EDGE San Francisco

Here’s my Report # 6 on the Chicago Int’l FILM FESTIVAL:

October 12th saw the Chicago Int’l Film Festival’s "Gala Presentation" for "ANTICHRIST", the latest film by Danish director Lars von Trier. After a "Red Carpet" event for its star WILLEM DAFOE at the AMC River East theater, people in Theater 4 were treated to a special show (which I viewed from the side hall):

Festival founder MICHAEL KUTZA introduced his Head of programming, MIMI PLAUCHE. She spoke of previous films by Mr. Von Trier that were shown at the Fest, & revealed that a special LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT award was going to be given to "one of the truly REMARKABLE figures of modern cinema- WILLEM DAFOE."

Words were spoken of how tonite was going to be "the Chicago premiere of an unforgettable" film. At one point, Mr. Kutza was brought back up to the podium, & spoke of how Dafoe often played unusual or off-center characters. It was said (with some paraphrasing) that, Willem Dafoe was like "the boy ’next door’- if you live next door to a madman..." He was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, and helped found Milwaukee’s Theater X...

Mr. Dafoe started acting in films [as a credited player] in the 1982 movie "THE LOVELESS". He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor OSCAR in Oliver Stone’s 1986 film "PLATOON". Dafoe appeared in "THE ENGLISH PATIENT" (in 1996), and got a 2nd Oscar nomination in 2000 for "SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE". He’s appeared in "more than 70 films", including "TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A." (1985), "BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY" (1989), the "SPIDERMAN" series (2002, 2004, & 2007) & others...

A well-done RETROSPECTIVE was shown, with clips from some of his films, including "PLATOON", "MISSISSIPPI BURNING" (1988), as a Nazi, in a 2002 "SPIDERMAN" scene with James Franco, as the voice of a black fish named Gill in the 2003 animated film "FINDING NEMO", & various others. When Mr. Kutza read some of what was inscribed on the Silver Hugo statue Mr. Dafoe was to be given & called him up, a number of people stood in respect as he walked up to the podium.

Mr. Dafoe gave a short speech, including the following: "I’m very HAPPY to be here... I’m happy that the Film Festival is screening ’ANTICHRIST’-", & he’ll be holding a Q&A after the film screens... He closed with, "THANK YOU very much! I’m very HAPPY to be here!...", & left the theater to hearty applause...

As he walked by me in the inner hall, I respectfully asked if he would be kind enough to pose for a PHOTO in the outer hall, which he said he’d be HAPPY to do... Mr. Kutza soon came out, & (since the Festival’s usual photographer wasn’t yet in the outer hall), I became the FIRST photographer to shoot some photos of him with Mr. Dafoe in the hall...

Around 7:30, after some other people shot photos of them, Mr. Dafoe laughed at Mr. Kutza’s joking comment as he held the Silver Hugo statue that "We’ll hold onto this-- & etch ANOTHER NAME in it [for some future recipient]!..."

Since I’d already seen [& reviewed] the "ANTICHRIST" film [& didn’t wish to see it again], I went on to view some other films I was scheduled for...

Mr. Dafoe will be seen next year in WERNER HERZOG’S film "MY SON, MY SON, WHAT HAVE YE DONE" -- which also includes veteran actress IRMA P. HALL ("Big Mama" in "SOUL FOOD"), who will be appearing in person at the Festival on 10-13-09 for her film "RAIN" at 8:30 PM (& also likely on the "Red Carpet" at 6 PM on 10-14 for the "PRECIOUS" Centerpiece Film event)...

At the AMC, I again met producer JAMES CHOI of "MADE IN CHINA", who reported to me that he’d seen the write-up of his film on the ITalkFilm web-site, & he appreciated that. He reported that he’d been extremely PLEASED with the reaction to his film, the screenings here were SOLD-OUT & there was even going to be a screening at DePaul University. As to having it distributed, there’s been a good response to that starting with the South By Southwest [SxSW] festival [in Austin, TX], & it was mainly a question of deciding what appears to be the best overall deal for that. He accommodatingly posed for a PHOTO I shot in the upper lobby at the AMC...

There are a lot MORE film reviews upcoming!...