Original 60-Second Intros Kick-Start Films at the 51st Chicago International Film Festival
| New Festival-inspired short films from Chicago’s filmmaking community and beyond
CHICAGO, IL – The 51st Chicago International Film Festival is announcing the 10 original short films that have been newly created to play before every film program during the Festival. Founder & Artistic Director Michael Kutza, Festival Programmers and Staff reached out to a variety of filmmaking teams to make 60-Second short films inspired by the Festival’s tagline: “Because Everybody Loves Movies.” The first new Festival intro will be shown on Opening Night, before the Special Presentation of Mia Madre. Titled “Everyone Loves,” the short film was conceived by independent creative director Susan Schmidt with three filmmakers (Herman Asph, Eric Almond, and Will Meyers) from Quriosity Productions, a Chicago-based production house founded by Qadree Holmes. “Everyone Loves” may be previewed at http://pigeon.to/1iCiXXp. A list of filmmaking teams who generously gave their time, energy and considerable talent to the project, along with links to their films, may be found below. The films are as diverse as the filmmaking community itself, from Let’s Catch A Movie, an animated piece directed by San Francisco-based 12-year-old and former CineYouth winner Emma Penaz Eisner to a funny Hitchcock-inspired work by Chicago filmmaker Mason Thorne. The short films also came from filmmakers with ties to the Festival, including Film Lover, directed by Andy Berlin, who also has a short in this year’s City/State program, Marlene; I Got The Popcorn! made by a team of Columbia College Chicago students lead by Festival alumni, director Michael Caplan (Algren); and Dinner and a Movie, directed by Jack C. Newell, who is in the official selection this year with City/State feature Open Tables.
The “Voice of the Festival”Ken Nordine (of WBEZ-FM’s “World Jazz”), who has lent his talent and unforgettable phrasing in the production of the Festival intros for over 50 years, is introducing all of the 60-Second spots. He is also represented with his own short film You Can Film Anything.
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2015 FESTIVAL INTROS:
“Dinner and A Movie”
Director: Jack C. Newell
“Everyone Loves”
Directors: Herman Asph, Eric Almond, Will Meyers
“Film Lover”
Director: Andy Berlin
“I Got the Popcorn!”
Director: Michael P. Caplan
“Let’s Catch a Movie”
Made by Emma Penaz Eisner
“Night of the Living Moviegoers”
Director: Kaitlin Martin
“Resonance”
Director: Mason Thorne
“Semblance of a Scene”
Director: Sam Parker
“You Can Film Anything”
Director: Ken Nordine
“Zaynab Loves Movies”
Director: Wendy Roderweiss
ABOUT CINEMA/CHICAGO
Cinema/Chicago is a not-for-profit arts and education organization dedicated to encouraging better understanding between cultures and to making a positive contribution to the art form of the moving image. The Chicago International Film Festival is one of the year-round programs presented by Cinema/Chicago, which also include its Television Awards, CineYouth Festival, INTERCOM Competition, International Screenings Program, and Education Program.
Celebrating its 51st anniversary this year, the Chicago International Film Festival is North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, running Oct 15-29, 2015 at the AMC River East (322 E. Illinois St, Chicago). Photos and media accreditation may be found at ChicagoFilmFestival.com/press.
This year’s Festival slate now includes six World Premieres, 15 North American Premieres, 45 U.S. Premieres, and counting! View the 2015 Festival lineup at ChicagoFilmFestival.com/films. Individual tickets and multi-film passes are now available. The full festival schedule is available at ChicagoFilmFestival.com/schedule.
FESTIVAL PARTNERS
The 51st Chicago International Film Festival’s sponsors include Gold Festival Partners: TIAA-CREF, Columbia College Chicago, Wintrust Community Banks; Official Airline: American Airlines; Headquarters Hotel: JW Marriott Chicago; Silver Festival Partners: Bloomberg, Intersites; Platinum Media Partners: National CineMedia (NCM), JC Decaux, Michigan Avenue Magazine; Gold Media Partners: WTTW11, Time Out Chicago, WBEZ91.5, WXRT-FM, WBBM Newsradio, and The Hollywood Reporter; Bronze Festival Partners: Stella Artois, AARP, Tribune Media; Participating Partners: SundanceNow Doc Club, Whole Foods, Wansas Tequila, Cultivate Studios, Netrix, KIND, OtterBox, Optimus, Sound Investment; Official Vehicle: Volvo; Participating Hotels: Public Chicago, The Whitehall Hotel, theWit and Loews Chicago Hotel; and Cultural Partners: Consulate General of Argentina in Chicago, Consulate General of Italy in Chicago, Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, Italian Film Commission, Italian Trade Agency, Polish Film Institute, Goethe Institut, Austrian Cultural Forum New York, ANCINE National Cinema Agency of Brazil, and Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. With Foundation and Government support from the National Endowment of the Arts, Alphawood Foundation Chicago, the Illinois Arts Council, and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Additional support provided by Allstate, the Chicago Architecture Biennial, Dark Horse Wine, Effen Vodka, Lavazza, and SkinnyPop.
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