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Showing posts with label CIMMfest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CIMMfest. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

FEST ALERT: CIMMfest Is Back This Thursday Through Sunday November 9-12th

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, we live for rock/punk/metal and love film, so it's no wonder we've been covering CIMMfest from the start! Now entering year 9, we'll be back again, shooting stills, and reviewing shows. Got your tickets? You can do a full on festival pass good for everything, like we have, or catch individual showings, and a few hybrid passes in between.



Thankfully, everyone's taste in tunes is different, and CIMMfest has something for everyone, happening simultaneously, all over town. Click HERE to check out the full lineup. Then check back with ChiILLiveShows.com early and often, on line and social media, for our top picks, recaps, and more.

 

Highlights Opening Night: 







Friday: 

 

Saturday:



 Sunday:





Click Image And Get Yours: 


Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMFest) No. 9 Announces Full Film Lineup
The Annual Four-Day Festival Runs November 9-12 Throughout Chicago


Penelope Spheeris 2017 BAADASSSSS Award for Lifetime Achievement Honoree and Film Retrospective, Celebrating Daptone Records and Remembering Chicago’s Classic Neo Era

The Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest) announces its full movie and music lineup for the ninth edition, running November 9-12, 2017, centered at the Davis Theater and running across multiple  venues throughout Chicago, including Martyrs’, Old Town School of Folk, GMan Tavern, Subterranean and others. Individual tickets for most events start at $10; 4-day festival passes start at $79. Festival passes and a la carte tickets are available at CIMMfest.org.

This year’s multimedia festival features more than 40 events including two world premieres, 4 U.S. premieres, 5 Chicago premieres and 8 Midwest premieres; musical acts representing a wide variety of genres; and CIMMcon, CIMMfest’s dynamic professional and creative industry conference.

On Thursday Nov. 9, CIMMfest and CHIRP Radio present opening night with the Midwest Premiere of Living on Soul, a heartfelt hybrid documentary/concert film which wraps the story of soul-music powerhouse Daptone Records around electric Apollo Theater performances by label stalwarts like Antibalas, Budos Band, and the late Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones. The screening at Martyrs' will be followed by the official opening night afterparty, featuring a  live performance by Chicago soul diva Lili K, paying tribute to Sharon Jones, and DJing by Daptone co-founder Neal Sugarman.

Actress and podcaster Aisha Tyler makes her feature directorial debut with Axis, also screening on opening night at 7 p.m. at the Davis Theater. With an original score by Silversun Pickups, Axis stars Irish actor Emmett Hughes as a reformed Hollywood bad boy who finds his life unravelling in a series of phone calls as he drives across LA.

The weekend’s Penelope Spheeris’ retrospective begins with the first two installments of her Decline of the Western Civilization trilogy, playing back to back at 7:15 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., respectively, at the Davis Theater. 

Rounding off opening night is the story of John Lydon’s arguably more influential second band, told largely by Mr. Rotten himself, in the documentary The Public Image Is Rotten. Director Tabbert Fiiller joins PiL drummer-turned-Chicago music maven Martin Atkins for a post-screening conversation, at the Davis Theater. 


Full Schedule:

Films with strong Chicago ties include 2350 Last Call: The Neo Story, The Chicago Mixtape, It Never Ends, Karl Wirsum, Red Line Lounge, Bill's Records, Do U Want It?, Electric Heart, Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together, Psychogenic Fugue, Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution and Horn From the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story, the first comprehensive screen portrait of one of Chicago blues' greatest native sons and CIMMfest No. 9’s closing film (Davis Theater, Sunday, November 12, at 7:30 p.m.). Join director John Anderson (Born in Chicago, Sam Lay in Bluesland) and producer Sandra Warren for a post-film Q&A. 

Closeup: Tank and the Bangas, a short doc about one of New Orleans’s most acclaimed new bands, will be screened in tandem with NOLA?, in which Big Easy artists, writers, and scene mainstays talk about the city’s musical past and post-Katrina present. A Q&A with Closeup director Charlie Steiner will follow the films, which screen at 2:40 p.m. on Sunday, November 12.

MOVIES AND MUSIC
This year’s films accompanied with Live Music Performances include:

Living on Soul 
Thursday, November 9
See Opening Night listing above.

Hello Hello Hello : Lee Ranaldo : Electric Trim
Friday, November 10
An intimate portrait of a bold musical mind at work as the Sonic Youth guitar genius collaborates with novelist Jonathan Lethem, fellow axe innovator Nels Cline, and other creative fellow travelers to produce his new album Electric Trim. Q&A with filmmaker Fred Riedel to follow screening at the Davis Theater. Prior to the screening, Lee Ranaldo will perform at Subterranean on November 5.

Six Strings of Separation / Dark Star Originals
Saturday, November 11
Six Strings of Separation documents how luthier Tom Lieber, who began his career apprenticing with Jerry Garcia’s guitar maker, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead with a custom line of axes modeled on Jerry’s classic “Wolf” and “Tiger” guitars. Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Originals, featuring John Kadlecik, Mike Maraat, Kevin Rosen, Ahmer Nizam, and special guest John Kattke, will perform after the screening at Martyrs.

Tom Rush: No Regrets
Sunday, November 12
Folk troubadour Tom Rush takes residence at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk on CIMMfest’s closing day and evening with a screening of the documentary Tom Rush: No Regrets at 2 p.m, featuring a Q&A with the iconic singer, and an intimate live performance at 7 p.m., both in Old Town’s Szold Hall.

2350 Last Call: The Neo Story
Sunday, November 12
A recollection of the iconic Lincoln Park club that was a haven for goths, punks, and adventurous misfits for more than three decades before closing in 2015. There will be a Q&A with filmmaker Eric Richter, and longtime Neo DJs Suzanne Shelton, Jeff Moyer, and Scary Lady Sarah will spin after the screening at Gman Tavern on closing night.

The Third Root 
Sunday, November 12
Co-presented with the Chicago Latino Film Festival
Mexican guitarist Camilo Nu goes adventuring in search of his musical roots, crossing the Atlantic to find the Andalusian, Arab, and African antecedents of son jarocho, the traditional folk style of his native Veracruz. Camilo Nu will give a short acoustic performance after the 7 p.m. screening at the Davis Theater.

The Last Hot Lick / Cowboy Drifter
Saturday, November 11
Americana takes center stage at the Davis Theater with these back-to-back narrative films, beginning at 3:10 p.m.. The Last Hot Lick features Jaime Leopold, the charter bassist for psychedelic jug band Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, playing a fictionalized version of himself in this sweet, sad drama about an aging troubadour on a never-ending tour. Post-screening Q&A with Mahalia Cohen, producer Deborah Cohen, Jaime Leopold, and Jennifer Smieja, followed by a live performance by Leopold and Smieja at the Davis Theater.

