JULY Friday 29
According to the folks who’ve organized the First Annual Underground Film Festival, an underground film is one made by “the truly independent filmmaker–the kind who lives off beans and rice and hides from his landlord for months in order to see his vision on film or video.” (They probably meant to say his or her vision.) When pressed for specifics, they’ll note that to qualify for the fest, which runs through Sunday at the Bismarck Hotel, 171 W. Randolph, films must have been made for $40,000 or less and must not have been filmed on professional 35-millimeter stock. Call the fest at 862-4182 or see Section 2 for schedules and info. Passes are $25 for the entire festival or $12.50 for one day; most single screenings are $5. In conjunction with the fest, cable access producer Kelly Kuvo is hosting a party tonight called Chicago Underground Scene, featuring an unusual screening of Star Wars. The movie will be projected with no sound track. The dialogue will be uttered offscreen by actors, and music will be provided by two local experimental rock groups, the Flying Luttenbachers and Math. The party starts at 8 PM at the Hub movie theater, 1746 W. Chicago. The screening is scheduled for 11 PM. It’s $5; call 226-0313 for details.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
Annie Leibovitz was a student at the San Francisco Art Institute when she persuaded a young Jann Wenner to let her shoot for Rolling Stone. One of her first photos accompanied Wenner’s famous two-part interview with John Lennon; later she covered Nixon’s resignation. Leibovitz went on to become a noted portraitist for Vanity Fair and a much-in-demand commercial photographer. One of her clients, American Express, is sponsoring Annie Leibovitz: Photographs 1970-1990. The free show opens today and will remain on view in the fourth-floor exhibit hall of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, through October 2. It’s open 10 to 7 Monday through Thursday, 10 to 6 Friday, 10 to 5 Saturday, and noon to 5 Sunday. Call 744-6630.
Having triumphantly crashed last year’s Bud Billiken Parade, Active Proud Black Lesbians and Gays are getting ready for a repeat performance. They meet tonight at the Clubhouse bar, 440 N. Halsted, to get ready for this year’s march, scheduled for August 13. The agenda for the free party also includes guest speakers and videos from last year. Everything starts at 8 PM. Call 493-3848.
For Link’s Hall’s annual Chance Dance Fest, Chicago modern dance choreographer Bob Eisen shares the stage with a variety of dancers, performers, and musicians Wednesdays in August. Eisen, along with colleagues Amy Alt, Chia-Yu Chang, and Sheldon B. Smith, will dance tonight with the dance-performance group Fluid Measure Performance Company; next Wednesday, August 10, with performer Frank Melcori; August 17 with choreographer Charlie Vernon; August 24 with dancer and choreographer Anthony Gongora; and August 31 with performance artist and singer Jenny Magnus. All shows are at 8 PM and all are $5. Link’s Hall is at 3435 N. Sheffield. Call 281-0824 for details.
