Danielle Solzman
When Freelancers Anonymous screens tonight, the Chicago-produced indie film will kick off the 36th Reeling Film Festival.
Through my covering of other film festivals this year, I’ve been able to see quite a number of these films. Eve though I’ve been quite busy this month with coverage of TIFF, there are a number of films I plan to see again. That is if my sinuses will allow me to do so.
Some of my personal highlights:
Freelancers Anonymous: Mixing work and romance, the STEM-focused Freelancers Anonymous puts women front and center in this Chicago-set modern-day screwball comedy.
1985: Filmed in black-and-white 16mm film, 1985 is an incredibly moving film from writer-director Yen Tan. Led by a standout performance form Cory Michael Smith, 1985 is a a character-driven film that reflects upon AIDS crisis in the mid-1980s.
Funny Story: Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards delivers the performance of a lifetime in Funny Story. With memorable performances, Funny Story is a dramedy that will appeal to those in the LGBTQ community.
Brothers web series: I’m looking forward to catching this during the shorts program next Thursday night after running over from the same evening’s screening of Funny Story. The web series focuses on four trans-masculine friends in New York. Screening in the Transcending Gender shorts program.
Call Her Ganda: While the film opens in LA this weekend, Chicago gets a preview on Sunday night before the theatrical expansion. Call Her Ganda is a documentary that follows the investigation into the murder of Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transgender woman. PJ Raval’s documentary follows attorney Virgie Suarez, transgender journalist Meredith Talusan, and Jennifer’s mother, Julita “Nanay” Laude as they seek justice in the aftermath of the 2014 murder.
The Happy Prince: I missed this one due to scheduling when it premiered at Sundance in January but I’m looking forward to watching it.
