Summer Screenings Program
Cinema/Chicago, together with the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and our consular and cultural partners, presents Summer Screenings, a free weekly film series that casts a spotlight on a different country’s national cinema.
Breathing new life into stories translated to the screen, the theme of this year’s selections is Adaptation. Since the invention of cinema, movies have drawn inspiration from art forms of all kinds. Whether faithful renderings of popular novels or radical re-imaginings of historical events, film can create vast, visual worlds while telling the stories that matter to us most. From the mysterious return of a long-lost daughter to the inhabitants of a pollution-filled city dreaming of a starry sky to a successful actor on the verge of a breakdown, this year’s selections adapt novels, children’s books, short stories, and real-life events.
Major Sponsor: 
When & Where
May 24 – July 6, 2022
In-person screenings took place at:
Chicago History Museum, Tuesdays @ 6:30pm
July 13 – September 21, 2022
In-person screenings took place at:
Chicago Cultural Center, Wednesdays @ 6:30pm
Tickets
All films are free and open to the public, with free tickets available to reserve beginning 16 days in advance of each screening and in-person at the screening, based on availability. Limited tickets are available. Films are unrated. Viewer discretion is advised.
2022 Summer Screenings
Download the Summer Screening brochure
Last updated: June 6, 2022
Past 2022 Screenings
Tuesday, May 24
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
(Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl)
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…
Tuesday, May 31
A Girl Returned (L’Arminuta)
Summer, 1975. A 13-year-old girl mysteriously appears at a farmstead and moves in with the family. Who is she? What is she doing there? Based on a 2017 bestseller, A Girl Returned tells the story of a girl who unwillingly returns to the biological family she never knew and must…
Tuesday, June 7
Perdida
In this stylish thriller, ambitious orchestra conductor Eric lands in Mexico City with his wife Carolina after accepting a prestigious position with the Philharmonic. It feels like they are living their dream, so Carolina’s sudden departure leaves Eric angry and confused. Finding refuge in the arms of sympathetic bartender Fabiana…
Tuesday, June 14
The Good Boss (El buen patrón)
In this scorching satire, seemingly benevolent boss Blanco’s (Javier Bardem) industrial scales factory is up for a prestigious award, with one week until the upcoming evaluation. Just as he is feeling assured they will measure up, a disgruntled ex-employee demands his job back and throws everything out of balance…
Tuesday, June 21
Toxikoma
Captivating performances abound in this gripping drama detailing Hungarian actor and star personality Győző Szabó’s epic clash with hard-nosed psychiatrist Dr. Imre Csemus on his journey to overcome addiction and reclaim his life. Just as Győző’s career is soaring, his personal life plummets precipitously – and only one thing, or…
Tuesday, June 28
Peace By Chocolate
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, the family begins to rebuild their chocolate business and their lives…
Wednesday, July 6
Shelter (Foscadh)
Stricken with grief after his parents’ death, the reclusive, extremely shy 28-year-old John Cunliffe is attacked on the street. As he recovers in the hospital, both physically and mentally, he begins to fall for his nurse Siobhán. Upon his release from the ward, he begins to abandon his hermit-like ways…
Wednesday, July 13
Small Country: An African Childhood (Petit pays)
The son of a French father and Rwandan mother, 10-year-old Gabriel spends idyllic days studying at school and playing with friends in a well-sheltered Burundian community. That is, until the ethnic genocide in neighboring Rwanda spills into his world, threatening families and taking lives. From the semi-autobiographical novel of singer and…
Wednesday, July 20
Memories of My Father (El olvido que seremos)
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…
Wednesday, July 27
The Legend of Molly Johnson
On a small homestead deep in Australia’s Snowy Mountains, Molly Johnson is dead set on survival. With her husband away on a drove, the pregnant matriarch must fend for her family against the wild, threatening countryside. When her secret past gets the town talking, she is pushed to extremes. This blistering…
Wednesday, August 3
Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands
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…
Wednesday, August 10
The Book of Fish (Jasan-eobo)
When a new king ascends the throne, scholar Jeong Yak-Jeon is exiled to a remote island for incorporating Christianity into his Confucian teachings. There, he becomes fascinated with the awesome variety of sea creatures caught by the island’s fishermen and, with one local’s help, authors an encyclopedia of the underwater…
Wednesday, August 17
Poupelle of Chimney Town (Entotsu machi no Puperu)
