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“Batman vs. Superman” due to film here in November

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 19, 2014

FILM FLAM. After six months of filming in the Detroit area, “Batman vs. Superman” is tentatively scheduled to film in Illinois for one to two weeks. The Yorkville lo...

Tourism turns its back on Illinois production houses

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 19, 2014

As a rule, ReelChicago doesn’t go in for editorializing. There are times, however, when something provocative comes up that can’t be ignored. Like now. Illino...

Millions love ‘Easy Abby’ so why’s it so hard to sell?

by Dan Patton Sep 18, 2014

Abby Walker, the unique lead character of "Easy Abby," created by writer/director Wendy Jo Carlton and based on "a chunk of my own life and my girlfriends and cynicism about r...

Mauro’s tribute to fallen Marine to benefit veterans

by Ed M. Koziarski Sep 18, 2014

The young man that Lucia Mauro met in St. Peter’s Square in Rome in 2009 wore shoes that didn’t fit and were torn to shreds. Mauro, a Chicago arts critic, learned th...

INDIE CINEMA

Reeling32 fest to screen 100 LBGT films Sept. 18-25

By Ed M. Koziarski Sep 12, 2014

Reeling Film Festival, founded by Brenda Webb of Chicago Filmmakers and now in its 32nd year, opens Sept. 18 at the Music Box and runs through Sept. 25. About 100 films will sc...

REEL THINGS

Molly Glynn Fund reaching $155K goal in record time

By Ruth L. Ratny Sep 12, 2014

THE MOLLY GLYNN MEMORIAL FUND has been an outpouring of love for the immensely popular and talented film and theatre actress Molly Glynn, who was killed by a falling tree durin...

Quartet of filmmakers are WIF’s Focus Award honorees

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 11, 2014

Chicago native Shira Piven, now of LA, is one of four prominent leaders in film and advertising who will be honored at Women in Film Chicago’s annual Focus Awards at a lunc...

REEL THINGS

Now in Dallas, Holecek back in town for screening

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 11, 2014

POST PRODUCER CARRIE HOLECEK, former executive producer at Red Car Chicago, returns to Chicago Thursday, Sept. 11 for the first time since she left Chicago last year after Red...

Jacobs and Fratini the champs of summer bocce ball

By Dan Patton Sep 9, 2014

The 2014 Optimus Beach Bocce Ball league championships Saturday at Oak Street Beach concluded with a leisurely throwdown between the two-man "My Other Partner" team of Tim Jac...

Cossette Chicago’s new ECD is Chuck Rachford, from DDB

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 9, 2014

Cossette, the number one Toronto agency that opened a Chicago office last May after winning the McDonald’s Owner/Operators of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana (MOCNI) busin...

REEL LA

Ex-agency creative Manera’s ambitious feature debuts

Ruth L Ratny Sep 8, 2014

Heading for theatrical distribution this month is LA-based writer/director Jim Manera’s feature, “Who is John Galt?” based on the protagonist in Ayn Rand’s magnum...

Series stars at Cinespace for Sinai Hospital benefit

By Mike Morgan Sep 5, 2014

“Chicago Fire” and “Chicago PD” cast members will be in attendance, along with 400 expected other guests, at the End of Summer Soiree benefit being hosted by Cinespace...

A toast to comic Urlakis’ “Day Drinking” webseries

by Dan Patton Sep 5, 2014

Plenty of people like to knock back a few cold ones while the rest of the world is at work, but the pastime is rarely celebrated in popular culture. “Day Drinking,” a new ...

McDonald’s CCO Paleo-Lazar resigns after 14 years

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 4, 2014

Marlena Peleo-Lazar, McDonald’s chief creative officer and a 14-year veteran of the Oak Brook-based company, has resigned amid pressure of reversing the chain’s falling U...

One at Optimus’ three new directors bring total to 11

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 4, 2014

ONE AT OPTIMUS has boosted its directors’ roster to 11 with the addition of a trio of award-winning directors. They are LA-based Danny J. Boyle and Ben Chappell, both known ...

Kartemquin’s new doc distribution strategies

BY Ed M. Koziarski Sep 4, 2014

Tim Horsburgh, Kartemquin’s director of communications and distribution is working on distribution of Kirsten Kelly and Anne de Mare’s The Homestretch, which begi...

Diversity Conference seeks to hike film work and jobs

By Ruth L Ratny Sep 3, 2014

Chicago’s Diverse Film Conference, aimed at organizing support for greater film job diversity by amending the Illinois Filmmakers 30% Tax Credit, will be held Saturday, Sept....

Philanthropists to help fund worthy docs in progress

by Ed M. Koziarski Sep 2, 2014

Chicago filmmakers’ fiction and non-fiction projects will get a boost from Homegrown Chicago, an initiative of the Chicago Media Project, which aims to connect philanthropis...

INDIE CINEMA

‘Dead Girls’ lively choice for two horror film fests

By Ed M. Koziarski Sep 2, 2014

ANTHOLOGY FILM DEAD GIRLS that was made on a micro-budget, shot over four weekends with a cast of 70 union and non union actors, has gone from script to distribution ...

Kartemquin’s biggest year ever for doc production