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With the FACETS ReOpening Soon Campaign ending soon, we wanted to take some time and look back at the impact that our education programs have had on the individuals and community within and around FACETS. In the last year, communication has changed so much, with there really being no such thing as “face-to-face” conversations when it comes to our personal and professional lives. In a time where so much of our communication has been pushed into the digital realm, we are interacting with video and screens more than ever have before. Now is the time where film and media literacy are most important. Since

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This week at FACETS, we’re taking a deep dive into the world of Asian-American film and its media representation with our first In Focus event. Check out our virtual screenings and get your free ticket to join us live online Wednesday, April 21 at 7pm for the first In Focus panel discussion engaging filmmakers and the film community through moderated discussions on various film related topics. In this first In Focus discussion, our panel consists of Chicago based documentarian Jenny Shi, Award-winning, multidimensional, Chicago-based artist Mia Park, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Assistant Professor Maryam Kashani and Michael Phillips The Chicago Tribune’s film critic since

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With the FACETS ReOpening Soon Campaign well underway, we wanted to take some time to reflect on some of the most important moments in the history of FACETS. Last week, we explored the storied history behind the iconic FACETS building, and now we want to explore some of the transformative cinematic experiences that have happened within its doors. Before the pandemic closed our doors and before the movie-going experience became a nostalgic thought for many, FACETS was a hub for the film community and a place for all to experience the magic of cinema. From the films screened, to the films

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This April Fool’s Day we wanted to take a look at films that you’ll probably never watch. These films push limits of both cinema and the human attention span to its extremes with runtimes that would make even the most seasoned movie-goer exhausted. With the rise of social media, instant gratification, and streaming services that offer “bite sized entertainment” like the ill-fated “Quibi”, it seems that our nation’s attention span is under attack from all angles. Hell, even Netflix recently gave users the options to change the speed at which their film or TV show plays, in case you really just

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This last year, our world has been facing incredibly difficult times, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and important social and political issues. COVID-19 lockdowns have hindered our collective ability to experience film the way it was intended, in a cinema, shoulder to shoulder with other filmgoers and cinephiles. We have lost the ability to take our seats and let the experience that is cinema wash over us. There has been no more excitement when the lights dim, signaling the start of the show. There have been no more concessions enjoyed or horrible moments where you must shush the people sitting

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There are two sides to every film, the artistic and the commercial. The artistic side consisting of the directors, writers, cinematographers and so on, while the commercial consists of the producers and the studio, anyone involved with the money. Typically, these two sides of the film should work in tandem to create the best possible film for both parties, an artistic film, one that spreads the message of the ones who made it, and a profitable film, for those who paid for it all to happen. This is typically how it is done, and for the most part, it works.

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Song of the Sea and The Breadwinner are a part of our Award-Winning Animation series curated by the experts at FACETS Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF). Films in the series are also available for virtual Field Trips. Check out our Field Trips page for more info. Animated films are longstanding staples in family-friendly entertainment, and with recent additions to the canon like Isle of Dogs, My Life as a Zucchini and the recent Pixar hit, Soul, animated films have become more mature and have begun to tackle content that is not only beneficial to kids, but teens and adults alike. In addition to the recent surge

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Elizabeth Lo’s “strangely beautiful” (Screen International) exploration of Istanbul’s street dog population, Stray, opens Friday, March 12 at FACETS Virtual Cinema. In anticipation of the film’s release, we’ve curated a list of arthouse canine flicks that are shaping the future of the genre as we know it. People really love dogs, that’s just how it is, how it’s always been, and how it will remain. Taking a look back through our shared cinematic history, this seemingly universal appreciation for canines has been a mainstay. Often a staple of the “family movie night” category, films like Lassie, Balto, Old Yeller, Homeward Bound,

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In these days of isolation that we have all found ourselves in for nearly a year, sometimes we need a reminder of some of the good things in life. This Valentines Day, FACETS has curated a watchlist highlighting films that demonstrate love’s ability to overcome all obstacles and barriers. From queer films about love in the face of discrimination and adversity, to films about love in times of hardship, to films about the implications of love in the face of familial disapproval, this watchlist can serve as a reminder to all of that even though we may not be able to

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This year for Black History Month, FACETS is highlighting Sam Soko’s new documentary Softie. A film about a Kenyan activist taking to the streets and eventually running for public office. Softie is available to stream at FACETS Virtual Cinema until February 11. Black History Month is a time to reflect on the impact that Black individuals and communities have had on the history of the United States and the entire world. A time to pay tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve citizenship, and equality in American society. A time to look back on the