Chicago – Actor/filmmaker Clare Cooney began her career in Chicago, and is returning to represent her debut as feature film director for “Departing Seniors,” a North American Premiere on Opening Night at the 59th Chicago International Film Festival (Ciff). For tickets and info, click Seniors.
Mexican-American and queer, high school student Javier (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) doesn’t exactly fit in with the popular kids, preferring the company of sardonic friend Bianca (Ireon Roach), but he might be the only one who can save them all. After an act of bullying sends Javier to the hospital, he begins experiencing visions that foresee glimpses of shocking murders at his school right before they happen. Now, in between navigating the social hierarchies and prejudices of clique culture, he has to unmask a serial killer before they strike again.
’Departing Seniors,’ Directed by Clare Cooney, at the 59th Ciff
Photo credit: Chicago International Film Festival...
Mexican-American and queer, high school student Javier (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) doesn’t exactly fit in with the popular kids, preferring the company of sardonic friend Bianca (Ireon Roach), but he might be the only one who can save them all. After an act of bullying sends Javier to the hospital, he begins experiencing visions that foresee glimpses of shocking murders at his school right before they happen. Now, in between navigating the social hierarchies and prejudices of clique culture, he has to unmask a serial killer before they strike again.
’Departing Seniors,’ Directed by Clare Cooney, at the 59th Ciff
Photo credit: Chicago International Film Festival...
- 10/10/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – Another Chicago creator has a World Premiere. Alyssa Thordarson, who makes her director debut with Michael Glover Smith, will present the short “Paper Planes” at the AfterImage Film Fest on April 15, 2023.
In “Paper Planes” a woman (Shaina Schrooten) – who suffers from agoraphobia – and the Airbnb guest across the hall (Thordarson), strike up a correspondence that becomes something more during the Christmas season. The short film was written by Ms. Thordarson and co-directed by Chicago indie film favorite Michael Glover Smith (“Relative”). “Paper Planes” also marks Alyssa’s directorial debut. Click Paper Planes for information and tickets for the World Premiere.
Alyssa Thordarson Makes Her Directorial Debut with ‘Paper Planes’
Photo credit: AlyssaThordarson.com
First-generation Icelandic/American, Alyssa Thordarson grew up in the Midwest, and studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City and at Columbia College Chicago. Her debut screenplay “After (A Love Story...
In “Paper Planes” a woman (Shaina Schrooten) – who suffers from agoraphobia – and the Airbnb guest across the hall (Thordarson), strike up a correspondence that becomes something more during the Christmas season. The short film was written by Ms. Thordarson and co-directed by Chicago indie film favorite Michael Glover Smith (“Relative”). “Paper Planes” also marks Alyssa’s directorial debut. Click Paper Planes for information and tickets for the World Premiere.
Alyssa Thordarson Makes Her Directorial Debut with ‘Paper Planes’
Photo credit: AlyssaThordarson.com
First-generation Icelandic/American, Alyssa Thordarson grew up in the Midwest, and studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City and at Columbia College Chicago. Her debut screenplay “After (A Love Story...
- 4/10/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – We have arrived. Welcome to the annual Oscar Predictions on HollywoodChicago.com for 2023 (the 95th Academy Awards). The film/entertainment contributors of Hc – Patrick McDonald and Spike Walters – are joined by filmmaker treasure Michael Glover Smith (“Relative”) and film critic Jeffrey L. York of “The Establishing Shot.”
Michael Glover Smith is a locally-based Chicago filmmaker. “Relative” is his 2022 fourth feature film and is still doing business in theaters across the country. Jeffrey L. York is a film writer/critic and artist whose specialty is the film and celebrity caricature. Currently he is selling downloads from his original art representing the 2023 Oscar nominees. Click Jeff York for details.
The Predictors! The Oscars are on ABC-tv, March 12th, 2023
Photo credit: File Photo
Ten films of 2023 – “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,...
Michael Glover Smith is a locally-based Chicago filmmaker. “Relative” is his 2022 fourth feature film and is still doing business in theaters across the country. Jeffrey L. York is a film writer/critic and artist whose specialty is the film and celebrity caricature. Currently he is selling downloads from his original art representing the 2023 Oscar nominees. Click Jeff York for details.
The Predictors! The Oscars are on ABC-tv, March 12th, 2023
Photo credit: File Photo
Ten films of 2023 – “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,...
- 3/11/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – One of the breakout performances in Michael Glover Smith’s new film, “Relative,” is from Elizabeth Stam, who portrays the pivotal role of Hekla. The “Relative” special Chicago general releases will take place (click links) at Music Box Theatre and the Gene Siskel Film Center on June 8th and 10th.
“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. Meanwhile, the college graduate (Cameron Scott Roberts) has serendipitously fallen for Hekla (Elizabeth Stam). The film also features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey and Clare Cooney.
Elizabeth Stam (right) with Cameron Scott Roberts in ‘Relative’
Photo credit: White City Cinema
This is Elizabeth Stam’s second film, after “Bleed American” in 2019. As mentioned in the interview below,...
