KSanders writesKyle Sanders Goes to the 58th Annual Chicago International Film Festival

This summer I read an enlightening biography on the late Pauline Kael (A Life in the Dark for those interested), one of the most influential and provocative film critics of the twentieth century. She climbed her way up through the ranks (as a working single mother no less!) to claim her throne at The New Yorker where she reigned for nearly twenty-five years. 

What's interesting is that her approach to reviewing cinema involved no technological prowess or scholarly theory on the art form--it was all emotion. Watching a film meant undergoing a transformative experience; to Kael, it was personal.

Kael's tenure at The New Yorker ended in 1991 when I was much too young to connect with her biting reviews. By the time I learned of her significance in film criticism, she had already passed away in 2001. But finishing her biography left me with the impression that her influence still lingers, because I realize her sensibilities toward cinema march in unison with my own: I no longer yearn for a film to entertain me, I want to feel it.

That wish is granted every October during the Chicago International Film Fest. In it's 58th year (and my SIXTH year of CHIRP coverage), CIFF brings over ninety features and sixty short films to the Windy City, ranging from life-affirming dramas to eye-opening documentaries and midnight shockers.

Aside from those international films competing for prizes, there are some special presentations from well-established filmmakers. Rian Johnson's highly-anticipated sequel to Knives Out, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, is showing the same night that cast member Kathryn Hahn receives the Career Achievement Award. Darren Aronofsky's The Whale and Sarah Polley's Women Talking are also showing, both already garnering awards buzz. And to close out this year's festival will be Noah Baumbach's White Noise. Naturally, these titles were some of the fastest to sell out, but luckily I was able to reserve a seat for Women Talking (expect a full review as its release date nears on December 2nd!).

But it's not just about the big premieres. The Chicago International Film Festival allows me the chance to check out features that would normally not get screened here in the states. Of my previous years of coverage, I can only recall a handful of titles I've reviewed that ever found their way to a Chicago theater (France's BPM and Non-Fiction, China's Ash is the Purest White come to mind). That astounding realization is enough to keep me coming back for more, because it means I get to experience a point-of-view not always represented in American theaters. There's not much that American studios can produce to move me these days, but thanks to the Chicago International Film Festival, I--much like Pauline Kael--get to experience something personal. Hopefully you do too!

The Chicago International Film Festival runs from October 12th until October 23rd with titles playing at AMC River East, the Chicago History Museum, the Gene Siskel Film Center, and The Music Box Theater. For tickets and showtimes, please visit the festival Web site.