This guest Screens post was written by Matthew Nerber.
Since opening in 2001, the Gene Siskel Film Center has proven to be one of the city’s premiere movie-houses, with an eclectic balance of limited engagements, Midwest premieres, and screenings of well-worn favorites. And with the holidays just around the corner, Chicago cinephiles are in for a treat: the film center is undergoing a month long renovation to update the theater's 17-year-old seats and carpeting, as well as technical improvements to accommodate patrons who are hearing impaired.
While the theater itself will be closed from Friday, December 1, through Thursday, January 4, the center is launching an impressive off-site program to cater to fans throughout the month they're offline.
Gene Siskel Film Center on Location looks to bring critical and fan favorites from 2017 to neighborhoods across Chicagoland, from Hyde Park to River North, and even as far as Lake Forest. Says Executive Director Jean de St. Aubin, “The Gene Siskel Film Center is known and celebrated for serving various communities in Chicago through film so it’s only fitting that we give back by bringing highlights from the past year to select venues around the city.”
Films will include I Know a Man…Ashley Bryan, a documentary about the prolific children’s author; Time to Die (Tiempo de morir), a western from Mexican director Arturo Ripstein; Swim Team, the story of competitive swimmers overcoming autism in the pool; and Kedi, a heartwarming portrait of Istanbul’s unique stray-cat population (pictured).
Photograph courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories
The full line-up, including venues for each showing and information on purchasing tickets can be found here. The Gene Siskel Film Center will re-open to the public--with fancy new seats!--on Friday, January 5.