Sensationalism, Surrealism, Susana
A relic of Buñuel’s commercial period in Mexico, Susana offers up sex, sensationalism, and literal Sturm und Drang. The vast majority of Luis Buñuel’s filmography was released before his ascension to the throne of surrealist cinema. The filmmaker may have first come
The Unbelievable Story of Ada Falcon
Filmmakers Lorena Munoz and Sergio Wolf trace the life of an iconic tango singer who vanished at the height of her career. Ada Falcon was a tango diva. She sang on cinema screens. Her voice dominated the airwaves. Tabloids were preoccupied
25 Watts Captures the Absurdity of Adolescence
25 Watts may be an ode to Linklater and Jarmusch, but the film is more than capable of standing on its own. A worthy addition to that sub-genre of low-budget, seemingly low-effort, films that defined the independent film scene during the
The House is Black Refuses to Turn Away From Ugliness
In The House is Black, Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad presents the lives of leper colony inhabitants with empathy and grace. “On this screen will appear an image of ugliness, a vision of pain no caring human being should ignore.” The image in question is that of
Celebrating Film Icon Milos Stehlik
On July 6, 2019, FACETS’ founder, Milos Stehlik, passed away after a six-month battle with lung cancer. His legacy will forever impact film culture in Chicago and beyond.Founder and director of FACETS, Milos Stehlk, legacy left far reaching changes
Revolution is Reborn in Electra My Love
Made up of only twelve very long takes, Miklós Jancsó’s film transforms a classic myth into a powerful political fable. Miklós Jancsó’s Electra, My Love (1974) is very much a film of its time, an artistic reaction to Soviet oppression in the years
Raymundo Gleyzer: A Revolutionary Filmmaker and the Revolution
Raymundo Gleyzer attacked the authoritarian Argentinean government with revolutionary cinema. “I don’t believe in revolutionary cinema. I believe firmly in the revolution.” Here we have, in writing, the artistic philosophy of radical Third Cinema pioneer Raymundo Gleyzer. The Argentinean filmmaker spent his career telling stories
The Mountains and Memoirs of Luc Moullet
The Sieges of Alcazar and The Man of the Badlands bookend the fascinating career of Luc Moullet. Though he may be one of the less-decorated foot soldiers of the French New Wave, Luc Moullet is an integral member of that legendary legion of artists.
Lessons From Local Filmmakers
As an aspiring filmmaker, you can learn a lot from these iconic local artists.We tend to think of filmmaking as something exclusive to Hollywood. But plenty of directors from the Chicago area have made their best work while living in
Rama Burshtein’s Real Religious Women
Fill the Void depicts the Chassidic world from a female perspective with sensitivity and artistry. Orthodox Judaism is typically represented in cinema one of three ways: There’s the “Yentl” approach, in which the Orthodox world remains frozen in Old Country Shtetlach even as their