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Keep Stepping
Synopsis
In Sydney, Gabi and Patricia train to compete in Destructive Steps, Australia’s largest street dance competition. Both are pushing themselves mentally and physically in hopes that winning the contest will open new doors and possibilities for a better life. The film spans seven years and provides viewers with intimate access to the breathtaking artform of street dancing. Keep Stepping illuminates the multicultural, passion-filled subculture and tells a moving story about love, obsession, and the transformative power of dance.
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Soft
Synopsis
Three friends fall in love with summertime Toronto’s lively nightlife. Young, queer, and unapologetically self-confident, the trio spends their days holding court and plotting to sneak into a nightclub. When one of their caregivers goes missing under suspicious circumstances, reality comes crashing in and their seemingly unbreakable bond is tested. Featuring remarkable performances from its young actors, Soft is a tender portrait of youth, friendship, and life on the city’s margins.
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Red Shoes Zapatos rojos
Synopsis
When Artemio receives unsettling news about his daughter, he sets out from his remote mountain farm for Mexico City in search of answers. As he struggles to navigate the utterly foreign capital, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with a down-on-her-luck sex worker. Together the two embark on a journey through the city’s labyrinthian streets and bureaucracies. A profound, poetic visual style and empathetic lead performances power this quietly ferocious fable about love, duty, and determination.
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A Rising Fury
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.
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Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands
Synopsis
Best known for her 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, internationally celebrated singer Marian Anderson’s career was propelled by her immense talent, but also steered by limits imposed by racism and segregation. Director Rita Coburn adapts archival recordings of interviews and performances alongside intimate correspondence, brought to life by actors Regina Taylor and Harry Lennix, to center Anderson’s own voice. Balancing public triumphs with personal struggles, this powerful documentary tells the story of a pioneering artist and civil rights activist in her own words.
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Post-Screening Discussion
In-person post-screening discussion with director Rita Coburn.
Post-screening discussion presented by: 
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212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: 312.683.0121 | Fax: 312.683.0122
info@chicagofilmfestival.com