Cowboy Drifter is the tale of a boozing, brawling rogue who gets more than he bargained for when he heads west in search of his old man, a failed country singer who abandoned his family decades ago. The killer soundtrack features the Revivalists, the White Buffalo, John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, and co-star Aubrey Peeples, formerly Layla Grant of TV’s Nashville. Post-screening Q&A with Peeples, writer/star Chuck Carrington, director Michael Lange, and producer/music supervisor Jonathan McHugh. 

Later that evening, Jaime Leopold and his band, the Short Stories, will perform at the Grafton Pub, followed by an intimate set by Aubrey Peeples.


A full list of CIMMfest’s movie and music events, in addition to the CIMMcon roster, can be found  at CIMMfest.org.  

Highlights of confirmed films and musical acts at CIMMfest No. 9 are below:
 ________
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9
OPENING NIGHT

Axis (USA) MIDWEST PREMIERE
Thursday, November 9, 7 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Aisha Tyler 
83 minutes

With an original score by Silversun Pickups, Criminal Minds and Archer co-star Aisha Tyler's directorial debut is a taut drama about a Hollywood bad boy who finds his life unravelling in a series of phone calls as he drives across LA. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization (USA) 
Thursday, November 9, 7:15 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Penelope Spheeris 
100 minutes

A preeminent artifact of American punk and one of the most influential music docs ever made, Spheeris's first feature unflinchingly captures the scene that emerged from Hollywood’s subterranean art culture of the late 1970s and the furor it spawned. Featuring concert footage and memorable interviews with punk pioneers Black Flag, X, the Circle Jerks, Catholic Discipline, Fear, and the sweet, sad, brilliant wreck that was Darby Crash and the Germs. 

Forty-Five: The Search for Soul (USA) 
Thursday, November 9, 7:30 p.m. (with Living on Soul)
Martyrs, 3855 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Anthony Ladesich
11 minutes

Johnny Starke is a DJ on a mission: to dig in every dusty thrift-shop record crate he can find until he unearths the great lost soul dance single. 


The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (USA) 
Thursday, November 9, 9:30 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Penelope Spheeris 
93 minutes

Spheeris's follow-up to her stunning documentary on Los Angeles punk depicts LA's metal scene from 1986 to 1988, when hair bands ruled the Sunset Strip. While tracking the fortunes of would-be glam gods like Odin, Seduce, and London, Decline II features interviews with actual hard-rock gods like Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler, Lemmy, and Paul Stanley and notoriously captures the era's aura of excess, misogyny, and sleaze.

The Public Image Is Rotten (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Thursday, November 9, 9:15 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Tabbert Fiiller 
104 minutes

When the Sex Pistols imploded in early 1978 after a disastrous gig at Winterland in 
San Francisco, their controversial and misunderstood frontman ditched his Rotten 
nom de punk for his birth name and formed Public Image Ltd. John Lydon chronicles 
his own journey from sickly kid in a London council flat to international music 
legend, leading the postpunk cult band that was arguably more influential than his 
notorious first group. Post screening Q&A with director Tabbert Fiiller & former PiL drummer Martin Atkins.


Living On Soul (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Lili K plays Sharon Jones / Neal Sugarman DJ Set
Thursday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave
96 minutes
In December 2014, Daptone Records celebrated its 20th anniversary with a three-night revue at the Apollo Theater, the first multi-night residency at the historic Harlem hall since James Brown did it in the ’70s. Anchored by galvanizing performances by Antibalas, Budos Band, Como Mamas, and the dearly departed Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones, this concert film/documentary blend tells the Daptone story in words and music and captures the family dynamic driving this funk/soul powerhouse. Lili K plays Sharon Jones / Neal Sugarman DJ Set to follow. 

________
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10

The Chicago Mixtape (USA) 
Friday, November 10, 6 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Paola Piers-Torres
27 minutes

Opening CIMMcon Friday evening, this short documentary spotlights the teen poets of Louder Than a Bomb, fusing hip hop performance and social activism in the footsteps of mentors like Rhymefest and Chance the Rapper. Q&A with Kevin Coval and others after the screening. CIMMcon opening reception to follow. 

It Never Ends (France)  
Friday, November 10, 6:10 p.m.
Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave
Directed by Thomas Carillon
32 minutes

Drummer Avreeayl Ra, an acolyte of Sun Ra and an anchor of Chicago's free-jazz scene for decades, takes a tour of the city places that shaped his life and music in this short documentary. Q&A with Thomas Carillon and Avreeayl Ra to follow. 

The Decline Of Western Civilization Part III (USA) 
Friday, November 10, 7:30 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Penelope Spheeris 
86 minutes

Largely unseen for nearly two decades after its brief release, the third installment of Spheeris's Decline trilogy chronicles homeless teenage "gutter punks" living on the streets of Los Angeles and explores her relationship with one such kid, called Eyeball. While retaining the LA music frame of its predecessors, Decline III is as much about a generation deeply alienated from mainstream society, and Spheeris’s own journey toward becoming a foster parent to her once-blighted subjects. Introduction by Penelope Spheeris. 

Dudes (USA) 
Friday, November 10, 9:40 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Penelope Spheeris 
90 minutes

Introduced by Penelope Spheeris. 

Hello Hello Hello : Lee Ranaldo : Electric Trim (USA)  MIDWEST PREMIERE
Friday, November 10, 7:15 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Fred Riedel
76 minutes

An intimate portrait of a bold musical mind at work as the Sonic Youth guitar genius collaborates with novelist Jonathan Lethem, fellow axe innovator Nels Cline, and other creative fellow travelers to produce his new album Electric Trim. Q&A with filmmaker Fred Riedel to follow screening. 

Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution (Germany) MIDWEST PREMIERE
Friday, November 10, 9:30 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Yony Leyser
83 minutes

John Waters, Kathleen Hanna, and Peaches features in this kinetic fanzine of a doc tracing how a pair of Toronto underground filmmakers created a musical and cultural movement that opened up punk to radical queers. Q&A to follow with director Yony Leyser.

The Nth Power / Ghost Note / MonoNeon
Friday, November 10 at 9 p.m.
Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

________
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11

How They Got Over (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 11:30 a.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Robert Clem
86 minutes

A long-overdue look at journey of young black men who found a way out of poverty through spiritual music in the first half of the 20th century. Tastefully mixing vintage clips, archival images, and interviews with members of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Soul Stirrers, the Dixie Hummingbirds, and other groups, this is the quintessential history of gospel music’s legendary quartets and their enduring influence on rock, soul, and R&B.

Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 12 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Zack Taylor, Georg Petzold
92 minutes

A deep dive into the rise, fall, and future – yes, we said future – of “music’s worst format” (the filmmakers’ words, not ours): the clunky, crap-sounding, revolutionary cassette, the first technology that made your tunes portable and shareable. Cassette limns the pre-digital joy of mix-making and the way cheap tapes gave early indie rockers and rappers a crucial path to market, but it transcends sprocket nostalgia in its portrait of the now-elderly Dutch engineer who invented the goddamned things.

Geordie Jazz Man (UK) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 1:30 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Abi Lewis
50 minutes

Keith Crombie was the cranky, contrarian spirit of Newcastle jazz, presiding for decades over the English city’s premier dive — Jazz Café, a home away from home for anyone from Eric Burdon and Wynton Marsalis to generations of young Geordie misfits. This atmospheric portrait recounts his early adventures in the music business (and, just maybe, the mob) and celebrates a life dedicated to keeping the blue note beat alive. Post screening Q&A with director Abi Lewis.

Red Line Lounge (USA) 
Saturday, November 11, 1:30 p.m. (with Geordie Jazz Man)
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Jens Ericson
9 minutes

A portrait of Chicago drummer Dave Russell, a former Son Seals and Jimmy Johnson sideman who’s fallen on hard times. Now homeless, he keeps the music alive with the Red Line Lounge Band, providing daily entertainment for Chicago commuters.

Scream for Me Sarajevo (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 2 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Tarik Hodzic
94 minutes

In a city besieged by shelling and sniper fire, it seemed a fantastical rumor: Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson was coming to Sarajevo play. An unlikely and inspiring story of people who risked their lives to perform for people who risked their lives just to live them.

The Icarus Line Must Die (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 3:10 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Michael Grodner
82 minutes

Fifteen years ago, the Icarus Line was rocketing to the top of the LA underground with a hot debut album and a major-label deal. Now frontman Joe Cardamone is 36 and broke, and the record companies won’t touch his new stuff. Plus, he’s getting death threats by text. Cardamone wrote the script and plays a thinly veiled version of himself in this No Wave-style noir about navigating the modern music biz, co-starring Ariel Pink and Keith Morris. Post screening Q&A with director Michael Grodner.

The Last Hot Lick (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 3:10 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave 
Directed by Mahalia Cohen
86 minutes

Jaime Leopold, the charter bassist for psychedelic jug band Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, plays a fictionalized version of himself in this sweet, sad drama about an aging troubadour on a never-ending tour. Post-screening Q&A with Mahalia Cohen, producer Deborah Cohen, Jaime Leopold, and Jennifer Smieja, followed by a live performance by Leopold and Smieja.

We Sold Our Souls For Rock ‘N Roll (USA) 
Saturday, November 11, 4:00 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave 
Directed by Penelope Spheeris
90 minutes

This nooks-and-crannies exploration of Ozzfest played a handful of film fests upon release and his been virtually unseen since. Spheeris captures everything, from the observations of fans, groupies, tour-bus drivers, and pyrotechnicians to Ozzy’s backstage oxygen treatments, Slipknot visiting the Lincoln Memorial in full regalia, and performances by Black Sabbath, Primus, System of a Down, and many more. A rare treat for devotees of metal and backstage tour docs. Introduction and post-screening Q&A with Penelope Spheeris.

Cowboy Drifter (USA)  CHICAGO PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 5:30 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Michael Lange
103 minutes

A soulful Americana soundtrack featuring the Revivalists, the White Buffalo, and Keb’ Mo’ accents this brooding, dark-humored drama about an aging rogue looking to shake the legacy of his dissolute country-singer dad. Q&A to follow with writer/star Chuck Carrington, co-star Aubrey Peeples, director Michael Lange and producer/music supervisor Jonathan McHugh.

Gregory Porter: Don't Forget Your Music (UK/USA)  MIDWEST PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 7:50 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Alfred George Bailey
85 minutes

A personal, visually striking chronicle of the soft-spoken, sartorially splendid singer's rise from Bakersfield to Brooklyn to late-blooming global fame as one of the most distinctive voices in jazz.

Six Strings of Separation (USA) 
Saturday, November 11, 8 p.m.
Martyrs, 3855 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Robert Liano
26 minutes

Acclaimed luthier Tom Lieber, who began his career apprenticing with Jerry Garcia’s guitar maker, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead with a custom line of axes modeled on Jerry’s classic “Wolf” and “Tiger” guitars. Performance by Dead tribute band Dark Star Originals to follow.

Covadonga (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 10 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Sean Hartofilis
70 minutes

Martin Ravin lives alone in a secluded lake house, mourning his murdered wife and consoling himself with Irish airs. One night he spies a trysting young couple commandeering his canoe for a moonlight ride; when only the boy returns, Martin takes matters into his own hands. Is he seeking justice? Vengeance? A way to keep his past at bay? A brisk, surprising thriller marked by dark humor and beautifully sinister musical interludes. Post- screening Q&A with Director/writer/actor Sean Hartofilis.

Electric Heart (USA) NORTH AMERICA PREMIERE
Saturday, November 11, 9:45 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Benjamin Mattingly
75 minutes

The first EDM-powered "silent" narrative film uses a wall-to-wall soundtrack (featuring Dash Berlin, Armin van Buuren, and many more) rather than spoken dialogue to steer a story about two Portland buds on a very trippy road trip to a big Vegas music festival. Post-screening Q&A with director Benjamin Mattingly, actors Amick Vicciello and Johnna, producer Scott Little.

Live Performance by Matt Muse
Saturday, November 11 at 5:00 PM
Gideon Welles, 4500 North Lincoln Avenue

NEWVICES / Various Blonde / Mesha Arant
Saturday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Oromo Cafe, 4703 North Lincoln Avenue

Dark Star Originals / Six Strings of Separation
Saturday, November 11 at 8 p.m.
Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave

Lera Lynn
Saturday, November 11 at 8 p.m.
Old Town School, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

________
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12

Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together (USA) 
Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Stevenson J. Palfi
76 minutes

Made for public television, this effusive documentary gathered three generations of New Orleans piano legends — blues and boogie man Tuts Washington; his protégé, R&B pioneer Professor Longhair; and the great songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint, a Longhair disciple — for an historic keyboard summit. A film as rich in flavor as New Orleans's musical culture itself that will have you grooving and bouncing in your seats.

June Falling Down (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Rebecca Weaver
115 minutes

A young artist eking out an aimless existence in San Francisco tries to sort out a battery of conflicting emotions upon returning to her small Wisconsin hometown, a year after her father’s death, for her best friend’s wedding. Weaver, who also wrote, edited, and stars as June, makes an assured feature debut in this sharply observed seriocomic character study; her husband, Wisconsin singer-songwriter Chris Irwin, composed the rootsy score. Post screening Q&A with director/writer/actor Rebecca Weaver, producer/composer Chris Irwin.

