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Festival Archives: Chicago Intl Film Festival

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The Best of CineYouth 2023

  Various

  Canada, Iran, South Korea, United States     96 minutes

Synopsis

Discover the next generation of great filmmakers with CineYouth’s 2023 award winners! From animated gems to impactful documentaries, experimental genre-benders to heartfelt dramas, this eclectic and impressive group of films are all made by directors 22-years-old or younger! Featuring works by Caleb Jacobson, Ian Kim, Andee Williams, Aniya Carey, Antoinette Green, Iyanna Jordan, Aria Gazor, Bjorgvin Arnarson, Irène-Kimberley Valin-Awashish, Julian Barahona, Janay Kelley, and Daisy Friedman.

A couple is a bright spot in their community, running a publishing business for Black creatives and growing a family through foster adoption, in the inspiring portrait and Documentary Award-winner Believe in Wonder (U.S.).

The largely animated documentary (and Animation Award-winner) My Sisters in the Stars (U.S./South Korea) provides vital historical perspective through the story of Lee Yong-soo, one of 11 living survivors of human trafficking in Japanese-colonized Korea.

Chicago Award-winner Taste of 75th (U.S.) is a celebration of famous eats on Chicago’s South Side featuring Brown Sugar Bakery, Original Soul Vegetarian, and Mabe’s Deli.

After an unfair evaluation of a classmate’s film, two students decide to get even with the principal in the absurdist Comedy Award-winner Judgment (Iran).

Experimental Award-winner TOWERFALL (U.S.) is a work of horror-tinged docufiction that presents footage and audio from the 1968 Yanaguana Tower of Americas tragedy to tell an alternate history of San Antonio.

Courageous and hopeful, the documentary essay and International Award-winner Lullaby (Canada) explores coming of age and the power of the unconscious.

Faced with financial challenges, a single mother takes her young son to the moon using the magic of storytelling in Audience Award-winner A Trip to the Moon (U.S.).

The River (U.S.) is an impassioned, poetic expression of a community’s response to the loss of a young girl that addresses sexual violence, grief, and trauma.

In Drama Award-winner As You Are (US), an interabled couple’s first night together leads them to confront complex relationships with desire, bodily autonomy, and what it means to truly love another person.

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A young man removes his green and white jacket while looking at another person. Behind him are wine bottles and a houseplant.

Man>Code [short film]

  Adrian Gardner

  United Kingdom     15 minutes

Synopsis

When Lucas’ roommate unexpectedly returns home, his casual hook-up plans take an unexpected turn. Trapped in his room, he’s forced to confront his choices and reevaluate his approach to love and intimacy. Lucas’s date becomes a catalyst for him to embrace his true self. What follows is a heartwarming journey that opens the door to a world of new possibilities.

This film screens as part of the Shorts 7: Black Perspectives – Resonance program.

  

 English 

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A young boy looks straight ahead with his fists in the air in a boxing position.

Love Taps [short film]

  Derrick Woodyard

  United States     14 minutes

Synopsis

In the wake of his parents’ separation, a young boy embarks on a transformative journey that challenges his understanding of family, love, and masculinity. Guided by his father’s attempts to impart essential life skills, including how to throw a punch, he begins to understand that being strong isn’t just about physical power; it’s about inner strength, emotional fortitude, and the ability to confront life’s adversities head-on.

This film screens as part of the Shorts 7: Black Perspectives – Resonance program.

  

 English 

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The shadows of two girls playing handgames against the concrete with a few leaves and pebbles scattered around.

Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games [short film]

  Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson

  United States     18 minutes

Synopsis

Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games takes a historical look at the profound influence of black girls on popular culture and the musical aesthetics within the black community. Uncovering a legacy that spans centuries, the film meticulously explores African culture, and how hand games and other artistic forms of communication were employed to defy oppressive cultural constraints. The cultural significance of hand games has become an integral part of modern American culture, yet often, the contributions of black girls in shaping society are frequently disregarded and remain uncredited. Black Girls Play gives viewers an opportunity to discover and appreciate their contributions.

This film screens as part of the Shorts 7: Black Perspectives – Resonance program and Generations: Black Perspectives Shorts Community Cinema program.

  

 English 

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376 Days (Nick Cave: Keep it Movin’) [short film]

  Claude-Aline T Nazaire-Miller

  United States     37 minutes

Synopsis

376 Days (Nick Cave: Keep it Movin’) takes viewers on an intimate exploration of acclaimed artist Nick Cave’s life and creative process as he prepares for a retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, marking the culmination of his illustrious 40-year career. The focus extends to an extraordinary 80-piece couture fashion performance titled “The Color Is,” which beautifully celebrates themes of gender identity and acceptance.

Nazaire-Miller’s inspiring documentary offers an unfiltered glimpse into Cave’s authentic vulnerability and humanity as both an artist and a cherished member of his community. It’s a testament to the profound love and support that surrounds him. 376 Days confidently signals that Cave’s body of work will continue to resonate and leave an indelible mark on the art world for generations to come.

This film screens as part of the Black Perspectives Special Program – Beyond the Frame program.

  

 English 

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