The breathtaking story of young Lubicchi and a man made of garbage, Poupelle. Living among the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town, Lubicchi yearns to see the “stars” — to know the truth — his father always told him about. Adapted from the bestselling picture book…
Wednesday, August 24
Let It Be Morning (Vayehi Boker)
When Sami returns with his wife and son to his Arabic village for his brother’s wedding, he plans a quick return to Jerusalem, where his business and mistress await. Just as he is leaving, the village is unexpectedly put under lockdown by Israeli soldiers, and Sami finds himself caught in…
Wednesday, August 31
I Don’t Wanna Dance
Teenager Joey and his little brother are delighted to be placed back with their mother Daphne after two years apart. All seems to be going well. Daphne has a job and Joey finds his niche with a dance group. But when Daphne sinks back into old, destructive patterns, Joey does whatever it takes…
Wednesday, September 7
Chen Uen
One of the most celebrated and influential comic book artists in all of Asia, Chen Uen drew influence from Chinese ink and western-style painting, wuxia films, and the world around him. He crafted a signature style, one that he adapted across art forms including video games and puppet shows…
Wednesday, September 14
ear for eye
Writer-director debbie tucker green daringly adapts her acclaimed stage work for the screen, a layered collection of scenes that give voice to the joys, struggles, triumphs, and defeats of the ongoing struggle for racial equality. Cinematic flourishes, from invigorating closeups and dynamic camera movement to riveting light design, give visual depth…
Wednesday, September 21
My Father Marianne (Min pappa Marianne)
Newly single, twentysomething aspiring journalist Hanna leaves Stockholm to move back in with her parents in her small hometown. Already feeling adrift, her world is turned upside-down when her father, a respected priest, informs his family that he wants to come out as Marianne. How can Hanna, who hardly believes…
Health and Safety Protocols
As of March 1, attendees are not required to show proof of vaccination. While masks are recommended and appreciated, they are no longer required. These guidelines are subject to change as we monitor federal, state, and local mandates.
Accessibility
McCormick Theater at the Chicago History Museum and The Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center are physically accessible venues, with no-step entrances, accessible bathrooms, and limited wheelchair and companion seating. Please reserve wheelchair or companion seating or request an ASL interpreter at least 48 hours in advance, and we will accommodate where possible. (Chicago Cultural Center guests should use the Randolph Street entrance and “Plan Your Visit” at ChicagoCulturalCenter.org.)
To make a reservation or for any general questions or comments about accessibility at Summer Screenings, please fill out the request form, email us at access@chicagofilmfestival.com or call us at 312.683.0121 x108. Learn more about accessibility at Cinema/Chicago…
Special Thanks
Cinema/Chicago’s Summer Screenings Program would not be possible without the support of the following individuals and organizations:
American Masters Pictures / PBS
Australian Consulate-General in Chicago Deputy Consul-General Emma Buckham
British Consulate-General, Chicago Consul General Alan Gogbashian and Deputy Consul General Maria Rennie
Consulate General of Canada in Chicago Colleen Duke
Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Erin Harkey
Chicago Film Office Kwame Amoaku, Betsey Grais, and Thavary Krouch
Chicago History Museum
Consulate General of Colombia in Chicago Consul General Dixon Moya
Dutch Culture USA / Netherlands Consulate General in Chicago
Goethe-Institut Irmi Maunu-Kocian
Consulate General of Hungary in Chicago Consul General Tamas Kovacs and Cultural Affairs Erzsebet Mate
Illinois Arts Council Agency
Instituto Cervantes of Chicago Executive Director Anastasio Sanchez and Cultural Program Curator Teresa Hernando
Consulate General of Ireland, Chicago Consul General Kevin Byrne and Vice Consul Sarah Keating
Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest Consul Daniel Aschheim and Renie Schreiber
Italian Cultural Institute in Chicago Luca Di Vito
Japan Information Center at the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago Consul-General Hiroshi Tajima, Rikidai Sako, and Wataru Inoue
Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago Consul General Junghan Kim, Vice Consul Kyoungju Oh, and Cultural Coordinator Heeju Han
Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago Consul Reyna Torres Mendivil
Swedish American Museum Karin Moen Abercrombie
Honorary Consulate of Sweden – Chicago Karin Moen Abercrombie and Anna Engstrom Patel
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago Director General Johnson S. Chiang
Taipei Culture Center of TECO in New York Director Huichun Chang
Villa Albertine Chicago & the Cultural Services of the French Embassy Axelle Moleur and Laurence Geannopulos
Summer Screenings Sponsors
Major Support
Additional Support
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