Chicago International Film Festival Explained

Chicago International Film Festival
Location:	212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Founded:	1964
Host:	Cinema/Chicago
Language:	International
Website:	http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com

The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the composite eyes of early film actresses Theda Bara, Pola Negri, and Mae Murray, set as repeated frames in a strip of film.^[1]

In 2010, the 46th Chicago International Film Festival presented 150 films from more than 50 countries. The Festival's program is composed of many different sections, including the International Competition, New Directors Competition, Docufest, Black Perspectives, Cinema of the Americas, and Reel Women.

Its main venue is the AMC River East 21 Theatre in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, although it has dropped that venue during the most recent festival as of 2023 (59th), instead using the AMC Newcity 14.

International Connections Program

The International Connections Program was created in 2003 in order to raise awareness of the international film culture and diversity of Chicago, and to make the festival more appealing to audience and staff of various ethnicities. Foreign films are screened for free throughout the city weekly from July through September.

Awards

Winners are awarded Hugo Awards in eight different competition categories.^[2]

• International Feature Film Competition
  • Gold Hugo
  • Silver Hugo: Jury Prize
  • Silver Hugo: Best Director
  • Silver Hugo: Best Actor (until 2019)
  • Silver Hugo: Best Actress (until 2019)
  • Silver Hugo: Best Performance (from 2020)
  • Silver Hugo: Best Ensemble Performance
  • Silver Hugo: Best Cinematography
  • Silver Hugo: Best Screenplay
  • Silver Hugo: Best Sound
  • Silver Hugo: Best Art Direction
• New Directors Competition

• International Documentary Competition

• Out-Look Competition

• City & State Competition
  • Chicago Award
• Live Action Short Film Competition

• Documentary Short Film Competition

• Animated Short Film Competition

Gold Hugo

Year	Winning film	Director(s)	Country	Source
1965	The Lollipop Cover			^[3]
1966	Bushido (Bushidō zankoku monogatari)			^[4]
1967	Here's Your Life (Här har du ditt liv)			^[5]
1968	Innocence Unprotected (Nevinost bez zastite)
1969	Eeny Meeny Miny Moe (Ole dole doff)			^[6]
1970	The Green Wall (La muralla verde)
1971	Mon oncle Antoine
1972	Bleak Moments
1973	Mirage (Espejismo)			^[7]
	Morgiana			^[8]
1974	Pirosmani
1975	Land of Promise (Ziemia obiecana)
1976	Kings of the Road (Im Lauf der Zeit)
1977	The Huntsmen (Oi kynigoi)			^[9]
1978	To an Unknown God (A un dios desconocido)			^[10]
1979	Angi Vera
1980	Camera Buff (Amator)
1981	The German Sisters (Die bleierne Zeit)
1982	Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
1983	The South (El Sur)
1984	Khandhar (The Ruins)
1985	The Official Story (La historia oficial)			^[11]
1986	Welcome in Vienna (Wohin und zurück)			^[12]
1987	Whooping Cough (Szamárköhögés)
1988	Little Vera (Malenkaya Vera)			^[13]
1989	Zerograd (Gorod Zero)
1990	Ju Dou
1991	Delicatessen			^[14]
1992	Dream of Light (El sol del membrillo)			^[15]
1993	Twinkle (Kira kira hikaru)			^[16]
1994	71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls)			^[17]
1995	Maborosi (Maboroshi no Hikari)			^[18]
1996	Ridicule			^[19]
1997	The Winter Guest			^[20]
1998	The Hole (Dong)			^[21]
1999	Sachs' Disease (La maladie de Sachs)			^[22]
2000	Amores perros			^[23]
2001	Fat Girl (À ma soeur!)			^[24]
2002	Madame Satã			^[25]
2003	Crimson Gold (Talaye Sorkh)			^[26]
2004	Kontroll			^[27]
2005	My Nikifor (Mój Nikifor)			^[28]
2006	Fireworks Wednesday (Chaharshanbe Suri)			^[29]
2007	Silent Light (Stellet Lijcht)			^[30]
2008	Hunger			^[31]
2009	Mississippi Damned			^[32]
2010	How I Ended This Summer (Kak ya provyol etim letom)			^[33]
2011	Le Havre			^[34]
2012	Holy Motors
2013	My Sweet Pepper Land
2014	The President			^[35]
2015	A Childhood			^[36]
2016	Sieranevada			^[37]
2017	A Sort of Family			^[38]
2018	Happy as Lazzaro			^[39]
2019	Portrait of a Lady on Fire			^[40]
2020	Sweat
2021	Memoria
2022	Godland			^[41]
2023	Explanation for Everything			^[42]

