Weekend Diversion: Night Of The Ponies
Pedway, First Store Open At Block 37
Around Town
Around Town
Red-Light Cameras Not So Special?
Remember what a bummer it was when Wilco had to scrap plans for a DVD of their May 2005 four-night stand at the Vic? Sure, we got the Kicking Television live disc out of it, but we were expecting the first official visual record of a Wilco performance, and anything less was disappointing.
Now we can finally watch what we've been listening to. Wilco will debut Ashes of American Flags, filmed during the Southern U.S. portion of their winter 2008 tour and directed by Fugazi drummer-cum-filmmaker Brendan Canty, during the first Chicago International Movies and Music (CIMM) Festival next month. If the three (out of five) shows we took in during the band's residency at the Riv last February are any indication, Ashes will be a testament to just how comfortable the band is in its own skin and how enduring the entire Wilco catalog will be for years to come.
As exciting as the Ashes debut is for Chicagoans, the entire weekend of CIMM events has that can't-miss vibe to it. Founded by Bulgarian filmmaker Ilko Davidov and M's frontman Josh Chicoine, the festival focuses solely on films about music - a testament to the creative freedom Davidov has found since moving to the U.S. from his home country, where the Secret Police can arrest you for owning a copy of London Calling.
After sifting through more than 300 submissions for the festival, Davidov and Chicoine were able to craft four days of inspired (and inspiring) cinematic artwork. We're especially looking forward to director Lech Kowalski's Unfinished, a collection of never-before-seen footage of the New York Dolls' iconic guitarist Johnny Thunders both on stage and off, and to Two Headed Cow, Tony Gayton's look at the rabble rousing career of legendary roots rocker Dex Romweber.
The Wilco live film Ashes of American Flags debuts on Monday, March 9 at the Music Box Theater (3733 N. Southport), 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., $10 on the CIMM website. Q & A with director Brendan Canty to follow.
The CIMM festival runs March 5 - 8 at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington) and the St. Paul Arts Center (2215 W. North Avenue). Tickets are $8 per event and available here.
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They need to take the "C" out of CIMM, given that virtually no Chicago filmmakers were included in the final lineup. There's nothing Chicago about this festival except for its location and sponsors. Nice to know our entertainment dollars are going to fund film projects everywhere EXCEPT Chicago.
Windy, I don't get your logic. If you want there to be more films about Chicago music, made by Chicagoans, get out there and make some. In the meanwhile what's wrong with a festival trying to show a bunch of great movies about music that probably wouldn't be shown in Chicago otherwise?
Mike from CIMMfest here. To assist people who want to support hometown filmmakers and artists, here's a list of the Chicago-connected films we have in our lineup, including (1) films made by people who live here now, (2) films made by people who are originally from here, and (3) films about people who live here or are from here.
Some connections will doubtless be too tenuous for some people, but I'm pleased by the Chicago turnout--a fifth of the features have a strong Chicago connection, and almost a third of the music videos do.
But please note that the idea behind an international film festival is to bring international films to town. Otherwise we'd be CMMfest, the Chicago Movies and Music Fest. Which would be a laudable goal, but not what we were going for.
Features:
"Agile Mobile Hostile" is co-directed by a native Chicagoan, and the subject, Andre Williams, lives here.
"Todd P Goes to Austin" is produced by a native Chicagoan
"It's In the Blood" is directed by a Chicagoan and an Evanstonian
"Largo" features a performance by Andrew Bird, a Chicagoan
"Sixteen Days in China" is directed by Martin Atkins, an adopted Chicagoan
"Ashes of American Flags" is about Wilco, adopted Chicago band
Shorts and music videos:
Tijuana Hercules - "Down in the Bottom Lines" (Chicago band and director)
Nuclear Biologist Rocket Surgeons - "Onomatopoeias Researched!" (Chicago band and director)
Botnik! (Chicago animators)
Il Tandre Neu - "Exit Wound" (Chicago band and director)
Tampico (documentary about Washington Blue Line busker, Chicago director)
Spouse - "Hangover Cure for Humanity" (Chicago director)
Yard Work Is Hard Work (Chicago animator)
Yoome - "Amsterdamn" (Chicago band and director)