Bye Bye Chicago, world premiere

As the countdown for the 38th Chicago Latino Film Festival, presented by Corona Extra, begins, organizers unveiled the list of films that will receive their World, North American, U.S. and Midwest Premieres at the Festival, led by the locally produced Bye Bye Chicago.

The Festival this year will feature two World Premieres, five North American Premieres, ten U.S. Premieres and ten Midwest Premieres (full list below).

The Festival, overall, will present 50 features and 36 shorts from all over Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the United States, April 21st-May 1st. The Festival will once again adopt a hybrid format with in-person screenings at the Landmark Century Center, 2828 N. Clark St., several Drive-In presentations at ChiTown Movies, 2343 S. Throop St., and with virtual screenings via Eventive accessible to residents of Illinois and the Midwest states of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. 

The Chicago-based Mexican playwright and director Roma Díaz (founder of the Tecolote Theater Company) makes his fiction feature debut alongside Enrique Gaona, Jr. with Bye Bye Chicago, the compassionate, deeply moving story about the friendship between an aging, dying Mexican immigrant and a young Colombian college student. Miguel left Mexico at a young age, giving up his passion for music and singing. Now he is alone, without family, friends or money. Dalia, the college student, and neighbor, lends more than a sympathetic ear to his anecdotes and reflections; she encourages him to reconnect with friends and family as he faces death. Bye Bye Chicago will have an in-person screening at the Landmark Century Center, Sunday May 1st at 3:45 p.m. and will be available for streaming April 27th-May 1st.

CLFF remains a non-competitive festival. However, since 1993, the public has had the opportunity to vote for their favorite film in several categories and award them with the Audience Choice Award. The winner will be announced on May 4.

PREMIERES

For the full synopsis, VISIT HERE.

World Premiere

• 130 Children (Costa Rica/Chile)
• Bye Bye Chicago (USA)

North American

• Catching the White Tuna (Colombia)
• Mateína (Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina)
• Shadow (Portugal)
• Squatters (USA)
• Welcome Back, Farewell (Brazil)

U.S. Premieres

• Altar (Cuba/Spain)
• Blood-Red Ox (Bolivia/USA)
• Boreal (Paraguay/Mexico)
• Blurred Women (El Salvador)
• Buñuel, a Surrealist Filmmaker (Spain)
• The Inner Glow (Venezuela)
• Mia and Moi (Spain)
• My Girlfriend Is the Revolution (Mexico)
• The Red Tree (Colombia/Panama/France)
• Zahorí (Argentina/Switzerland/Chile/France)

Midwest Premieres

• 1991 (Guatemala)
• Candela (Dominican Republic)
• Carajita (Dominican Republic/Argentina)
• The City of Wild Beasts (Colombia/Ecuador)
• Hatun Phaqcha, the Healing Land (Peru)
• The Invisible (Ecuador)
• The Last Tour (Puerto Rico)
• Me and the Beasts (Venezuela)
• Moon Heart (Peru)
• Street Heroines (USA)

CONVERSATIONS WITH FILMMAKERS

The following filmmakers are scheduled to attend the Festival and participate in post-screening Q&As at the Landmark Century Center: director Ainara Aparici (130 Children); director Marcelino Islas Hernández and actress Sofía Islas Herrerías (My Girlfriend Is the Revolution); Dennis Perinango (associate producer for the short Czechoslovakia); director Joan Gómez Endara (The Red Tree); director Javier Espada (Buñuel, a Surrealist Filmmaker); director Alexandra Henry (Street Heroines); co-director Pablo Abdala (Mateina); director Catalina Santamaría (Squatters); director Frida Pérez (short, Bottle Bomb); director Ignacio Leonidas (short, Yagán Lessons); and director Maritza Blanco (Catching the White Tuna), with more to be confirmed.

The Festival will also be presenting a series of pre-recorded and live conversations with select filmmakers as part of their program. The pre-recorded interviews, in English and Spanish with English subtitles, with the following filmmakers will play right after their respective film: director Marí Alessandrini (Zahorí); directors Silvina Schnicer and Ulises Porra (Carajita); director Celina Escher (Fly So Far); director Douglas Pedro Sánchez (The Last Tour); and director Nico Manzano (Me and the Beasts).

Live interviews are scheduled to stream on the Festival’s Facebook page; guests, dates and times will be announced on the page close to the Festival. 

These conversations are conducted by: Carmelo Esterrich, Associate Professor of Humanities and Cultural Studies in the Department of Humanities, History, and Social Sciences; Rocío Santos, Host of Domingos en Vocalo and WLUW’s Rock sin anestesia: Sophie Gordon, Programming Manager for the Chicago Latino Film Festival; Alejandro Riera, Media Relations Coordinator for the Chicago Latino Film Festival as well as Film/TV editor for Mano Magazine; and Mateo Mulcahy, Deputy Executive Director of the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for screenings at the Drive-in (maximum 6 passengers) are: general, $55 per car; ILCC members, $44 per car. All ticketing fees are included in the price. Tickets must be purchased in advance. No in-person sales at the Drive-in. 

Tickets to each regular screening at the Landmark Century Center are: $14, general admission; $12 (with valid ID): ILCC members, students and seniors. Festival passes worth 10 admissions for the in-person screenings are: $100 for the general public and $80 for ILCC Members, students and seniors.

Tickets for virtual screenings are: $12, general admission; $10, ILCC members, students and seniors. Festival passes worth 10 admissions for the in-person screenings are: $90 for the general public and $75 for ILCC Members, students and seniors.

For Tickets and more information, visit: chicagolatinofilmfestival.org

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