“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. Meanwhile, the college graduate (Cameron Scott Roberts) has serendipitously fallen for Hekla (Elizabeth Stam). The film also features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey and Clare Cooney.
Elizabeth Stam (right) with Cameron Scott Roberts in ‘Relative’
Photo credit: White City Cinema
This is Elizabeth Stam’s second film, after “Bleed American” in 2019. As mentioned in the interview below,...
- 6/2/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – The journey from idea to completed film is a fever dream for the writer/director. Chicago-based filmmaker Michael Glover Smith has realized his dreams in his fourth feature film, “Relative.” The story of family, set in the neighborhood of Rogers Park, begins its local run at Music Box Theatre on June 8th, 2022.
“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. Meanwhile, the college graduate (Cameron Scott Roberts) has serendipitously fallen for Hekla (Elizabeth Stam). The film also features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey and Clare Cooney.
’Relative’ Begins Its Theatrical Run in Chicago
Photo credit: Chicago Film Project
Writer/Director Michael Glover Smith is also an author and film studies instructor (at Oakton Community...
“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. Meanwhile, the college graduate (Cameron Scott Roberts) has serendipitously fallen for Hekla (Elizabeth Stam). The film also features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey and Clare Cooney.
’Relative’ Begins Its Theatrical Run in Chicago
Photo credit: Chicago Film Project
Writer/Director Michael Glover Smith is also an author and film studies instructor (at Oakton Community...
- 5/22/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
One of the rising filmmakers in the Chicago movie-making scene, Michael Glover Smith has returned this year with his fourth feature, Relative. Produced by Chicago Film Project (which also backed Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin) and starring Wendy Robie (Twin Peaks) and Cameron Scott Roberts (The Walking Dead), the film follows a family at a crossroads, featuring separations, new romances, and empty-nesting as the youngest member of the clan graduates college. Ahead of the film’s hometown screenings at the Music Box on June 8 and the Gene Siskel Film Center on June 10, 15, and 16, we’re pleased to exclusively debut the first trailer.
“I’ve always been skeptical of the phrase “dysfunctional family” since all families would seem dysfunctional if one were able to observe them closely enough,” the director said. “In creating Relative, my goal was to contrive a scenario that would allow me to lift the veil on...
“I’ve always been skeptical of the phrase “dysfunctional family” since all families would seem dysfunctional if one were able to observe them closely enough,” the director said. “In creating Relative, my goal was to contrive a scenario that would allow me to lift the veil on...
- 5/5/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Chicago – The made-in-Chicago film “Relative” … written and directed by Michael Glover Smith … will get its city/Midwest premiere at (appropriately) the Midwest Film Festival on April 5th, 2022. The sold out show at the Gene Siskel Film Center will also have a Q&a, moderated by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com. One of the vital credits on any film is Music Supervisor, and that role on “Relative” was filled by Cait Rappel, a veteran film scorer in her feature film debut.
“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. The film features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Cameron Scott Roberts, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey, Elizabeth Stam and Clare Cooney.
’Relative’ at the Midwest Film Festival, Music Supervision by Cait Rappel (inset)
Photo credit: MidwestFilm.
“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. The film features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Cameron Scott Roberts, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey, Elizabeth Stam and Clare Cooney.
’Relative’ at the Midwest Film Festival, Music Supervision by Cait Rappel (inset)
Photo credit: MidwestFilm.
- 4/2/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – Here we go again. Welcome to the annual Oscar Predictions on HollywoodChicago.com, for 2022 (the 94th Academy Awards). The film/entertainment contributors – Patrick McDonald, Spike Walters and Jon Lennon Espino – are joined by guest Michael Glover Smith, the director of the upcoming film “Relative.”
Michael Glover Smith is a locally-based Chicago filmmaker. “Relative” is his fourth feature film and will have its Chicago debut at a sold-out screening at the Gene Siskel Film Center on April 5th, 2022, as part of the Midwest Film Festival. The general release is scheduled for the upcoming summer.
The Predictors! The Oscars are on ABC-tv, March 27th, 2022
Photo credit: File Photo
Ten films of 2021 – “Belfast,” “Coda,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The Power of the Dog” and “West Side Story” – will vie for the Best Picture Award. The Hc.com predictors will opine on six categories … Best Picture,...
Michael Glover Smith is a locally-based Chicago filmmaker. “Relative” is his fourth feature film and will have its Chicago debut at a sold-out screening at the Gene Siskel Film Center on April 5th, 2022, as part of the Midwest Film Festival. The general release is scheduled for the upcoming summer.
The Predictors! The Oscars are on ABC-tv, March 27th, 2022
Photo credit: File Photo
Ten films of 2021 – “Belfast,” “Coda,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The Power of the Dog” and “West Side Story” – will vie for the Best Picture Award. The Hc.com predictors will opine on six categories … Best Picture,...
- 3/25/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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