Covers (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 12 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Malcolm M. Mays
96 minutes

Writer/director Mays, currently co-starring in Snowfall, and rapper/actor Tristan “Mack” Wilds (of The Wire and Adele’s “Hello” video) are X and Nisha, childhood friends from South Central who turn a game of crooning smooth R&B versions of rock and pop classics into a series of viral tracks. A canny mix of urban drama, romance, bromance, and cautionary tale on the perils of returning to the ’hood.

Tom Rush: No Regrets (USA) 
Sunday, November 12, 2 p.m.
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Rob Stegman, Todd Kwait
85 minutes

The New England troubadour credited with launching the singer-songwriter movement and introducing audiences to the work of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne tells the story of his musical life. Tom Rush will take part in a Q&A after the screening and before his Nov. 12 live performance at the Old Town School.

It Must Make Peace (Canada/Mali) US PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 2:15 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Paul R. Chandler
82 minutes

Oxfam America and CIMMfest present a journey deep into the music and dance traditions that have framed life in Mali for generations but are under threat from poverty and war. A panel on Oxfam's work in Mali will follow the film, including a Q&A with Bob Ferguson and Jackie Nelson of Oxfam America.

NOLA? (Spain) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 2:40 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Fermin Muguruza
65 minutes

A people’s history of New Orleans culture wrapped in a making-the-album doc as Basque rocker and filmmaker Muguruza – known in Spain for his radical politics and multiculti musical blending – records in NOLA with local luminaries ranging from Preservation Hall to zydeco great Sunpie Barnes to bounce queen Katey Red. Between sessions, Big Easy artists, writers, and scene mainstays talk about the city’s musical past and post-Katrina present. Post screening Q&A with director William Miller.

David Bowie: The Last Five Years  (UK) 
Sunday, November 12, 4:30 p.m.
Comfort Station, 2579 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Francis Whately
90 minutes

Screening for free at Comfort Station, this BBC music doc goes behind the scenes at the making of Bowie's The Next Day and Blackstar albums, offering an intimate look at the final phase of one of the defining creative lives of our time.

Straight Into a Storm (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 4:45 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by William Miller
106 minutes

Let’s all go to the bar! Deer Tick’s 10th-anniversary gig on New Year’s Eve 2015 provides the spine for this time-shifting, beer-soaked chronicle of the indie rockers’ evolution into one of America's premier cult bands. Q&A to follow with filmmaker William Miller.

Do U Want It? (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 5 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Sam Radutzky, Josh Freund
96 minutes

Papa Grows Funk was the quintessential Crescent City groove band, a supergroup of local players who drew fans from around the world for their renowned Monday-night residency at the Maple Leaf Bar. Percolating with electric performances, this doc wraps the tale of the band and its breakup into a larger story about New Orleans music, crystallizing the tension between the ease of being a working musician in a city that supports homegrown talent like no other and the frustration that can come with wanting more than that.

The Third Root (Mexico) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 7 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Reed Rickert and Camilo Nu
68 minutes
Mexican guitarist Camilo Nu goes adventuring in search of his musical roots, crossing the Atlantic to find the Andalusian, Arab, and African antecedents of son jarocho, the traditional folk style of his native Veracruz. Followed by a performance by Camilo Nu.

2350 Last Call: The Neo Story (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Sunday, November 12, 7 p.m.
GMan Tavern, 3740 North Clark Street
Directed by Eric Richter
46 minutes

Opened in 1979 as Chicago's first alternative dance club, Neo reigned for 36 years as a sanctuary for misfits, weirdos, and outcasts and ground zero for an explosion of fashion and music trends. Richter's labor-of-love documentary debut is a true testimonial of a club that not only outlasted its competitors but never lost its attitude, or its reputation as a place where people celebrated their individuality and danced their asses off. Q&A with Director Eric Richter, Neo DJs Suzanne Shelton, Jeff Moyer, and Scary Lady Sarah, Metro/Gman Tavern owner Joe Shanahan. Presented with CHIRP Radio.

Horn From The Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story (USA) 
Sunday, November 12, 7:30 p.m.
Davis Theater, 4614 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by John Anderson
96 minutes

Live Performance by Rich Jones and Fess Grandiose
Sunday, November 12 at 5:00 PM
Gideon Welles, 4500 North Lincoln Avenue

Individual advance tickets range between $6-$12 for festival screenings and events. Stay tuned for more information on cimmfest.org and by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL MOVIES AND MUSIC FESTIVAL (CIMMfest)
The Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMMfest) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to bringing together filmmakers, musicians, artists, industry leaders and audiences from diverse cultures around the world. In addition to producing year-round film screenings, concerts, and professional development programming, the organization produces one of Chicago’s most highly anticipated and largest cultural events of the year: CIMMfest. The four-day, 100-plus multimedia event features film premieres, live concerts and a dynamic professional and entrepreneurial industry conference. CIMMfest serves a growing, diverse community of artists, industry and fans, in order to reveal the transformative power of music to foster creativity and communication,educate, enlighten, and entertain.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Our Top Picks For CIMMfest 2016

CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL 
MOVIES & MUSIC FESTIVAL No. 8 
RUNS APRIL 13-17 THROUGHOUT CHICAGO 




Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

The Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest) is one of our annual favorites that we've been covering for years. It merges two of our passions, music and film. The 5 day fest can be a bit daunting, but the full schedule is on line by event type, date, and venue, so it's easy to make a plan and follow your bliss. Short on time or eager to branch out and see something new? ChiIL out with ChiIL Live Shows (adult) and ChiIL Mama (family friendly) before, during and after CIMMfest and we'll tell you what peaked our interest. Hope to see you out there. 


In the meantime we have some amazing CIMMfest related giveaways going on including 2 pairs of adult concert tickets/blow out/no chip manicure salon packages ($125 value each) AND the last 2 tickets in town to Lisa Loeb's SOLD OUT kids show along with her latest kids CD ($43 value). ENTER HERE FOR EITHER OR BOTH THROUGH MIDNIGHT THURSDAY 4/14.


Here's The Scoop:
The five-day multimedia city-wide festival features over 150 films including three World Premieres, one North American Premiere, five U.S. Premieres, and 19 Chicago Premieres; over 130 bands live in concert representing a wide range of genres; multiple events featuring Live Scored Films – musicians performing live to films, music videos, and a video game; and CIMMcon, a dynamic professional and entrepreneurial industry conference. International films and artists come from nearly twenty different countries including Canada, Cuba, Iceland, India, Israel, Lebanon, Mexico, Norway, Scotland, Spain, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest) announces its movie and music lineup for the eighth edition, running April 13-17, 2016 across twenty different venues in many of Chicago’s culturally-diverse neighborhoods including Logan Square, Wicker Park, Hyde Park, Lakeview, and Pilsen. Individual event tickets start at $8 for concerts and $12 for films; passes start at $79 with VIP passes at $149. Festival passes and a la carte tickets are currently available at CIMMfest.org.

