nature. Beautiful, caring and decent, she wins our hearts and admiration. An extremely well shot, carefully crafted and memorable study.
PRODUCER Nicholas Weissman, Jeff Truesdell, Iyabo Boyd
EDITOR Lily Henderson
CINEMATOGRAPHER Nicholas Weissman
CAST Daje “Boonie” Shelton
PRODUCTION COMPANY Last Resort Doc, Weissman Studio, Transient Pictures
FILM SOURCE Transient Pictures
–“Blueprint’, 2017, 76 minutes
DIRECTOR Daryl Wein
COUNTRY United States
CATEGORY Black Perspectives, City & State, U.S. Indies
Jerod’s innocent best friend, Reggie, is shot and killed by the police, right after Jerod learns that he’s lost his job as a daycare teacher. He’s a black single dad who lives with his mom and young daughter. Out of work, frightened, frustrated, and under pressure from his girlfriend (a single mom herself) to be monogamous, he begins to drink heavily. He must sort through the options of how to survive and how to come to terms with the violence in his community- the South Side of Chicago- and the lack of a “blueprint” for his life. An authentic and moving film, directed with skill and sensitivity, with very fine performances throughout.
PRODUCER Jerod Haynes, Daryl Wein, Christian Everhard
SCREENWRITER Jerod Haynes, Christian Everhard
EDITOR Daryl Wein, Jamie Kennedy
CINEMATOGRAPHER Daryl Wein, Toshi Kizu
CAST Jerod Haynes, Tai’isha Davis, Sandra Adams-Monegain, Jalaiya Lee-Haynes, Edgar Miguel Snchez, Curtis Posey, Shanesia Davis-Williams, Stefhon Hannah, Jeremy Pargo
PRODUCTION COMPANY Mister Lister Films
For information and tickets to “The Best of The Fest”, at AMC River East 21 Theatre, go to www.chicagofilmfestival.com or call the theatre at (312)596-0333
All photos courtesy of Chicago International Film Festival and Cinema/Chicago
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