History

Cinema/Chicago is the presenting organization of the Chicago International Film Festival, North America's oldest competitive international film festival. Founded in 1964 by award winning filmmaker and graphic designer Michael Kutza, the Festival's goals were the same then as they are now: to discover and present new filmmakers to Chicago, and to acknowledge and award these filmmakers for their artistry. The first Festival opened in 1965 at the Carnegie Theater, where directors King Vidor, Stanley Kramer, and actress Bette Davis were honored for their contributions to American cinema. Since then, the Festival has grown to become a world-renowned annual event.

Seeking out the best in cinema, the Festival has discovered new talents and opened windows to a world of film previously unavailable to Chicago. The festival has introduced innovative directors such as Martin Scorsese, John Carpenter, Susan Seidelman, Victor Nunez, Gregory Nava (United States); Wim Wenders, Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Germany); Bertrand Tavernier (France); Peter Weir (Australia); Dariush Mehrjui (Iran); Mike Leigh, Alan Parker, Michael Apted, Peter Greenaway (Great Britain); Vincent Ward (New Zealand); Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Zanussi (Poland); Dusan Makavejev (Yugoslavia); Victor Erice (Spain); Jan Troell (Sweden); and Maria Louisa Bemberg (Argentina), to name just a few!

The Chicago International Film Festival is a competitive event with categories for feature films, first and second time directors, documentaries and short films (including animation and student productions). As the oldest competitive international film festival in North America, it prides itself on the impressive caliber of its jury members. The International Feature Film Jury consists of world-renowned film professionals that often include critics, directors and actors. Chicago is also the first film festival in the United States chosen to organize the FIPRESCI (Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinematographe) jury. This distinguished group of international film critics presents their award to the best feature film made by a first or second time director.

At a majority of the Festival's screenings, filmgoers have the unique opportunity to meet directors and actors who introduce their films and hold question and answer sessions after the screenings. Recent guests have included such actors and directors as: Geoffrey Rush (Australia, Shine), Liv Ullmann (Norway, Private Confessions), Spike Lee (United States, 4 Little Girls), Catherine Breillat (France, Fat Girl), Billy Bob Thornton (United States, Sling Blade), Juzo Itami (Japan, Supermarket Woman), Richard Linklater (United States, Waking Life), Christopher Lee (Great Britain, Horror of Dracula), Tsai Ming-liang (Taiwan, What Time is it There), Jean-Pierre Jeunet (France, Amelie) and Danis Tanovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina, No Man's Land). The Festival's in-person tributes have honored such luminaries as François Truffaut, Sophia Loren, Howard Hawks, Satyajit Ray, Al Pacino, Jodie Foster, Michael Douglas, Oliver Stone, John Travolta, Lauren Bacall, Gregory Peck, Richard Gere, Sigourney Weaver,Faye Dunaway, Halle Berry, Clint Eastwood, Pierce Brosnan, Charles Dutton and the 2003 Festival honored Nicolas Cage with a Career Achievement Award, Robert Benton with a Lifetime Achievement Award and Taye Diggs with a Special Tribute. Other Festival highlights from previous years included tributes to director Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling) and Lord Richard Attenborough (Ghandi, Cry Freedom).

Celebrating the dynamic talents in cinema, the Festival is continuing the tradition of expanding events honoring the diversity and excellence of Afrocentric films. Entitled Black Perspectives, this exciting program is a permanent part of The Chicago International Film Festival. The centerpiece event is a tribute to an actor or director who has made a significant contribution to broadening perceptions of the black experience. Previous tribute subjects include three-time Academy Award nominee Morgan Freeman, pioneering actress and cult action-film star Pam Grier, Academy Award nominee Laurence Fishburne (Matrix, What's Love Got To Do With It?) and Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry (Monster's Ball, Bullworth).

Each year, the Festival features programs that highlight films from specific regions of the world, raising awareness of the variety of voices and perspectives that exist within one country. Mexican Cinema in Motion was presented in conjunction with the Mexican Fine Arts Centre's seventh annual Sor Juana Festival, honoring Mexican women in the arts. Past Festivals also focused on contemporary films from Cuba, Japan and the Phillipines.

About Our Logo

Some have thought they were Charlie Chaplin's eyes (including Mr. Chaplin), others thought they were Liza Minnelli's (including Ms. Minnelli). However, those intriguing eyes on the Chicago International Film Festival logo belong to the legendary Theda Bara, the silent screen actress who vamped it up in countless films at the dawn of cinema. The logo, created by Festival Founder and Artistic Director Michael Kutza, has become internationally recognized as an image that represents both the allure of the silver screen and the cinematic celebration that takes place every year in Chicago.

Each year the festival specializes in showcasing the greatest directors, the freshest visions, and the strongest cinematic stories. Celluloid hero Theda Bara, with her heavily mascared eyes, continues to be the Festival's guiding vision since 1964.