Silver Hugo

Jury Award

• 2023 - The Delinquents, dir. Rodrigo Moreno (Argentina)
• 2022 – Close, dir. Lukas Dhont (Belgium)
• 2021 – Drive My Car, dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Japan)
• 2020 – Careless Crime, dir. Shahram Mokri (Iran)
• 2019 – Vitalina Varela, dir. Pedro Costa (Portugal)

Best Director

• 2023 - Aki Kaurismäki (Finland) for Fallen Leaves
• 2022 – Maryam Touzani (Morocco) for The Blue Caftan
• 2021 – Peter Kerekes (Slovakia) for 107 Mothers
• 2020 – Andrei Konchalovsky (Russia) for Dear Comrades!
• 2019 – Maya Da-Rin (Brazil) for The Fever

Best Actor

• 2021 – Bouli Lanners (Belgium) for Nobody Has to Know
• 2019 – Bartosz Bielenia (Poland) for Corpus Christi^[40]
• 2018 – Jesper Christensen (Denmark) for Before the Frost^[39]
• 2017 – Aleksandr Yatsenko (Russia) for Arrhythmia^[38]
• 2016 – Adrian Titieni (Romania) for Graduation^[37]
• 2015 – Alexi Mathieu and Jules Gauzelin (France) for A Childhood^[36]
• 2014 – Anton Yelchin (USA) for Rudderless^[35]
• 2013 – Robert Wieckiewicz (Poland) for
• 2012 – Denis Lavant (France) for Holy Motors
• 2011 – Maged El Kedwany (Egypt) for 678
• 2010 – Youssouf Djaoro (Chad) for A Screaming Man
• 2009 – Filippo Timi (Italy) for Vincere
• 2008 – Michael Fassbender (Ireland) for Hunger
• 2007 – Sam Riley (United Kingdom) for Control
• 2006 – Jürgen Vogel (Germany) for The Free Will
• 1989 – Jörg Gudzuhn (GDR) for Fallada, letztes Kapitel
• 1987 – Avtandil Makharadze (Georgia) for Monanieba
• 1972 – José Luis López Vázquez (Spain) for My Dearest Senorita^[43]
• 1971 – José Luis López Vázquez (Spain) for The Ancines Woods^[44]

Best Actress

See main article: Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress.

• 2021 – Michelle Fairley (Ireland) for Nobody Has to Know
• 2019 – Debbie Honeywood (UK) for Sorry We Missed You^[40]
• 2018 – Zhao Tao (China) for Ash Is Purest White^[39]
• 2017 – Jowita Budnik (Poland) and Eliane Umuhire (Rwanda) for Birds Are Singing in Kigali^[38]
• 2016 – Rebecca Hall (UK) for Christine^[37]
• 2015 – Lizzie Brocheré (France) for Full Contact^[36]
• 2014 – Geraldine Chaplin (United States) for Sand Dollars^[35]
• 2013 – Nadeshda Brennicke (Germany) for
• 2012 – Ulla Skoog (Sweden) for The Last Sentence
• 2011 – Olivia Colman (UK) for Tyrannosaur
• 2010 – Liana Liberato (USA) for Trust
• 2009 – Giovanna Mezzogiorno (Italy) for Vincere
• 2008 – Preity Zinta (India) for Heaven on Earth
• 2007 – Yu Nan (China) for Tuya's Marriage
• 2006 – Viktoriya Isakova, Darya Moroz, Anna Ukolova (Russia) for The Spot
• 2005 – Inka Friedrich, Nadja Uhl (Germany) for Summer in Berlin
• 2003 – Ludivine Sagnier (France) for Little Lili