ChiIL Live Shows ChiIL Picks List:
Our top picks are in bold below. Here's where I'll be Wednesday night. My husband's a location sound engineer who's interviewed Butch Vig and the frontwoman for the band Garbage, and filmed at Smart Studios for a French documentary a few years back. So this CIMMfest screening and Q&A is of particular interest to me since he's been there/done that and it's a relative unknown to me, aside from adoring many of the bands who recorded or did post production at Smart Studios.  



Opening Night kicks off with the Midwest Premiere of the documentary film The Smart Studios Story (Official Film of Record Store Day 2016) on Wednesday, April 13 at 7:00pm at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave, followed by a Q&A with Director Wendy Schneider and Smart Studios Founders Butch Vig & Steve Marker. The celebration continues with the official Opening Night After-Party at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St, featuring ‘90s rockers Catherine and Negative Example (members of Tar Babies).

Chi, IL On Screen:
Films with strong Chicago ties include The Night Smokers of Chicago, The Terry Kath Experience: A Daughter’s Journey, 1001 Afternoons in Chicago, Horn to the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story, Savage Beliefs: The Movie, and 147 Pianos, featuring 200 Chicagoans. Local artists on the CIMMfest lineup include Daniel Knox, Avery R. Young, the sibling rock’n’roll duo White Mystery, and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.

Official Fest Highlights:
Additional musical highlights at CIMMfest No. 8 include a kid-friendly concert with Lisa Loeb followed by a performance of her classics later that same evening, sound artist Tim Hecker, Moonface, Hip Hop artist David Banner, indie rock band California Wives, alternative band Poliça, and a tribute to J Dilla by Slum Village and Black Milk.

CIMMfest’s Classical program, curated by George Lepauw of International Beethoven Project, includes films featuring Yehudi Menuhin with live performances to celebrate his 100th birthday from Dawn Gingrich, Consuelo Lepauw and others; and Ton Koopman. A nine-piece ensemble will perform a live score for a video game with music by François-Xavier Dupas of Vibeavenue, Montreal. Returning to CIMMfest this year is Sound of Silent Films, a CIMMfest highlight featuring newly-composed scores performed live to modern silent films by Composer/Radio Host Seth Bousted’s Access Contemporary Music (ACM).

The movie Desire Will Set You Free, which anchors the LGBTQ programming, follows Ezra, an American writer of Palestinian and Israeli parentage, through Berlin’s queer and punk scenes. Additional programming highlights include a selection of TV documentary series such as PBS’ American Epic and family-friendly programming such as a sampling of short films co-produced with Facets Multi-Media.

To mark the 50th Anniversary of the classic Beach Boys album Pet Sounds, CIMMfest will present a Brian Wilson retrospective. Films to be shown include Pet Stories and Pet Sounds: Live From London a short doc and concert film directed by Chicago filmmaker and frequent Brian Wilson collaborator John Anderson; Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of SMiLE, about the great lost album of the 1960s; Brian Wilson presents SMiLE, a concert film that captures Brian Wilson and his band's first live US performance of SMiLE in 2004; and the acclaimed 2015 biopic Love & Mercy, starring Paul Dano and John Cusack as the young and middle-aged Wilson.

CIMMfest will pay tribute to David Bowie with a retrospective of his film work. Films to be shown include Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars which marked the “death” of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona; vampire thriller The Hunger; and Jazzin’ for Blue Jean, a short by Julien Temple, last year's CIMMfest Baadasssss Award winner, will play before the rarely-screened BBC documentary Cracked Actor.


Gordon Quinn will be the fourth recipient of the CIMMfest BAADASSSSS Award to honor his amazing career on Friday, April 15 at 7:00pm at 1st Ward Chop Shop. Quinn, Co-Founder & Artistic Director of Kartemquin Films, celebrating its 50th Anniversary, will be interviewed by Bob Hercules, a veteran television producer/director and a co-founder of Media Process Group. In addition to receiving this year’s BAADASSSSS Award, a retrospective of films with which Quinn has been involved will be shown, including Festival, the first music documentary to be nominated for an Academy Award; And This Is Free, about the legendary Maxwell Street Market; A Good Man, a documentary about choreographer Bill T. Jones; and Prisoner Of Her Past, which follows Chicago Tribune jazz critic Howard Reich as he journeys across the U.S. and Europe to uncover why his mother, Holocaust survivor Sonia Reich, believes the world is conspiring to kill her. Quinn will also present clips of his music documentary work with artists such as Bob Dylan and Phish.

A full list of CIMMfest’s movie and music events are at CIMMfest.org. Additional highlights of confirmed films and musical acts at CIMMfest No. 8 are below:
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THURSDAY, APRIL 14

The Lure (Corki Dancingu) (Poland)
Thursday, April 14, 7:00pm
Society For Arts, 1112 N. Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska
When a family of Polish musicians encounter two winsome mermaid sisters named Silver and Golden, they do what anyone else would–recruit them to join their band. After performing at a neon-lit Warsaw club, Silver becomes entangled with the bass player. Golden, who cannot escape her bloodthirsty nature, worries that her sister’s relationship will doom their shared dream of swimming to a new life in America. First time director Agnieszka Smoczyńska unleashes an absurdly wild, 1980s-set musical horror film that grabs you by the tail and refuses to let go. 92 min

Hunky Dory (USA) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Thursday, April 14, 7:15pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Michael Curtis Johnson
A bisexual, glam rock dilettante with lofty dreams of becoming a musician takes the stage at seedy dive bars, but his hedonistic lifestyle is put on hold when his ex-girlfriend drops their son off at his high-heeled feet and skips town. Struggling to let go of his musical aspirations, Sidney’s life goes into a tailspin as the reality of fatherhood slaps him in the face. Director Michael Curtis Johnson paints a bittersweet portrait of love, sacrifice, and rock ‘n’ roll, showing us that life isn’t always hunky dory. 85 min

Savage Beliefs: The Movie (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Thursday, April 14, 8:00pm
Martyrs, 3385 N Lincoln Ave
Directed by Charlie Fink
Not many bands get to play themselves in their own movie–The Beatles, KISS … Savage Beliefs. The local hardcore heroes take on a serial killer in this unearthed gem of a slasher parody/slice of Chicago punk life that's been collecting dust since 1984. (As with a lot of no-budget indie films, the money dried up before it could be released.) How gemmy? The assistant director of photography was none other than Oscar-winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński (Schindler’s List). See what you've been missing all these years. 85 min

