The 50th anniversary of the Chicago International Film Festival is being celebrated as the fest kicks off tomorrow night, Thursday, Oct. 9, with the Chicago premiere of Miss Julie, which stars Jessica Chastain and Colin Farrell and was directed by Liv Ullmann. (Ullmann and Farrell will attend the gala red-carpet event.) The first week of the fest (which continues through Oct. 23) includes several entries in the festival’s LGBT-themed section (called “Out-Look”) and those, along with a few selected screening events of particular note—among many, are highlighted below.
Land of Storms—Same-sex desire contrasts with homophobia on and off the soccer field in this steamy drama from Hungary and Germany. Screening Oct. 10, Oct. 12 and Oct. 14
A Star Is Born—It’s a 60th-anniversary matinee presentation of gay director George Cukor’s sensational 1954 musical masterpiece with Judy Garland soaring to the heights of movie stardom (in her Oscar-nominated performance) as husband James Mason (also Oscar-nominated) sinks further and further into alcoholism. Cukor expert John Russell Taylor will attend the Oct. 11 screening.
The Circle—It’s a Swiss docudrama focusing on the enduring relationship between a shy teacher and a flamboyant drag performer set against the backdrop of a private Zurich club that catered to Our People beginning in the early 1940s. Screening Oct. 11 and Oct. 12
Alexander: The Ultimate Edition—The director’s cut of Oliver Stone’s 2004 epic saga of history’s greatest conqueror is a vast improvement over his original truncated version. It also makes implicit what Stone’s first cut didn’t—that the fetching Alexander (played by Colin Farrell) was gay. It also doesn’t stint on the love affair between Alexander and the bewitching Persian boy or Alexander and his best friend, played by Oscar-winning Dallas Buyers Club actor Jared Leto. Angelina Jolie eats up the screen as his snake-charming mother, as Val Kilmer plays Alexander’s hateful father and Anthony Hopkins totters about as the ancient narrator. Stone will attend the Oct. 12 screening that celebrates the 10th anniversary of the film.
Sand Dollars—A lesbian escort who hooks up with tourists in the Dominican Republic and shares the proceeds with her boyfriend finds her life upended when she begins to fall for one of her wealthy clients (played by Geraldine Chaplin). Screens Oct. 12, Oct. 13 and Oct. 16
The Way He Looks—From Brazil comes this critically acclaimed festival hit, a gay coming-of-age romance with a twist, as the young protagonist is also blind. Screening Oct. 11 and Oct. 13
Something Must Break—After interceding in a gay-bashing, hunky Andreas embarks on an affair with Sebastian, who is exploring gender barriers via an alter ego he calls Ellie. A romantic drama that blurs gender lines ensues in this Swedish film. Screens Oct. 13 and Oct. 14
Speed Walking—A 12-year-old Danish boy comes to terms with his gay sexuality in the mid-1970s along with Denmark’s newly liberalized pornography laws. A tender coming of age story. Screening Oct. 13, Oct. 15 and Oct. 22
An Evening with Kathleen Turner—Turner—beloved by queer film enthusiasts for her hilarious performance in John Waters’ Serial Mom as well as many of her standout film performances throughout the 1980s (Body Head, Prizzi’s Honor, Romancing the Stone, The Accidental Tourist, Peggy Sue Got Married, etc.)—is heading this year’s CIFF jury. On Tuesday, Oct. 14, she will sit down for an in-depth look at her career.
Second-week highlights will be in the next edition of WCT. Please note that the Thursday, Oct. 16, screening of The Imitation Game is already sold out. Complete festival schedule and advance tickets at www.chicagofilmfestival.com/.