Back Yard Film & Music Fest Returns Refreshed

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 22, 2011 2:30PM

It’s been hit after hit, weekend after weekend, of kickass festivals for quite a while now. Well, here’s another: Back Yard Film & Music Fest returns next weekend for its fourth year and most impressive schedule yet.

The fest came into being in ‘08 when founder Fred Koschmann set up a projector in his backyard, hung a bed sheet for a screen, put out lawn chairs, and invited some 40 friends over to view two of his short films. It’s continued to grow each year since, introducing work by multiple filmmakers, bringing in musical entertainment, and eventually moving to a larger venue.

This year’s installment goes down Saturday, October 1. The film portion of the fest will take place at Wicker Park Art Center from 2-6 p.m. with 16 short films by local and international artists. The film set includes works by Fredo Viola (remember The Sad Song?), Lily Spottiswoode, Israel's Smadar Zamir, and Isaiah Seret, who directed videos for Cults and Raphael Saadiq. And it of course includes films by a few locals - Victor Spatafora, Patrick Holland, and Brian Wiebe.

The film set will also feature Chicago’s dreamy folk band Judson Claiborne, who will perform original music over a 1942 silent documentary. Afterwards, the festivities move over to Viaduct Theater for the musical portion and general partying. Wise Blood will headline with his synth-heavy elecro-pop beats. Supporting will be local hip-hop outfit BBU and folk troubadour Bhi Bhiman.

As far as tickets go, you can choose from a full-event pass for $20, a film-only ticket for $10, or a music-only ticket for $15 - all of which can be purchased through Eventbrite. Check out the fest’s official site for a full list of filmmakers and definitely take a minute to watch this strange little promotional gem:

The Back Yard Film & Music Fest is Saturday, October 1 at the Wicker Park Art Center, 2215 W North Ave, and Viaduct Theater, 3111 N Western, 2 p.m., $10-$25