Synopsis

A program of shorts by Illinois filmmakers addressing how past experiences shape the present moment, showcasing the talent and vision of regional filmmakers. Including documentary, observational, and narrative works by James Choi, Adam Oppenheim, Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian, Annette Elliot, Fernando Saldivia Yáñez, Donald Conley, Sophiyaa Nayar, Erika Valenciana, Mitchell Wenkus, and Kimberly Spohn.

Using the natural sights and sounds of Tekal, Yucatan, Resonancia (Mexico) is an expressive piece that captures the feel of a small town and its relationship to religion. In Saving Superman (United States), 57-year-old Jonathan experiences the joys and challenges of living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, supported by his mother, friends, and Glen Ellyn community. The Museum (United States) is an atmospheric reflection on the prestige — and bias — of artistry, and one man’s journey of accepting an invitation to display his sculptures after decades of rejection. Against the backdrop of cloudy skies, Winter Portrait (United States) focuses on a Mapuche couple watching their historic wedding video. Ex-lovers Lamar and Sidney reconnect after several years apart in About Time (United States). Chhaya (United States) observes Jiya, whose painful memories return to the surface as she attempts to sit through an annual pelvic exam. Broken Flight (United States) follows the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a volunteer group that rescues and records birds after they collide with skyscrapers. Facing a daunting day at work, a young woman tries a novel method to boost her confidence in Day with a Dick (United States).

Synopsis

In this revelatory and inventive personal documentary, Chicago filmmaker Kyle Henry (ChicagoIFF selection Rogers Park) explores his close relationship with his elderly mother Elaine at a critical moment. It is the early days of the pandemic. Mother and son are separated, and she has late-stage dementia. Mining his own extensive family archive in combination with playful uses of photographic projection and models, Henry delves into the specific complexities of their relationship while also relaying a larger tale of American motherhood and self-sacrifice.

From the Kodachrome pictures and grainy Super 8 home movies of his past to touching Zoom sing-a-longs with his mom in the present, Henry creates a vivid and intimate family portrait while reckoning with his feelings of guilt and helplessness. Also full of warmth and joy, Time Passages is an alternatingly moving and amusing testament to the bonds between mothers and children, and the ways we navigate life’s most challenging moments.

Synopsis

Ivan Dixon’s The Spook Who Sat By the Door is a radical adaptation of Sam Greenlee’s 1969 novel and a seminal work of American political cinema. The film stars Lawrence Cook as Dan Freeman, the first Black CIA agent, who secretly utilizes his training to build a guerrilla army on the south side of Chicago aimed at toppling the U.S. government. Freeman’s covert operations highlight the militant struggle for Black liberation that intensified in the wake of the civil rights movement.

Blending satire with serious political commentary, Dixon’s explosive narrative remains a powerful critique of systemic racism and oppression. Restored to its original glory, the film’s urgency and revolutionary spirit continue to resonate today, showcasing its timeless relevance and incisive portrayal of Black resistance.

Restored by The Library of Congress and The Film Foundation. Funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.

Synopsis

Gene Hackman and Tommy Lee Jones star in this densely plotted, Chicago-set thriller about an army veteran who becomes a pawn in a sprawling conspiracy.

Synopsis

Chicago icons past and present come together in this inspiring documentary about artistic practice and political activism. As celebrated sculptor Richard Hunt crafts his monument to civil rights icon Ida B. Wells, “The Light of Truth,” the film weaves together Hunt’s story with the captivating history of his subject, Ida B. Wells. In connecting artist and activist through Hunt’s towering 35-foot-high Bronzeville-based sculpture, the film reveals their analogous missions to battle racism and forge new paths for Black Americans.

A moving testament to Hunt, an influential artist, and Wells, notable for her anti-lynching organizing and role in the suffragist movement, The Light of Truth is a monument to public art, the spirit of protest, and two essential Black Chicago pioneers dedicated to freedom and perseverance.