October traditionally is the most eventfully-active month of the year as our calendar proves. We will continue to add events as quickly as they announced so, as they say, “stay tuned.”
OCT. 8-14. CHICAGO IDEAS WEEK offers 80-plus sessions across the city featuring two the three speakers presenting their inspiring, innovative ideas in a variety of forms – demonstrations, conversations, performances – meant to inspire action and positively who share ideas – to positively impact the world.
OCT. 10. WOMEN IN FILM FOCUS AWARDS GALA honors Burrell’s Debbie Amsden, VP/Director of Broadcast Communications; Robin Robinson, Fox 32 news anchor; retired Sun-Times columnist Stella Foster and inaugural Hall of Fame inductee, the Sun-Times’ celebrity columnist par excellence, Bill Zwecker. At the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza, starting at 6 p.m.
OCT. 10. NANCY WATROUS’ CHICAGO FILM ARCHIVES celebrates its 10th annual Home Movie Day, when a live audience sees amateur home movies in 16 mm, 8 mm and Super 8, held Chicago History Museum at the Museum in conjunction with the Chicago Film Society.
OCT. 11-25. THE 48TH CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL opens with the world premiere of “Stand Up Guys” produced by Chicago native Tom Rosenberg, and starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walker, Alan Arkin and Julianna Margulies. and goes on to present 150 of the finest films from around the world, along with famous filmmakers and stars for two luminous weeks. Closing night is the Chicago premiere of another Chicago native, Robert Zemeckis’ “Flight,” starring Denzel Washington.
AMC River East theatres, 322 E. Illinois, are CIFF’s sole venue.
OCT. 13 THE PINK CRUSADE WARDROBE SWAP, organized by adwomen Nathalynne McGinnis and Ann Hagerty, invites women to bring perfectly good but orphaned clothes, jewelry and accessories and swap them starting at $5. The Avon Breast Cancer Foundation benefits. At Daily Planet, 720 N. Franklin, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
OCT. 13. THE ART OF THE AUDITION, The Business of the Art workshop with established, respected Hollywood casting director Paul Weber CSA is presented by Rex Sikes’ Movie Beat at the Art Institute of Wisconsin.
In his two-part workshop, Weber teaches actors of every level what to expect and gives them the winning tools to help win success in the audition room
Weber is the in-house casting director for MGM Worldwide TV and consultant for MGM features and cast the 2012 TV series “Spartacus: Vengeance,” the 2011 “SGU Stargate Universe” and 2008 “Stargate: Atlantis.”
OCT. 13. SUITE’S LIVELAB NETWORK, an exciting new interactive concept that integrates social media with brands and live audiences, hosts creative strategist and innovation expert Robert Tercek speaking from its new LiveLab studio.
His live show, “Inventing the Future with Robert Tercek” hosts interviews with experts exploring emerging ideas in media, entertainment, science and more, with the theme, “What comes next after what comes next.”
“Inventing the Future” allows guests to experience the LiveLab Network, the revolutionary new direction in online programming, and how it applies in advertising, marketing, branding and social media.
At 678 N. Wells, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; tickets, $15.
OCT. 16. THE “LA BAMBA” CAST REUNION celebrates the 25th anniversary of the award-winning biopic of rock ‘n’ roll singer Ritchie Valens, who was killed in a plane crash at age 17, as a special edition of Columbia College’s “Conversations in the Arts” at Columbia Night at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Moderator is Dean Richards, WGN/9 entertainment reporter and Columbia ’76 grad. At AMC River East 21 Theatres at 7 p.m.
OCT. 17. THE WACHOWSKI’S “CLOUD ATLAS,” the powerful, big-budgeted, star-crammed epic across multiple lifetimes is CIFF’s Centerpiece Selection. Written by Lana Wachowski and co-directed by Lana and brother Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer – and all scheduled to attend.
OCT. 17-18. AVI SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE offers something for everyone: 60-plus manufacturers exhibiting the latest in state-of-the-art AV, telepresence and broadcast technology.
Nineteen seminars are scheduled, led by experts on every aspect of AV, including those from RGB Spectrum, Crestron, Smart Tech, Listen Tech, AJA, Atlas Sound and AVI Systems. At Venue One, 1044 W. Randolph, starting at 9 a.m. on both days. Door prizes, seminars, lunch and valet parking are free to attendees.
OCT. 19. VISUAL ARTIST/CHARACTER DESIGNER SCOTT CAMPBELL, known for his character design of the game “Brutal Legend” (starring Jack Black) and “Psychonauts,” and who works in a wide array of fields, is the guest at DePaul’s School of Cinema and Interactive Media’s series of screenings and lectures by visiting artists.
Campbell will present samples of his work and discuss his creative and professional work with CIM faculty member Scott Roberts. At the Daley Building, 247 S. State, 6 p.m.; free and open to all but seating is limited.
OCT. 19-20. CHICAGO 8: SMALL GAUGE FILM FESTIVAL, giving Super 8 filmmakers to exhibit their work in its original format, opens “Silver Halide Crystals,” a program of a dozen intriguing shorts. Experimental filmmaker Karen Johannesen and Chicago filmmaker and archivist Josh Mabe are the festival founders.
At Cinema Borealis, 1550 N. Milwaukee, starting at 8 p.m. $10 per show, $25 for festival pass.
OCT. 24. FROM THE FAR OUT MIND OF KEN NORDINE (“Word Jazz”), the legendary VO/narrator over seven decades and the voice of CIFF for 47 years, has come “Agenbite of Inwit.” The impish Nordine describes his film: “The title comes from a phrase purported to be from a Benedictine monk who lived in the 14th century, and dealt with the inner workings of the bite on conscience. Take a look, hope you like it,” he says. At the AMC River East Theatres, 6:30 p.m.
OCT. 25. BLOODBATH ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is the theme of Cutters annual Halloween party being held at the Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., from 6 to 11 p.m. A round trip party bus will convey guests from Cutters Studios at 515 N. State to the event starting at 6 p.m. Food, drink and costume contest with $1,000 to the top winner.
OCT. 26-NOV. 4. THE 29TH CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL has expanded from 200 to 240 new films from 40 countries and will welcome 20,000 attendees, including 100 filmmakers who will lead Q&A and workshops at venues across Chicago.
In addition are animation workships; a screening of “ParaNorman” with Mark Shapiro of LAIKA Studios leading Q&S and a stop motion workshop; computer animation workshops with Toon Boom Animation and fun stuff, like a zombie and pirate costume contest accompanying screenings of “ParaNorman” and “Pirates! Band of Misfits,” respectively.
OCT. 29. INTO THE WAKE, the first feature of Artistic Home associate artistic director John Mossman, screens at the Gene Siskel Film Center Shot in Chicago and Sauk County, the psychological thriller concerns a man whose life is unhinged by a mysterious call from the past.
Starts at 7:45 p.m. Director/co-writer Mossman and actor/producer/co-writer Tim Miller will be present for audience discussion. Click here to see the trailer.
Don’t wait! Add your upcoming event to the list now. Send details to ruth@reelchicago.com.
