OVERVIEW:
Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival is the second oldest film festival of its kind in the US and prides itself on showcasing the best LGBT films and videos each and every year.
From award-winning international feature films to social documentaries to experimental shorts, Reeling has always presented a range of genres that demonstrate the rich diversity of work being produced. Not only has Reeling become one of the most important cultural events for Chicagoans, it also attracts LGBT people from throughout the Midwest who consider the festival to be the highlight of their cinematic year.
Reeling 2009 is presenting nearly over 50 programs over 11 days from November 5-15.
HISTORY:
The first Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival took place in April 1981 in Chicago Filmmakers' 90-seat folding-chair screening room on West Hubbard Street. The festival sold out nearly every screening, leaving audiences demanding more. The enthusiasm for the festival led to a commitment on the part of Chicago Filmmakers to continue the festival as an annual event,
and it has been going strong ever since.
MISSION:
The mission of Reeling is to recognize the important artistic contributions that lesbian and gay filmmakers have made to our culture; to educate the general population and sensitize them to lesbian and gay issues; to investigate the history of gays and lesbians in film, including the stereotyping that has been a major part of this history; and to counteract this stereotyping with valid, meaningful and diverse portrayals of gays and lesbians.
The festival provides a unique opportunity for the celebration of lesbian and gay identity for a community too often misrepresented or ignored in mainstream film and television.
FUNDING:
Chicago Filmmakers receives funding from the Illinois Arts Council, the Alphawood Foundation, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The MacArthur Fund at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and a City Arts 3 Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
|
|
|
|
