Comedy’s Trickiest Weapons

Ever since Ancient Greece’s Homeric parody The Battle of Frogs and Mice, parody and satire have been potent tools for skewering the popular forms and belief systems in our society. At this year’s Festival alone, films such as Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker, Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, and Kristoffer Borgli’s Dream Scenario poke fun at everything from the dominance of cis superheroes to the corruption of capitalism and social media. Join visiting filmmakers and local comedians for this discussion about what’s funny about popular culture, fair use, and how such comic forms have the power to radically transform and restructure the ways we view our world.

Panelists: Katie Caussin (IO Theater), Vera Drew (The People’s Joker), Anna Libera (Columbia College Chicago), Sam Rocha (comedian), Bashir Salahuddin (South Side)

Moderator: Kelly Leonard (The Second City)