CICFF39 New Dimensions Films to Watch Before November 20th
We may in the final stretch of CICFF39, but the magic isn’t finished yet! There’s still time to have new experiences in both fictional and documentary realities, whether you want to get lost in a brilliantly-written screenplay or learn about a new topic as a family.
Our first fully in-person festival since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person screenings are held at the FACETS Cinema and our partner venues. Virtual screenings are also accessible nationally across the United States for those wishing to watch from home. No matter your schedule or time zone, there’s always time to experience these exciting new films from the festival!
Our New Dimensions Program is primarily geared towards adults and teenagers aged 18 and up, containing more mature themes that the family can watch together. All age groups are able to retain a part of the themes from both fiction and documentary selections. Hand-picked from countries all over the world, it’s never been easier to find works that are dynamic and thoughtful.
While all the film festival selections are worth seeking out, these four titles from our New Dimensions, Coming Up (ages 11-14), and Teen (ages 14+) are especially worth adding to your watchlist before the festival ends on Sunday, November 20th, 2022.
Directed by Mervi Enqvist (2022, Finland)
Many films in our program were chosen for their topical relevance, and Power of the People is no exception. A 64-minute feature that had its North American premiere at our festival, the film follows a young woman in Finland as she struggles to have her voice heard in the racially marginalized country.
As a descendant of a Finnish mother and an African father, the young woman, Laura, has difficulties throughout the film regarding her cultural identity, doubting if she fully belongs to either part of her heritage. Feeling as if she has no future in Finland due to a family background beyond her control, Laura decides to pursue her passion for poetry, traveling around the world to both England and Chicago.
This coming-of-age tale is sure to attract fans of all ages as Laura seeks answers from outside Finland’s borders about who she is and what kind of future she can make for herself.
Though her travels are only temporary we get to experience Laura’s journey with her as she finds her way back to her native home of Finland. She has found a new perspective on life but has her country changed along with her?
Upcoming Showings:
Thursday, November 17, 2022 @ 7:00 PM (in-Person at FACETS)
Stream Virtually (until the end of the festival, Sunday 11/20 at 11:59 PM)
Directed by Lorena Zilleruelo (2022, Chile)
It was a privilege to screen this topically relevant film from Chile for its Illinois premiere at the CICFF. Running just over an hour, you’ll wonder how the time has flown by even as you’re overcome with emotion by the film’s end.
This documentary follows a young trans boy named Bastian, who struggles through adolescence in the South American country he calls home. Filmed in a format akin to Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, Bastian’s life is portrayed in this film from the beginning of his teenage years to the significant age of 18, as he transitions despite the social and economical obstacles present in front of him.
Directed and shot by his cousin, Lorena, this film is an intimate telling of what millions of trans people go through around the world, but rarely get the representation they deserve in order for society to understand them.
Upcoming Showings:
Friday, November 18, 2022 @ 8:00 PM (In-person at FACETS)
Directed by Yanis Belaid, Eliott Benard, Nicolas Mayeur, Etienne Moulin, Hadrien Pinot, Lisa Vicente, Philippine Singer, and Alice Letailleur, (2021, France)
Tying with Good Night, Mr. Ted for the Best Animated Short Film – 1st Prize at CICFF39, this animated French short is captivating to watch with stellar set design and cinematography. The film tackles serious subject matter though the animation style allows the viewer to more easily access what it’s depicting.
In under ten minutes, the short tells the story of over 30,000 Algerians who, living in Paris during the French-Algerian War, took to the streets in October of 1961 to protest a curfew they felt was discriminating against them. Many Algerians were killed by the authorities in retaliation for the protests, their deaths forgotten while an investigation failed to materialize for decades.
The film is powerful and eerily relevant, using its depiction of violence to emphasize what the Algerians went through by simply fighting for their rights to co-exist in the country. A collaboration between both France and Algeria, this short is an effort by the filmmakers to help the memories of the victims live on, never to be forgotten again.
Upcoming Showings:
Saturday, November 19, 2022 @ 6:00 PM (In-Person at FACETS)
Stream Virtually (until the end of the festival, Sunday 11/20 at 11:59 PM)
Slipping Away
Directed by Gabriel Hénot Lefèvre (2022, France)
While this short film selection is geared towards a younger audience, it’s a touching experience for those of any age. Throughout the 14-minute French short, no dialogue is necessary in order to get its storyline and message across, making it a unique experience that will leave you wondering how fifteen minutes disappeared from the day.
Winner of the Best Animated Short Film – 2nd Prize, the film follows an elderly man as he is being treated at a seaside sanitarium for an injury. During his recovery period, he interacts with a seagull that is attracted to the bread from his meals. Over the course of the film, the two develop a trusted friendship with one another, but their relationship runs into turmoil when a bad storm strikes.
Be sure to have a box of tissues nearby for this title. You’re going to need them!
Upcoming Showings:
Stream Virtually (until the end of the festival, Sunday 11/20 at 11:59 PM)
Saturday, November 19, 2022 @ 6:00 PM (in-Person @ FACETS)