Reeling 2007: 26th Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival Coming Nov. 8 to 18

With the Chicago International Film Festival concluded (Oct. 4 to 17) and the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema wrapping up (Oct. 18 to 28), Reeling 2007: The 26th Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival is nearly upon the Windy City.


Running from Nov. 8 to 18 and presented by Showtime, Comcast and “The L Word,” Reeling is the “second-oldest lesbian and gay film festival in the world and a premiere cultural event for Chicago’s LGBT community and film-appreciating audiences”.

Reeling will include about 70 programs. Tickets are on sale now. This year’s festival is said to be more global than in previous years with work from 28 countries and in genres ranging from romantic comedy to esoteric experimental.

Screenings will be held at the Chicago History Museum (1601 N. Clark St.), Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema (2828 N. Clark St.), Film Row Cinema (1104 S. Wabash Ave.), Center on Halsted (3656 N. Halsted St.), Lakeshore Theater (3175 N. Broadway St.), Leather Archives & Museum (6418 N. Greenview Ave.) and Chicago Filmmakers (5243 N. Clark St.).

Rather than rolling out red carpets, the festival will be rolling out a series of pink carpets beginning with an opening-night event for “Shelter” on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Chicago History Museum.

Closing night on Nov. 18 will feature an event for “The Curiosity of Chance” beginning at 6 p.m. at the Chicago History Museum.

Laura Linney to Walk Red Carpet on Wednesday, Tomer Heymann Coming on Oct. 21

On Wednesday, Laura Linney will walk a Chicago red carpet with director Tamara Jenkins for the Chicago premiere of “The Savages” and the closing of the Chicago International Film Festival.

The red carpet is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Harris Theater at 205 E. Randolph.

Director Tomer Heymann will be in Chicago for two screenings of his documentary “Paper Dolls” as part of the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema.

On Oct. 21, the film will show at 9 p.m. at Piper’s Alley (1608 N. Wells). On Oct. 22, the film will show at 8:30 p.m. at the Wilmette Theatre (1122 Central Ave. in Wilmette).

Israeli Critic Picks: ‘Sweet Mud,’ ‘Someone to Run With,’ ‘Salt of the Earth,’ ‘The Ashkenazim’

On Sept. 13, I briefly mentioned that the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema (CFIC) will introduce to Chicago and Chicagoland the best films Israel has to offer from Oct. 18 to 28.

Press representative Cheryl Jacobs Lewin noticed the post and followed up with me with more information.


The 2007 CFIC will open on the evening of Oct. 18 at AMC Loews Pipers Alley 4 at 1608 N. Wells where it will run through Sunday evening on Oct. 21.

The festival then moves to the Wilmette Theatre at 1122 Central Ave. in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette where it will run from Monday evening on Oct. 22 through Sunday evening on Oct. 28.

Most films are in Hebrew with English subtitles. I particularly have my eye on these films:

The 98-minute feature film “Sweet Mud”.

The film is a product of the Sundance Film Lab and is a Sundance award winner. The story centers around a 12-year-old boy on a secluded kibbutz in the desert who learns his mother is mentally ill.

Oded Davidoff’s 118-minute feature film “Someone to Run With,” which is a story of self-discovery based on the best-selling novel by David Grossman.

The 114-minute feature film “Salt of the Earth” with Israeli box-office star Aki Avni. He will attend and introduce this dark crime drama at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 25 at the Wilmette Theatre.

The 52-minute documentary “The Ashkenazim,” which is a humorous look at young Israelis in search of their Ashkenazi roots.

Tickets for all films at AMC Loews Pipers Alley 4 (other than opening night) are $10. Tickets are available beginning on Sept. 27 at the theater box office and at Fandango. Tickets for opening night are $25 at 847-675-FEST.

Tickets for all films at the Wilmette Theatre are $10 and are now available at the theater box office and at this Web site.

Seinfeld, Broderick to Roll Out Red Carpet in Chicago on Oct. 1 to Pump ‘Bee Movie’

While screening “Eastern Promises” tonight at Pipers Alley in Chicago, I learned that Jerry Seinfeld and Matthew Broderick will roll out the red carpet here on Oct. 1 to pump their animated “Bee Movie”.

The duo will appear at an invitation-only event at AMC River East, which is where “Ocean’s Thirteen” stars wowed Chicago on June 7. “Bee Movie” opens on Nov. 2.

By the way, “Eastern Promises” screened to a nearly packed crowd at the same time the first Serbian Film Festival kicked off its opening ceremony on Thursday at Pipers Alley.

I also learned of the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema, which is said to be the largest showcase of Israeli films in the Midwest. I hear the 52-minute documentary “The Ashkenazim” is particularly noteworthy.