Best Performance

• 2023 - Ilinca Manolache (Romania) for Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World
• 2022 – Vicky Krieps (Luxembourg) for Corsage
• 2020 – Yakusho Koji (Japan) for Under the Open Sky

Best Cinematography

• 2023 - Hélène Louvart (France) for La Chimera
• 2022 – Maria von Hausswolff (Iceland) for Godland
• 2021 – Kasper Tuxen (Denmark) for The Worst Person in the World
• 2020 – Tobie Marier Robitaille (Canada) for Night of the Kings
• 2019 – Vladimír Smutný (Czech Republic) for The Painted Bird

Best Screenplay

• 2023 - Gábor Reisz and Éva Schulze (Hungary) for Explanation for Everything
• 2022 – Alice Diop, Amrita David, and Marie NDiaye (France) for Saint Omer
• 2021 – Alexandre Koberidze (Georgia) for What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?
• 2020 – Christos Nikou and Stavros Raptis (Greece) for Apples
• 2019 – Pema Tseden (China) for Balloon

Best Art Direction

• 2022 – Marcela Gómez and Daniel Rincon (Colombia) for The Kings of the World
• 2021 – Sergey Fevralev (Russia) for Captain Volkonogov Escaped
• 2020 – Jagna Dobesz (Poland) for Sweat

Best New Director

• 2023 – Ena Sendijarević (Netherlands) for Sweet Dreams
• 2022 – Ann Oren (Germany) for Piaffe

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Winners of the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award include Steven Spielberg, Helen Hunt, Dustin Hoffman, Martin Landau, Shirley MacLaine, Lord Richard Attenborough, François Truffaut, Jodie Foster, Sigourney Weaver, Robin Williams, Manoel de Oliveira, and Clint Eastwood.

Career Achievement Awards

• Bruce Dern (2013)^[45]
• Terrence Howard (2005)
• Susan Sarandon (2005)
• Shirley MacLaine (2005)
• Robert Zemeckis (2004)
• Irma P. Hall, Robert Townsend and Harry J. Lennix (2004)
• Annette Bening (2004)
• Robin Williams (2004)
• Nicolas Cage (2003)

Television awards

The Television Awards started with the idea of honoring television commercials in a special event of the film festival, but over time evolved and grew into a bigger event, comprising not only commercials but also television productions, series, and online television. In 2003, a separate ceremony was launched for the TV awards, and in 2017, the event became a separate event, named the Chicago International Television Festival. Winners and runners-up for the various categories, which include Gold and Silver Hugos, are listed on the film festival website.^{[46] [47]}

See also

• Chicago International Children's Film Festival
• Chicago International Documentary Film Festival
• Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival
• Chicago Underground Film Festival
• List of film festivals

