Written by Cassidy Stephenson
The Executive Board of WCGR attended two nights of the Chicago International Film Festival on October 24th and October 25th. This event was open to all media communication majors and faculty.
This was my second year in attendance of this event and I was looking forward to it because of how much I enjoyed it my first year.
On the first night, we only watched one film, titled “And Then We Danced.” “And Then We Danced” is a drama directed by Levan Akin, who hails from Sweden but is of Georgian descent. “And Then We Danced” is about Merab, a young man who has been raised on the art of Georgian Dance. It is in his blood to become a dancer and he has been working at it his entire life beside his older brother and his dance partner. A dream of Merab’s is to be a main performer in the National Georgian Ballet. A spot opens up and auditions are held. Although, a new dancer joins the ensemble named Irakli. He and Merab soon become rivals and compete for the open spot. The dancing ensemble learns that the reason there is an opening is because Zasa, a former male performer in the ballet, was kicked out of ballet because he was caught having a relationship with another man, which goes against the Georgian culture. Zasa’s parents sent him to a monastery as a result, but he ends up escaping. After Merab and Irakli practice together, feelings start to develop. However, Irakli has to return to his hometown because his father is ill and he becomes engaged to a girl. The movie ends with Merab messing up his audition, most likely on purpose.
On the second night, we watched two films: “Song Without a Name and Once Upon a River.” “Song Without a Name” is about a young pregnant woman named Georgina living in rural Peru. She hears an advertisement on the radio that is for a free clinic in downtown Lima while she is selling potatoes at a market. When Georgina is ready to give birth, she travels to Lima. The clinic, however, steels her baby from her shortly after she is born. Georgina hires an investigative journalist to find out what happened and he discovers that the clinic actually runs a kidnapping ring for stealing children. Georgina never finds her child and the father of her baby is on the run from being involved in a Peruvian resistance group. The movie ends with her singing and looking at the ocean in search of her child.
The second movie we saw that night was “Once Upon a River.” The film is centered around 15 year old Margo from a Native American tribe in Michigan during the 1970s. Her mother left the year before and she is taken care of by her father. That is until he is shot dead by Billy, Margo’s cousin, after Billy thinks that Margo’s dad shot his dad. When in reality, it was Margo who shot him (Billy’s dad, Margo’s uncle) after he sexually assaulted her.
Margo hitchhikes to find her mother and meets Will, whom she falls in love with. Margo learns that she’s pregnant and is now living in a trailer park with an elderly man named Smoke, who is struggling from emphysema and doesn’t have a lot of time left. Margo considers Smoke to be her best friend, but he ends up taking his life. After reuniting with her mom, she is taken to an abortion clinic, but she decides to run away and keep her child. She returns to the trailer park and it is unknown what happens next because the movie ends with her floating in a river. The cast of the film was in attendance and the night ended with a Q and A with the director, author of the book, and cast members.
