7th Annual CHICAGO CRITICS FILM FESTIVAL Announces First Films, Passes on Sale
Presented by Chicago Film Critics Association, early selections include
Sundance smash hit THE FAREWELL starring Awkwafina,
40th Anniversary Screening of ALIEN on 35mm
(Chicago, IL) — The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA), the Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group that celebrates the art of film and film criticism, announces the first seven films selected for the 2019 Chicago Critics Film Festival. First titles include the Sundance Film Festival smash hit, THE FAREWELL, by Lulu Wang and starring Awkwafina (pictured). Passes are now on sale for the event, May 17–23 at Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre; more information on the first selected films, plus festival passes, is available here.
With these initial selections, festival programmers (all CFCA members) present some of the most acclaimed yet-to-be-released films of the year, making Chicago a must-screen destination for films that audiences will be talking about for months to come. Among the early selections are the much-acclaimed THE NIGHTINGALE, the latest from writer/director Jennifer Kent (The Babadook); MONOS, heralding the new filmmaking talent of director Alejandro Landes; and THEM THAT FOLLOW, starring Olivia Colman fresh off her Academy Award-winning role in The Favourite. With the inclusion of a 40th Anniversary screening of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic ALIEN on 35mm, the Chicago Critics Film Festival bolsters its already impressive reputation for programming that’s built to impress.
The first seven films selected for the 2019 Chicago Critics Film Festival are:
ALIEN presented on 35mm (directed by Ridley Scott)
THE FAREWELL (written and directed by Lulu Wang)
IN FABRIC (written and directed by Peter Strickland)
LIGHT FROM LIGHT (written and directed by Paul Hirrell)
MONOS (directed by Alejandro Landes)
THE NIGHTINGALE (written and directed by Jennifer Kent)
THEM THAT FOLLOW (written and directed by Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage)
Additional films, special events, attending filmmakers and guests will be announced in the coming weeks; the best way to ensure access to every aspect of the week-long event is to secure a festival pass, just $150 and available online here. The Chicago Critics Film Festival and the CFCA gratefully acknowledge the support of festival sponsors.
The Chicago Critics Film Festival annually features a selection of acclaimed films chosen by members of the organization, a combination of recent festival favorites and as-yet-undistributed works from a variety of filmmakers, from established Oscar winners to talented newcomers. It is the only current example of a major film critics group that hosts its own festival. Follow the CFCA and the festival on Twitter at @chicagocritics and on Facebook here.
About the Chicago Film Critics Association
The Chicago Film Critics Association supports and celebrates quality filmmaking that has something to say about our world, our lives, and our society. In the past, while the CFCA’s priority was to support and fight for the continued role of film critics in the media, the CFCA's public interaction was limited to the announcement of its annual film awards. In recent years, the CFCA has expanded its presence on the Chicago arts scene, promoting critical thinking about cinema to a wider base through several initiatives, including the re-launch of a late-winter film awards ceremony; CFCA-hosted film screenings throughout Chicagoland; and a Young People's Film Criticism Workshop at Facets Multimedia. The annual Chicago Critics Film Festival further builds on the organization’s goal to be an active part of the Chicago film landscape.
About the Music Box Theatre
For more than 30 years, the Music Box Theatre has been the premier venue in Chicago for independent and foreign films, festivals and some of the greatest cinematic events in Chicago. It currently has the largest cinema space operated full-time in the city. The Music Box Theatre is independently owned & operated by the Southport Music Box Corporation. SMBC, through its Music Box Films division, also distributes foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD and television markets throughout the United States. For more information, please visit www.musicboxtheatre.com