Hustlers Convention (UK) CHICAGO PREMIERE
Thursday, April 14, 9:00pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Mike Todd
In 1973, Jalal Mansur Nuriddin, a member of the legendary poetry and music group The Last Poets, released an album that changed the face of music and would later cement Nuriddin’s status as “The Grandfather of Rap.” Released under the pseudonym of Lightnin’ Rod, Hustlers Convention gave a voice to the streets and resonated hard within inner cities across America. The album tells the gritty story of two young hustlers named Sport and Spoon who attend the eponymous convention and eventually find themselves in a police tangle. Blending historic archival footage with animated sequences set to the music, director Mike Todd dives deep into Nuriddin’s personal story as one of rap’s true pioneers. Featuring powerful interviews with key figures such as Chuck D, Ice-T, Fab 5 Freddy, and Melle Mel, Hustlers Convention is a journey into an album that is just as relevant today as it was then. 93 min

Taj Mahal Trio
Thursday, April 14, 7pm & 9:30pm
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave

Deer Tick “Acoustic”
Wednesday, April 13, 7pm & 10pm
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave


Peter Murphy "Stripped"
Thursday, April 14, 9:00pm
Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St

17+
$25 / $30 / $35

A rare opportunity to see Peter Murphy in an intimate setting performing acoustic versions of his music from throughout his illustrious career.

Thursday, April 14, 9:30pm
The Promontory, 5311 S Lake Park Ave

Thursday, April 14, 8pm
Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave
The singer-songwriter, violinist, and actress from Hungary emerged from her eleven-year musical hiatus last year with critically-acclaimed Airless Midnight, an eerie yet artful Americana album. The New York Times said “Her songs are full of characters on the run… Miss Balint has her own film-noir sensibility as a songwriter.” She can also be seen as the violin-playing love interest on Louis C.K. this season.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 15

Blackhearts (Norway) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Friday, April 15, 8:30pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Fredrik Horn Akselsen, Christian Falch
A fresh look into Norway's notorious black metal scene from a striking new angle. While the genre's Norwegian pioneers settle into middle age, wiping off the corpse paint and embracing family life, three obsessive fans from vastly different religious and political backgrounds risk family ties, freedom, and even their souls to perform in the place where black metal became synonymous with Satanism, arson, and murder. Heartfelt and surprisingly funny, Blackhearts examines just how far people will go for the music they love. 83 min.

Fela Kuti: Music Is The Weapon (France)
Friday, April 15, 7pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Jean-Jaques Flori, Stéphane Tchalgadjieff
Twenty-five years before Fela Kuti's life became the stuff of Broadway, this crackling French-made documentary captured the impossibly charismatic Afrobeat king and self-styled "Black President" at the peak of his musical, political, and spiritual powers. Railing against corruption and brutality in his native Nigeria, Kuti philosophizes on power and art wearing only his briefs and a cigarette, playing and preaching all night long at his iconic Lagos nightclub, the Shrine. As fresh and as relevant today as the day it was made.

Friday, April 15, 7pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Tony Hubner
Shot on location in El Paso, Ilinois, and points south of Rt. 61 from Chicago to Baton Rouge, We Are Kings is a road movie about a down and out bluesman saved by a "ghost"...and three young musicians. Original music composed and recorded on location and performed in the movie! A live performance by John “Boogie” Long, Sam Blue and Rita Graham live @ Rosa’s Lounge, 9:30pm follows the film.

A Song For You: The Story of Austin City Limits
Friday, April 15, 7pm
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave
Directed by Keith Maitland
Quick: Which TV music show has won both a Peabody Award and the National Medal of Arts? Austin City Limits. A Song for You makes clear why. Featuring a bevy of pivotal performances by everybody from Willie Nelson and Jack White to Ray Charles and Radiohead, this is the ultimate backstage pass to the longest-running music show in television history, recounting ACL's 40-year evolution from local outlaw-country showcase to a required stopping point for superstars, cult bands, and up-and-comers from just about every corner of popular music. 93 min.

Friday, April 15, 10:30pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Suki Hawley
Featuring members of Rodan, Lambchop, and the Grifters, this underground classic captures the highs, lows, and bored in-betweens of mid-90s indie rock-dom as a bunch of Louisville kids commandeer a van full of instruments and bluff their way across Kentucky and Tennessee, pretending to be a band. Screening with David Fair Is the King, acclaimed underground filmmaker Skizz Cyzyk's visit with the affable Half Japanese co-founder, and Half-Cocked producer Michael Galinsky's video for the St. Lenox track "I Still Dream of the '90s," composed of his photography from the era. 81 min.

Local H Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of “As Good as Dead”
Friday, April 15, 8pm
Metro, 3730 N Clark St

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble with JD’s Revenge & special guest GLC
Hosted by Drunken Monkee & M'Reld Green
Friday, April 15, 9pm
Martyrs', 3385 N Lincoln Ave
The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is a family band consisting of seven blood brothers who began their musical training at the tender ages of four and five by their father, jazz trumpeter/band leader Kelan Phil Cohran (Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, Sun Ra). The boys went on to form the Phil Cohran Youth Ensemble in 1990. By 1999, the brothers discontinued playing with dad in order to find their own sound, growing into the band now known as Hypnotic Brass Ensemble or HBE. The group’s sound was best put by Fader Magazine’s Edwin Stats, who called their music: “a huge brass bridge of hypnotic polyphony connecting the cosmic jazz of Sun Ra’s Arkestra with the urgency of hip hop, and the sweeping emotional scale of a Curtis Mayfield blaxploitation opus.” Their song, “War” was featured in the movie, The Hunger Games.

J Dilla Tribute with Slum Village and Black Milk
Friday, April 15, 9pm
The Promontory, 5311 S Lake Park Ave
J. Dilla may have died in 2006, but his legacy lives on through his creations with names like A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots and Erykah Badu. The Slum Village member is one of the most respected and powerful hip-hop producers of the last two decades and CIMMFest is honoring him through two tribute bands.
Founded by rappers–J Dilla (RIP), Baatin (RIP) and T3–in the early ‘90s while still in high school, Slum Village broadcasts a hard lyrical edge atop their jazzy and soulful beats. Existing now as a duo, T3 and producer Young RJ, released Yes in 2015 and contains posthumous Dilla beats.
Gifted emcee Black Milk was J Dilla's protege and initial replacement as the producer for Slum Village. Experimenting with dusty grooves, minimal electronics and live instrumentation, Black Milk balances street, personal and conscious topics. He has worked with Elzhi, Phat Kat, Frank-N-Dank, Lloyd Banks, Canibus, Pharoahe Monch.

