Despite declining sponsorships and internal cuts, the second annual Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMMfest) fest opens with a “special surprise screening,” featuring Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Sonic Youth, Jello Biafra, Grant Hart and Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, followed by Q&A with the mystery film’s director.
CIMMfest of some 32 features, docs and shorts runs March 4-7 at various North Side venues.
“We cut international travel for guests, parties, etc., but kept the program budget and made sure the quality of the presentations doesn’t suffer,” says Ilko Davidov of Bulletproof Film, CIMMfest founding director with Josh Chicoine, frontman of The Ms.
All the live musical acts are connected to a film screening, with several films featuring live scores. Submissions this year matched 300 films submitted last year, when attendance was 15,000.
CIMMfest’s opening night party also includes the U.S. premiere of Thomas Woschitz’s Marseille-Tokyo-Rio de Janeiro-Belgrade-Brooklyn romance “Universalove” at 7 p.m., scored live by the band Naked Lunch, and a performance by P-Orridge and Thee Majesty at 11 p.m.
Some of CIMMfest highlights:
Todd Berger’s Austin-shot serial killer mockumentary “The Scenesters,” won the Dos Equis Most Interesting Film award at Slamdance.
It’s produced by Brett D. Thompson’s Chicago-based Midwinter Studios, former Leo Burnett exec Jeff Grace, and former Chicagoan Kevin Brennan. It screens March 5 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s. See
