The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival will shortly be in full swing with tickets on sale now. A new Artistic Director, Mimi Plauché plans to continue the eclectic mix of programming that has been the … Read more
A Film Critic’s Personal Journey to Ebertfest and Revisiting Her Childhood Home of University of Illinois
The 19th Annual Ebertfest Film Festival, April 19-23, was held at the historic 1,525-seat Virginia Theater and the University … Read more
An Invitation to Attend a Film Screening at Pixar Studios
Don’t you just love it when the sun, the moon, and the stars all align? Typically, I receive special film screening notices fairly regularly that … Read more
Hitchcock’s Lesson’s in Filmmaking Brought to Life in a New Documentary
Hitchcock/Truffaut is a documentary film for all movie buffs that have ever considered magnifying their knowledge of the components in filmmaking. The film was … Read more
At a Glance−The 2015 Chicago International Film Festival
The energy was magnetic at the 2015 CIFF. The AMC River East was filled with press, actors, directors, producers, photographers, film lovers, volunteers, and last but not … Read more
Background, Action, Rolling…the 51st Chicago International Film Festival Oct 15-29, 2015 Offers a Wide Array of Films
There’s a crisp coolness in the air, leaves are turning burnt orange and scarlet red—the sure signs of … Read more
The 10th Annual Variety of Illinois Oscar Charity Event orchestrated by Angelique Barthel, Executive Director of Variety of Illinois was a colossal success. The Red Carpet was rolled out February 22 for the live telecast … Read more
Bikes vs Cars is an impressive documentary from Swedish director, Fredrik Gertten. We caught up with him while he was in the US for the film’s North American debut at the SXSW Film Festival in … Read more
Lights, Camera, Action! The Oscar Charity Soiree was ‘The’ Place to be on Oscar Night!
The 10th Annual Variety of Illinois Oscar Charity Event orchestrated by Angelique Barthel, Executive Director of Variety of Illinois, was … Read more
Members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) bestowed their honors in film during the 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards (CCMA). These honors coincided with the revealing of the coveted Academy Awards nominations (January … Read more
Chicago International Film Festival Recap 2014
From opening night, October 9, 2014, until the last film on October 22, the special anniversary of the 50th Chicago International Film Festival was “film-tastic” as always! The “24” … Read more
More often than not the road to love is a winding one, with some combination of thrilling attractions, disheartening breakdowns, dead ends and head-scratching u-turns along the way. The 4th annual Chicago Comedy Film Festival … Read more
Having grown up on a musical diet consisting almost exclusively of soul, Motown, and blues, it’s no surprise that I took the retro route when making my CIMMfest 2014 Must-See List, which included Boyce & … Read more
Calling all film buffs! This Friday, May 9 is opening night for the second annual Chicago Film Critics Film Festival. Due to the fact that I’m a member of the Association and have a strong … Read more
Chicago is always an exciting place to be, whether you are checking out blues music and festivals, sporting events, cutting-edge cuisine or spending a day at the beach. It’s no wonder that Chicago was chosen … Read more
“12 Years A Slave,” the harrowing adaptation of the memoir of a once-free black man from the North who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South in the years leading up to … Read more
Sophie Nélisse Star of “The Book Thief” Talks About Her Love of Books
The Red Carpet event promoting “The Book Thief” was part of the Chicago International Film Festival on October 22, 2013. Interviews included … Read more
Chicago International Film Festival on October 24, 2013 at AMC River East Theater in Chicago.
SA: Wow, Oscar Isaac I’d think that you’d have to be so excited to be the centerpiece of a Coen … Read more
On Friday Oct. 4, 2013 the Unabridged Bookstore and the Music Box Theatre teamed up to host the incredibly funny and razor-sharp vocabulist Nick Offerman to celebrate his new book “Paddle Your Own Canoe.” As … Read more
Yes, in just 48 hours, filmmakers around the globe compete in teams to create a film that will wow judges and audiences. Launched in 2001 in Washington, DC as a competition among friends by filmmakers … Read more
Sarah’s Backstage Pass is pleased to report that the first annual Chicago Critics Film Festival was a true success! The three-day festival from April 12-14th at Muvico Rosemont was comprised of more than 20 features … Read more
On April 3, 2013 Chicago Film Critics Sarah Adamson and Jessica Aymond hosted the Film With a View series at Studio Movie Grill in Wheaton. The pair presented the original classic, “Psycho” by Alfred Hitchcock … Read more
This unique venue offers live music, film previews, brunch, dinner, wine/dinner events, comedy events and more. There’s valet parking but we found plenty on the street. I’ll … Read more
Chicago International Film Festival Boasts Big Name Talent and Outstanding Global Films
The 48th Annual Chicago International Film Festival, held October 11- 22 2012, was attended by the staff of Sarah’s Backstage Pass. The coverage … Read more
