LISA GILDHAUS on March 15 presents her feature documentary "Almost Home," about an innovative Milwaukee retirement community. St. John's on the Lake is "where residents mingl...

Repeatedly displaced by rising costs in communities they've helped popularize, Wicker Park artists, led by the Near NorthWest Arts Council, took a stand. After years of deve...

WHO SHE IS. Film and TV veteran, show producer/documentarian Barbara E. Allen of Middle Passage productions. She's an eight-time Emmy nominee and two-time winner, a.k.a. "BA."...

PATRICK READ JOHNSON of Moonwatcher Films has entered the third and final round of shooting for his feature "5-25-77." Johnson shoots the film's climactic "Star Wars" premie...

Pete Schwaba joins the growing ranks of independent filmmakers choosing self-release over unsatisfactory distribution offers, when he opens his debut feature "The Godfather of G...

If Gov. Blagojevich's bold proposed film incentives become law during the current session of the state legislature, movie and spot producers will find Illinois offers the best b...

After 14 years at the same Elmhurst location, Peter Karl Productions decided to move into the city to be closer to their clients. As they searched in an ever-widening ar...

I'm always stunned when I realize that I can be happy with something small: A frozen, rum-laden pina colada, couple of chunks of flaky, fried yucca and a small, warm tamale. ...

"CHEF AL FRESCO" is the title of a pilot created by Pixel Brothers' partners Andrew Ryann, Michael Torchia and David Moravec. In the pilot, Shawn McClain, the renowned owne...

In mid-January, Joseph Farris was one of the lucky local shooters to take delivery of a Panasonic P2 camcorder to add to his extensive camera arsenal. His Visions of Light wa...

MARK HARRIS of 1555 Filmworks has wrapped production on his music horror/thriller feature "Holla If You Hear Me." The picture shot for three weeks entirely at night. "Holla"...

Justin Hayward's Sundance-selected short "Divorce Lemonade" headlines a selection of Midwestern shorts at the Midwest Independent Film Festival March 7. The Midwest Indie al...

After eight features and more than 100 shorts that have made him a favorite of museum and underground festival programmers, James Fotopoulos is embarking on his first commercial...

FILMWORKERS CLUB hired Mary O'Gara as executive producer, replacing Kathy Hurley who moved over to Vitamin as executive producer. O'Gara, who goes back to the Editel days ...

It's fitting, the way Matthew Scott Harris came to make his first film about choice and destiny. "The Weather Man" was shooting near Harris' Lakeview restaurant Matilda's, a...

WHO SHE IS: Documentary camera person Dana M. Kupper, an associate of Kartemquin Films. She has taught the same camera seminar at Columbia College Chicago for 20 years. "I ...

One Way Productions launch the national theatrical tour of their second feature "Pieces of a Dream" with a weeklong run at the ICE Chatham Theaters beginning Feb. 27. Harold...

South by Southwest is back, which means it's time for another feature film premiere from 24-year-old poet of post- collegiate relationships Joe Swanberg. Swanberg will ha...

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS in the live action, animated, and documentary categories screen now through 9 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St. Featuring animated nomin...

Nat Dykeman's mission to bring the film festival experience to the far north suburbs reaches new heights with the third annual installment of Dykeman's brainchild, the Lake Coun...