Navigation

Festival Archives: Summer Screenings

< Back to Summer Screenings page

A Rising Fury

  Lesya Kalynska, Ruslan Batytskyi

  Ukraine      2022    

Synopsis

Filmed over eight years, A Rising Fury chronicles the evolution of the Russo-Ukrainian war from a deeply personal perspective. The film follows Pavlo, a passionate Ukrainian who enlists in the military following the 2013 Maidan Revolution in Kyiv and Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea. Juxtaposing front-line firefights with Pavlo’s love story, the film is a moving document of resistance, resilience, and the human cost of the fight for freedom.

 Ukrainian with subtitles 
  82 minutes

Media

Sponsors

Film Partner

logo: Ukrainian Consulate Chicago 99x100

< Back to Summer Screenings page

Precious Ivie Ivie wie Ivie

  Sarah Blaßkiewitz

  Germany      2021    

Synopsis

Ivie is a 30-something Afro-German woman and aspiring teacher struggling to land a job. Her world is upended when Naomi, an unknown half-sister, shows up with news that their father (a man neither knows) has died. As the sisters grow closer, Ivie begins to question her life. Showcasing Leipzig’s canals, parks, and nightlife, Precious Ivie is a moving chronicle of cultural identity, inner strength, and everyday racism.

 German with subtitles 
  112 minutes

Media

Sponsors

Film Partner

Logo: Goethe Institut 62x100

< Back to Summer Screenings page

Memories of My Father El olvido que seremos

  Fernando Trueba

  Colombia      2020    

Synopsis

Beloved by his boisterous family and the Medellín communities he cared for, Doctor Héctor Abad Gomez was a prominent physician, tireless public health activist, and cherished father. This adaptation of the tender memoir by son and celebrated author Héctor Abad Faciolince moves between sun-dappled carefree days in the 70s and a starker, foreboding late 80s defined by violent forces and ideological extremes to chronicle the life and times of Dr. Abad, a courageous and resolute man of principle.

 Spanish with subtitles 
  136 minutes

Screenings & Events

Post-Screening Discussion

Post-screening discussion led by Professor Juan Martinez, Northwestern University

Post-screening discussion presented by: Logo: Citi 161x100

Media

Sponsors

Film Partner

Logo: Consulate General of Colombia 338x60Logo: Consulate General of Columbia 200 years 155x100

< Back to Summer Screenings page

Peace By Chocolate

  Jonathan Keijser

  Canada      2021    

Synopsis

When their factory is bombed, a Syrian family flees Damascus and spends three years living as refugees. Eventually arriving in snow-covered rural Nova Scotia, the family must adapt to unfamiliar surroundings. With the help of some friendly locals (and to the chagrin of others), the family begins to rebuild their chocolate business and their lives. This heartwarming story of perseverance and human connection in the face of insurmountable odds is based on Tareq Hadhad’s real-life story.

 Arabic, English with subtitles 
  96 minutes

Screenings & Events

Post-Screening Discussion

In-person post-screening discussion with director Jonathan Keijser moderated by film critic Lee Shoquist.

Post-screening discussion presented by: Logo: Citi 161x100

Media

Sponsors

Film Partner

Logo: Canada 313x100

< Back to Summer Screenings page

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl

  Caroline Link

  Germany      2019    

Synopsis

In this sensitive adaptation of Judith Kerr’s internationally acclaimed autobiographical classic, nine-year-old Anna finds the world shift dramatically around her in 1933 Berlin. When her father, a high-profile Jewish theater critic, abruptly flees to Zurich to escape the Nazis, the family scrambles to follow, leaving everything and everyone behind⁠—from a beloved nanny and friends to cherished toys. A new life filled with challenges and privations, met with persistence and triumphs, lies ahead.

 English, French, German, Swiss-German with subtitles 
  119 minutes

Screenings & Events

Post-Screening Discussion

Post-screening discussion with Prof. Sara Hall, Associate Professor of Germanic Studies, Chair of the Minor in Moving Image Arts, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago

Q&A presented by: Logo: Citi 161x100

Media

Sponsors

Film Partner

Logo: Goethe Institut 62x100