Kap G w/ V!SUAL, Ray iLLa aka "iLLz", KID-RO, Presented by Hello Hip Hop and Right Now Tour
Friday, April 15, 10pm
1st Ward Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave
The Mexican-American rapper hails from the south side of College Park in Atlanta, Georgia and has collaborated with some of the biggest name in the rap game, like, Fabolous, Wiz Khalifa and Spenzo. Layering his Mexican heritage with African American culture, Kap G brings a unique perspective with some sick beats.

Friday, April 15, 11pm
Township, 2200 N. California Ave
GGOOLLDD's indie take on the electronic pop genre has earned the synthpop band from Milwaukee a strong following, and a reputation as "the Pringles of music" because of their addictive quality. Last year, they were listed as one of six Wisconsin bands to watch by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The Pact gives the listener a clever blend of polished rock with an electrifying indie pop sound, and you can trust that oath is made in blood. Already creating a buzz in the media, the young Chicago-based group is bringing the festival their self-recorded debut album, “Reaching in the Dark.”
Armitage is a Chicago-based, alternative rock band whose members teamed up as Columbia College students quickly earned a solid reputation built on their powerful sound, catchy melodies, and thoughtful songwriting.

London Souls / We Are The Asteroid
Friday, April 15
London Souls’ Guitarist Tash Neal and drummer Chris St. Hilaire formed in NYC (not London!) in 2008. Their newest album, Here Come The Girls, is a smart and savory blend of ‘60s mod rock, classic soul, and modern New York grit. The glue? Funky chops and, above all, mighty songs.
From the ashes of a torched compost shack in Austin, Texas emerge We Are The Asteroid. They create just the sort of aural dogpile you'd expect from ex-members of Butthole Surfers, Pain Teens and Ed Hall – rock, mental illness and roll for everyone.

Friday, April 15, 9pm
Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave
RACS, Rami Gabriel, Alex Hall, The Fat Babies, Casey McDonough (NRBQ, Western Elstons, Flat five), Scott Ligon (NRBQ, Western Elstons, Flat five) RACS present new original songs in the great American traditions of Soul and Country music. All veteran rock, jazz, and blues musicians, their live show is a blazing dangerous rock n’ roll conflagration.
There is nothing that captures the spirit of the Midwest and the South than great Americana music that effortlessly compels its audience to toe tap and bop along. Singer-songwriter Nick Dittmeier has mastered the upbeat and cheerful music that dances along perfectly with the American lifestyle.
Having started their career known as One I'd Trouser (taken from a Monty Python song), the Toronto-based band from Nova Scotia rock it out hard. Their last album eponymously titled The Trews was the band's highest charting debut to date reaching #1 on the Rock, Alternative and Independent Album Charts in Canada.
Chicago may not be the city that first comes to mind when one thinks of country music, but Lonesome Still just might be the band to change that. Lonesome Still’s retro-country sound has blues, folk, and rock tones that shape their hearty music. The eight-member group is packed full of the true soul of country music.

Friday, April 15, 9pm
Emporium, 2363 N. Milwaukee Ave
This sister-brother duo, Alex and Francis White, have been rocking it out non-stop since 2008, and have five albums to their credit. It’s no mystery that their ferocity has a following worldwide. Last year, their movie That Was Awesome premiered at CIMMfest.

Known for their frenzied live sets, Brooklyn's Dirty Fences throw down a particularly sweaty form of rock ‘n’ roll. Their newest, Full Tramp, reeks alternately of an early ‘70s basement bong party and CBGB’s bathroom after a long night. A lovely bouquet.

The vocal bile and fast/slow-flowing guitar ooze of Hanna Hazard is efficiently pumped through the sewer pipes by Alex and Adam, the rhythm section of Chicago's own Lifestyles. Filth and anger never sounded so good…
Somewhere in the wilds of Cleveland, the O'Connor brothers, a.k.a. Archie and The Bunkers, back their van into the garage and unload not the usual beat-up guitars, but a classic vintage organ and a four-piece drum kit. With these tools they unleash what they dub HI-FI Punk, as apt a name as any for such beautiful noise.

Friday, April 15, doors open at 8pm
Burlington, 3425 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago reedman Ken Vandermark is one of the world's most prolific purveyors of improvised music. One of his many ongoing projects, Made To Break, combines saxes/drums/bass trio with the warped electronic genius of Austria's Christof Kurzmann, whose loops and keyboard flavors keep things bubbling and unpredictable.
Pausing from ripping on the guitar, Brian Case of Disappears will bring his synth-pop experimental sound to the festival. Playing solo, Case will use guitar loops and sequencing to craft minimal soundscapes that are, as he calls “imperfect” and aren’t driven by the momentum generated from the sound tools.
One half of Ken Vandermark’s quartet Made To Break, Christof Kurzmann (keys/electronics) and Tim Daisy (drums/percussion) take you on an uncharted voyage to WHO KNOWS WHERE…

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SATURDAY, APRIL 16

Sigur Ros: Heima (Iceland)
Saturday, April 16, 4pm
Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave
Directed by Dean DeBlois
Returning to Iceland after a world tour in 2006, Sigur Rós did a series of what would now be called pop-up shows, playing for free at village halls, in open fields, at an abandoned fishery, and an environmental protest camp. That unusual jaunt yielded a tour film unlike any other. Heima juxtaposes Sigur Rós’ soaring, otherworldly sound with Iceland's soaring, otherworldly landscape to create a visually stunning record of the band, and its sonic palette of serene contemplation and ecstatic release, as very much a product of its homeland’s wild vistas and close-knit culture. 97 min.


















Bill Evans: Time Remembered CHICAGO PREMIERE
Saturday, April 16, 4pm
Society For Arts, 1112 N. Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Bruce Speigal
Watching Bill Evans hunched intently over 88 keys and hearing the melodious, miraculous sounds he made, it's easy to agree with Tony Bennett that "nobody played with more feeling." During a short life marred by drug abuse and personal tragedy, Evans redefined jazz piano, gaining renown as a Chicago-based sideman before staking his place in music history with Miles Davis on the groundbreaking album Kind of Blue and leading his own acclaimed trios. This sensitive and insightful biography opens a window to the mind and art of a brilliant but elusive jazz genius. 124 min.

Saturday, April 16, 5pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Steve Read
Often cited as “The Godfather of Electronic Pop Music,” Gary Numan was one of the world’s biggest-selling recording artists in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Although songs such as “Cars” and “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” were massive hits, no one had ever seen (or heard) anyone quite like Numan. Suffering from Asperger’s syndrome helped forge his tunnel-like ambition and enlightened his music and unique presence, but it also brought upon crippling stage fright, anxiety, and depression. At a time when the public knew little about the condition, he was labeled a “freak” by the media. Facing near bankruptcy and a waning musical career, he fell in love with his biggest fan and now wife Gemma, who helped him rediscover his passion for music. Follow the Numan family as they embark on a new life in the States with filmmakers Steve Read and Rob Alexander journeying with them, revealing that the man behind the mask is human after all. 85 min.

