KSanders writesStrife Imitating Art: Reviews of “Apples” and “And Tomorrow the Entire World”

written by Kyle Sanders as part of his coverage of the 2020 Chicago International Film Festival

The year 2020 feels like something out of a movie, and that's because there are so MANY movies out there that seem to have predicted our current reality: a global pandemic affecting millions of lives, social upheaval charged by political conspiracies, and an overall "us vs. them" vibe plaguing our every corner.

It's no surprise then that some of the films screening at the Chicago International Film Festival this year involve such matters that seem eerily prescient.Two of those films are Apples (Greece/Poland/Slovenia) and And Tomorrow the Entire World (Germany).

Directed by Christos Nikou (a frequent collaborator with Yorgos Lanthimos), Apples gives us an all too familiar scenario involving a mysterious pandemic facing the world; however, the infected don't develop fevers and coughs, they develop amnesia.

One of the seemingly afflicted victims is Aris (Aris Servetalis). After awaking on a bus without any sense of his identity, he's taken to a rehabilitation program called "Learning How to Live." This place returns him to the world not with a face mask in tow, but a Polaroid camera.

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KSanders writesKyle Sanders Goes to the 56th Annual Chicago International Film Festival

by Kyle Sanders

Well...it's been quite the year.

The whole world has nearly collapsed under the strain of Covid-19, especially here in the United States. In 2020 alone, we've dealt with a string of racial injustices, nervously wondered who will fill the vacant seat of one of the most respected (and most "notorious") Supreme Court Justices we've ever had, AND on top of all of this, we are just weeks away from what has already been a tumultuous presidential election.

But as the old saying goes, c'est la vie: "life is life."

And that's the attitude the Chicago International Film Festival has taken this year, going "on with the show" so to speak. They're providing a new roster of international titles for their 56th annual film festival--with a few added changes, of course.

This year, CIFF is providing theatergoers with on-demand streaming, appointment screenings, and in-person drive-in theater presentations with virtual filmmaker Q&As and Industry Days that will be completely online. All films screening in person will be showcased at Chitown Movies in Pilsen (2343 S. Throop Street).

As always, I'll be your festival reviewer, taking in some of what the cinema world has to offer. I'll be checking out what's part of the international competition, but also including an array of genres, such as Black perspectives, documentaries, and queer cinema--all from the comfort of my couch!

We might be rounding out one abysmal year, but let's allow the Chicago International Film Festival to help us escape our lives for a life beyond the border! To find out when and how to check out this year's films and to download a convenient festival guide, check out the festival Web site for more information. The 56th Annual Chicago International Film Festival is going on now through October 25th.

See you (virtually) at the movies!