Windy City Events

INDIE INCUBATOR XI- A Festival of Chicago’s Best Short Films (11/30/10)

Short films will fill the 10 foot screen and all the plasmas in the popular night spot, The Original Mother’s, for the eleventh incarnation of Indie Incubator Film Fest on Tuesday, November 30, 2010. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, and management even breaks out the couches and free popcorn, too. These shorts are anywhere from 30 seconds to 20 minutes in length, and genres run the gamut from comedy to horror, with everything in between. It is never boring, with energetic hosts and great films, the crowd is constantly entertained.

Now in its fifth year, Indie Incubator has gained credibility, momentum and a distinct voice in the Chicago area independent film scene. The fest has prided itself as the best alternate venue outside of the traditional festival circuit for local filmmakers work to get shown and get noticed. They have yet to charge a single film maker ANY submission fee! “Submission fees are a racket,” says Matt Kubinski, creator of the fest. “Why should independent filmmakers be charged just to submit their film for the possibility of being shown at these fests? Don’t films already cost enough to make?” › Continue reading

In case you wanted to see more Transformers 3 pictures… Here are a couple from today

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Here are some great shots of the Transformer’s set on Michigan Ave.

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Metro Presents 1st Chicago Screening of Nine Inch Nails Concert Film 2/25

Thursday, February 25, Metro and ThisOneIsOnUs.org present the first Chicago area screening of the new fan-created Nine Inch Nails concern film “Another Version Of The Truth”. The screening will be free to all those 18 & over, with limited VIP tables available for purchase.  VIP table proceeds will benefit UNICEF’s Haiti Relief Fund.

The film is a unique project entirely created, produced and brought to the public by fans of the band, with the encouragement of the band.  In 2008, Nine Inch Nails released The Slip for free on their website, as a gift to their fans.  As Trent Reznor put it at the time, “This one’s on me”.  Later that year, the band allowed dozens of fans to video and record several shows on the tour that year, and then unofficially released many hours of video footage to the fans.  The community of Nine Inch Nails fans – editors, designers, web programmers and others – then worked together to create the three disc DVD entitled “Another Version Of The Truth”.  The project will be released as three separate digital files, the final one on February 25, to be followed by a physical DVD release coming soon.

This is the first opportunity for Nine Inch Nails fans to see the entire three disc DVD live in Chicago at Metro on February 25.  There will also be DJ sets by Darkwave Disco. This event is free and open to the public. It is an 18 & over event and starts at 9pm.  A limited amount of VIP tables benefitting UNICEF’s Haiti Relief Fund are available for purchase.  The cost is $100, which includes admission, seating for four people, one drink per person, and one DVD of the film.

For more information, please visit
http://thisoneisonus.org/

Thursday, February 25:
Metro and thisoneisonus.org welcome…
A SCREENING OF “ANOTHER VERSION OF THE TRUTH”A NIN CONCERT FILM * DJ Sets By DARKWAVE DISCO
FREE (Limited VIP Tables available for $100, includes admission and seating for four people, one drink per person and one DVD of the film) / 18 & Over / Doors: 8PM / Show: 9PM
Please note all proceeds from VIP tables will benefit UNICEF’s Haiti Relief Fund

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
Metro Box Office
Internet sales at www.metrochicago.com

(500) Days of Summer: Gene Siskel Film Center (Fri. 12/18, 6pm and Sun. 5:15)

If you haven’t seen it yet, or if you loved it enough to see it again, then do go see the fabulous indie romance, (500) Days of Summer at the Gene Siskel Film Center this Friday. This quirky, unexpected take on relationships, staring Zoey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, explores the rise and fall on one couple, and how everyone can eventually find love if they are open to the possibility. › Continue reading

Independent Film Premiere: EYE OF THE SANDMAN (11/20 & 11/23)

EYE OF THE SANDMAN

Synopsis:
Just days before her wedding, a one-eyed bride-to-be develops an obsession for a mysterious stranger that may cost her her marriage, her home, and her other eye. Family secrets, forbidden desires, and squeaky gears collide in this eccentric riff on ETA Hoffman’s 19th century story, ‘Der Sandmann.’ › Continue reading

Fractured Lens Video Fest: Portage Theater (10/22) 8pm

The Portage Theater is hosting a 3rd Fractured Lens Video Fest this Thursday.  Anyone attending is invited to bring in their own short films (there are rules of course, but just check out their website) and to share and watch others.  It will be a feature length of submitted shorts.

The Portage Theater is an historic theater that opened in the 1920′s, and it has been hosting an assortment of different events and movies there (they had a night of Point Break last week).  It will be a great way to watch films the way that the minds behind them intended them to be seen.  Plus, it’s only $7.

Fractured Lens
4050 N. Milwaukee Ave [google map]

Music Box Massacre 5: Music Box (10/10 noon till 10/11 noon)

One of the largest horror film festivals in the country is happening this weekend at the infamous Music Box.  For only $33  (you can get tickets for $27 in advance) you can get over 12 classic horror films.  24 straight hours of film, and you can come and go as you please.

The Music Box is also happy to bring in some classic horror film stars, including Stuart Gordon, Art Hindle, and more.  Bring a pillow and your pajamas and stay the entire time, or bring a costume and catch what you want.   There will be auction items and prizes gore… I mean galore.

musicboxtheatre.com

Google Map

Split Pillow’s 7th Annual Fundraiser (Thur. 10/22)

Come celebrate Split Pillow and the release of their upcoming features – Eye of the Sandman and Life as Lincoln – in a Split Pillow style haunted house, at the home of Jason Stephens and Ken O’Keefe.

Split Pillow is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development of emerging filmmakers, the production of collaborative motion pictures and the promotion of media literacy through events, projects and workshops that foster education, appreciation and artistic innovation.

Thursday, October 22nd 2009
6pm-8pm
400 E. Randolph #40A
Chicago, IL 60601
$50/Person – If Reserved by October 15th
$60/Person – After October 15th
Silent Auction, Cocktails and Heavy Hors D’oeuvres
Dress: Business Casual
All proceeds benefit Split Pillow, NFP. Tickets will cover your drinks, nosh and entertainment for the evening.

You can reserve tickets online with a credit card at splitpillow.com

45th Annual Chicago International Film Festival (Thurs. 10/8 – Thurs. 10/22)

From October 8^th through October 22^nd, the International Film Festival will be taking the windy city by storm! In its 45^th year, the event will feature 150 films from 45 different countries ranging from suspense shorts to GLBT themed documentaries. Katherine Dieckmann’s Motherhood starring Uma Thurman will kick off opening night at AMC River East 21, and expect the Kill Bill heroine to make a red carpet appearance as her career is celebrated on the same night. Other celebs, including actors Willem Dafoe  and Martin Landau are expected to make appearances throughout the festival at various free panel discussions and post parties etc. The schedule of screenings is now available, and here are some that are getting buzz: An Education, The Messenger, Red Cliff and The Antichrist. And if you still can’t bite the bullet, each year the CIFF closes the festival with a bang by bringing back winning films from a number of competitive categories as well as a selection of crowd favorites. Buy tickets in advance for the “Best of the Festival” on Monday, October 19^th.

The Chicago International Film Festival

October 8^th – October 22^nd
AMC River East 21
322 E. Illinois St. [google map]