External links

• Chicago International Film Festival

Notes and References

1. Web site: Our Logo. The Chicago International Film Festival. October 25, 2017.
2. Web site: Festival Award Winners . Cinema/Chicago .
3. Web site: 1965 — 1st Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 2 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151107073644/http://old.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1965 . 7 November 2015 . dead .
4. Web site: 1966 — 2nd Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 2 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160116202355/http://old.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1966 . 16 January 2016 . dead .
5. Web site: Chicago International Film Festival (1967) . . 2 August 2015.
6. Web site: 1969 — 5th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 2 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160116202354/http://old.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1969 . 16 January 2016 . dead .
7. Web site: Chicago International Film Festival (1973) . 2023-08-17 . IMDb.
8. Web site: Juraj Herz Double Bill: The Cremator + Morgiana . Czech Centre . 2 August 2015.
9. Web site: 1977 — 13th Chicago Film Festival. chicagofilmfestival.com. 2 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151107074107/http://old.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1977. 7 November 2015. dead.
10. Web site: Chicago International Film Festival (1978). imdb.com. 2 August 2015.
11. Web site: Chicago International Film Festival (1985). imdb.com. 2 August 2015.
12. Web site: A Year in the Artsl. Chicago Tribune. 2 August 2015. 28 December 1986.
13. Web site: Chicago International Film Festival (1988). imdb.com. 2 August 2015.
14. Web site: 50 Years of Memories: Highlights from the History of the Chicago International Film Festival. chicagofilmfestival.com. 2 August 2015.
15. Web site: Chicago International Film Festival (1992). imdb.com. 2 August 2015.
16. Web site: Chicago International Film Festival (1993)l. imdb.com. 2 August 2015.
17. Web site: 1994 — 30th Chicago Film Festival. chicagofilmfestival.com. 2 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151107074359/http://old.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1994. 7 November 2015. dead.
18. Web site: 1995 — 31st Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207014744/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1995 . December 7, 2011 .
19. Web site: 1996 — 32nd Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207002221/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1996 . December 7, 2011 .
20. Web site: 1997 — 33rd Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207012145/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1997 . December 7, 2011.
21. Web site: 1998 — 34th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207035333/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1998 . December 7, 2011.
22. Web site: 1999 — 35th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207002453/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_1999 . December 7, 2011.
23. Web site: 2000— 36th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140107162205/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2000 . January 7, 2014 .
24. Web site: 2001— 37th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140107162827/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2001 . January 7, 2014 .
25. Web site: 2002— 38th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207011839/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2002 . December 7, 2011 .
26. Web site: 2003— 39th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207003438/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2003 . December 7, 2011 .
27. Web site: 2004— 40th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140107162338/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2004 . January 7, 2014 .
28. Web site: 2005— 41st Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140107162208/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2005 . January 7, 2014 .
29. Web site: 2006— 42nd Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207012321/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2006 . December 7, 2011 .
30. Web site: 2007— 43rd Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111207011806/http://chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2007 . December 7, 2011 .
31. Web site: 2008— 44th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140107161945/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2008 . January 7, 2014 .
32. Web site: 2009— 45th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140429045232/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2009 . April 29, 2014 .
33. Web site: 2010— 46th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . 7 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131227070338/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2010 . December 27, 2013 .
34. Web site: 2011— 47th Chicago Film Festival . chicagofilmfestival.com . January 7, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140107162959/http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/history/overview.php?festival=ciff_2011 . January 7, 2014 .
35. Web site: Highest Standards of Filmmaking Celebrated at the 50th Chicago International Film Festival's Awards Night . October 17, 2014 . chicagofilmfestival.com . May 23, 2016.
36. Web site: 'A Childhood' won the dramatic competition; 'Volta A Terra' prevailed in the documentary competition. Byrge. Duane. October 24, 2015. The Hollywood Reporter. May 23, 2016.
37. Web site: Rule, Romania: 'Sieranevada,' 'Graduation' win big at Chicago Film Fest. Phillips. Michael. October 22, 2016. Chicago Tribune. October 29, 2016.
38. Web site: 53rd Festival Award-Winning Films. October 25, 2017. Chicago International Film Festival. February 17, 2018.
39. Web site: 54th Chicago International Film Festival Award Winners. October 19, 2018. Chicago International Film Festival. January 24, 2019. January 30, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200130083909/https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/festival/54th-award-winners/. dead.
40. Web site: 55th Chicago International Film Festival Award Winners. October 27, 2019. Chicago International Film Festival. February 28, 2020.
41. Web site: 58th Chicago International Film Festival Award Winners. October 21, 2022. Chicago International Film Festival. October 21, 2022.
42. News: Phillips . Michael . Chicago International Film Fest winners are announced, and there’s an explanation for everything . 21 October 2023 . . 20 October 2023.
43. Web site: 50 years of memories: Highlights form the history of the Chicago International Film Festival. Chicago International Film Festival.
44. Web site: 50 years of memories: Highlights form the history of the Chicago International Film Festival. Chicago International Film Festival.
45. http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/news/display_news.php?article=bruce_dern_comes_home_to_chicago_for_the_centerpiece_presentation_of_alexander_payne_s__nebraska_ Chicago International Film Festival - News & Events - Bruce Dern Comes Home to Chicago for the Centerpiece Presentation of Alexander Payne's "Nebraska"
46. Web site: Chicago International Television Festival History. Cinema / Chicago . 24 November 2021.
47. Web site: Cinema/Chicago Television Awards: 2010 Award Winners. Cinema/Chicago . 24 November 2021.