Dustin Hoffman Is A Very Good Actor, Says CIFF

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 24, 2006 7:55PM

In the biggest celebrity-related Chicago film news story since Crazy Tom Cruise hit town to kiss-and-make-up with Uncle Steven, the organizers of the Chicago International Film Festival announced that their annual lifetime achievement award will go to Dustin Hoffman.

This year’s fest will run from October 5th through the 19th and will screen Hoffman’s Stranger Than Fiction, which lensed here back in May and co-stars Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. It was written by former Chicagoan Zach Helm. You can peep the trailer here.

Categories for this year’s fest include the usual with Black Perspectives and Spotlight on Chicago/Illinois. In addition, we’ll see thematic showcases like Destination Greece and Anime Focus. Finally! It’s about time the CIFF recognizes the cinematic brilliance of underage girls getting violated by many-tentacled creatures. *

Other films announced on this year's slate include Babel, the third film in director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “death trilogy,” DeMille’s 1928 treatment of Chicago with live jazz accompaniment, The Fountain from Darren Aronofsky, Stephen Frear’s The Queen, and Steel City, filmed entirely in Illinois and co-starring former Steppenwolfer Laurie Metcalf.

* Akira’s brilliant, OK? It was a joke. Don’t go losing your shit in the comments section.