Million Dollar Mano w/ Ghetto Division; Presented by Hello Hip Hop and Right Now Tour
Saturday, April 16, 6pm
1st Ward Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave
Revered for his innovative sound, design and visual art Mano is coming to CIMMFest fresh off a Grammy-win for his "The Hills" collaboration with Canadian singer, The Weeknd, which has also become a 7x certified platinum record. At the forefront of the Chicago hip-hop renaissance, Mano is now spearheading the Treated Crew collective’s campaign. Be sure to check him out.

Tim Hecker
Saturday, April 16, 9pm
Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave
A prolific Montreal-based avant-electronic musician, Tim Hecker has produced a range of audio works that explore the intersection of urban noise, dissonance, and melody that fosters an approach to songcraft both physical and emotive. Hecker follows his acclaimed 2013 Virgins with his new album Love Streams.

Afrika Bambaataa: Godfather of Hip Hop with Lovebug Starski
Saturday, April 16, 11pm
The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave

Saturday, April 16, 9pm
Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave
It’s mind blowing to find out that there are only two instrumentalists behind The Claudettes’ sound. Johnny Iguana on piano and Michael Caskey on drums come together to create a hypnotizing blend of blues and soul-jazz that forces the audience to let loose. The duo is joined by Yana, who lends her smooth vocals to many of the band’s tracks.
Big Lazy is a guitar, drums, and bass trio that refuses to be defined by just one genre. Their music takes listeners on a journey akin to one experienced on the New York subway; it’s a gritty tale with eclectic and strange characters that all seem to come together in harmony.

Saturday, April 16, 10pm
1st Ward Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave
For over a decade, the Chicago Afrobeat Project, a world music ensemble has been building on the music pioneered by Fela Kuti with powerful live performances and innovative recordings. An upcoming release features master drummer Tony Allen (Fela’s drummer) along with JC Brooks, Ugochi and others. The group’s appearance will feature a video collaboration with artists Chuck Przybyl and Edyta Stepien.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 17

Bang! The Burt Burns Story
Sunday, April 17, 6pm
The Logan Theater, 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Directed by Brett Berns, Bob Sarles
Music meets the Mob in this biography of '60s hitmaker and 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bert Berns. A prolific songwriter ("Twist and Shout," "Piece of My Heart," "Hang on Sloopy") and producer (Solomon Burke, Van Morrison) with an output to rival that of storied contemporaries like Lieber-Stoller and Goffin-King, Berns died of a heart attack at only 38 and his name receded into relative obscurity. Narrated by Steven Van Zandt, Bang! tracks a colorful life story that takes in Cuban revolutionaries, shady showbiz dealings, and gangster ties along with some of your favorite songs.



Sunday, April 17, 11am
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave
Lisa Loeb was the first artist to have a number one single in the United States while not signed to a recording contract. Her five studio CDs include her debut album and gold-seller Tails, followed by the Grammy-nominated gold-seller Firecracker. Loeb will perform music selections from her album and book Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs and Nursery Rhyme Parade!

Sunday, April 17, 7pm
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave

Sunday, April 17, 5pm & 8pm
City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph
Fresh from the Toronto International Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival, City Winery and CIMMfest present Nari, an arresting, multigenerational, multimedia mashup featuring animation, family archives and a live performance by Gingger Shankar, Dave Liang and Sun Yunfan. Nari shares the unsung story of Lakshmi Shankar and her daughter, Viji, two extraordinary artists who helped bring Indian music to the West in the 1970s through their close collaboration with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison. An accomplished artist and performer, Gingger Shankar is the only female in the world who has mastered the 10-string Double Violin, an instrument that covers the entire range of the orchestra’s double bass, cello, viola and violin, and of which there are currently only two in existence.

Sunday, April 17, 7:30pm
Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave
Moonface is the moniker under which Canadian artist Spencer Krug currently produces, releases, and performs his music. Whether it be solo or collaborative material, Moonface could generally be described as dark, introspective, slightly absurd, simultaneously hopeful and hopeless, and perhaps intelligent. Sometimes more pop than rock and sometimes more rock than pop, each album tends to explore new instrumentation and work within parameters different from the last. Before Moonface, Krug wrote, recorded, and performed with such bands as Sunset Rubdown, Wolf Parade, Swan Lake, Frog Eyes, and Fifths of Seven.



FESTIVAL PASSES
Festival passes (starting at $79) are available now at cimmfest.org. For this year’s festival, CIMMfest is proud to partner with Oxfam America for their “Give a Sh*t” festival pass. With each 5-day pass purchase, fans are encouraged to donate at least $6 to Oxfam; CIMMfest will then match the first $6 donated. The $6 + $6 donation goes directly to Oxfam’s lifesaving work. Across the world nearly half of the world’s population live off just $2.50 a day and one out of nine people goes to bed hungry each night. With CIMMfest and Oxfam America’s “Give a Sh*t” festival pass fans will help communities around the world break free from poverty and tackle global inequality and injustice. Passes for the industry conference CIMMcon are $35; they are $20 with a festival pass purchase.

PARTNERS/PRESENTERS
Engineering and Recording Society of Chicago (EARS), IDEO, 2112, STAGE 18, Eversport Media, Matchnode, 8stem, Keepsake, TourSmart, NoiseFloor, 1871, LiveOne, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Columbia College Chicago, 8tiv Labs, Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), Canadian Consulate General, Creative Cypher, Swanson Marin & Bell, LLP, SAE Institute, Pop Montreal, Quebec Gov’t Office of Chicago, Pitchfork Media, Wicker Park Chamber of Commerce, Choose Chicago, Red Bull Music Academy, DePaul Film School, Mayflower Travel, The Radler, Emporium, Roland, WXRT, Driehaus / MacArthur Foundation and more.  

ABOUT CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL MOVIES AND MUSIC FESTIVAL (CIMMfest)
The Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMMfest) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization dedicated to bringing together filmmakers, musicians, artists, industry leaders and audiences from diverse cultures around the world. In addition to producing year-round film screenings, concerts, and professional development programming, the organization produces one of Chicago's most highly anticipated and largest cultural events of the year: CIMMfest. The five-day, 200-plus multimedia event features film premieres, live concerts, live scored films, and a dynamic professional and entrepreneurial industry conference. CIMMfest serves a growing, diverse community of artists, industry and fans, in order to reveal the transformative power of music to foster creativity and communication, educate, enlighten, and entertain.

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