Friday 17
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An appearance by Jonathan Demme is the highlight of the three-day Festival of Illinois Film and Video Artists, kicking off tonight at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport. The festival’s offerings were chosen by a group of local film professionals, with Reader critic Jonathan Rosenbaum serving as secretary of the jury. Programs include compilations of winning works from the festival, a selection of films from the Prague School of Fine Arts, and selections from the Sony-sponsored Visions of U.S. Video Exhibition (all the entries are low-budget). The schedule: today at 5, selections from the Sony exhibition; at 7, Prague films; at 9, festival winners. Tomorrow, things get under way at 3, with more films from Prague, Sony films at 5, winning works at 6, an awards ceremony at 8, Demme at 8:30, and a champagne reception at 10:30. On Sunday, more Sony films start at 3, Prague films at 5, and winning films at 7. It’s $6 on Friday, $4 for students and seniors, $10 and $6 on Saturday ($6 and $4 for the Demme appearance only), and $6 and $4 on Sunday. Call 663-1600 ext. 434 or the Music Box at 871-6604 for more details.
Saturday 18
Monday 20
Chicago, already practically overrun with theater critics, is going to be positively bursting at the seams as the American Theatre Critics Association opens its 17th annual get-together today. The critics will be seeing plays, hobnobbing with local theater celebs, and jawing in meetings through Sunday in mostly private affairs; but there’s a daylong series of meetings open to the public today. Three forums are on the bill at the Blackstone Theatre, 60 E. Balbo. Chicago Theater: A Briefing, moderated by the Trib’s Richard Christiansen, begins at 1; National Theater: A Challenge, with the Sun-Times’s Hedy Weiss, starts at 2:30; and International Theater: An Opportunity, led by the Dallas Times-Herald’s Porter Anderson, commences at 4. They’re free. Call 248-9307.
