Wrapping Up Reeling 2026

The 44th annual edition of Chicago’s Reeling International LGBTQ+ Film Festival is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films. The festival’s lineup was a big improvement over 2025, bringing in a slate of better programing compared to last year. In all, I managed to catch 13 films during the festival’s 12-day run, nine of which I rated good to excellent. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought. Enjoy!

Wrapping Up the 2026 Chicago Latino Film Festival

The 42nd annual edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival – the longest continuously running event of its kind in the US – is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films. Sponsored by the International Latino Cultural Center in Chicago, the event was held at the Landmark Century Centre Cinemas in the city’s Lincoln Park/Lakeview neighborhood. In all, I screened 10 features and 4 shorts during the festival’s 11-day run, and, for the most part, I was pleased with what I watched. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought.

‘Turtles’ asks, ‘Is love enough?’

Is love enough to sustain a relationship? It can certainly provide a powerful bond to keep partners together, but is that sufficient to maintain that connection when other issues arise (e.g., day-to-day life challenges, disagreements and disconnects about fundamental goals and aspirations, cohabitation conflicts, a growing lack of sexual intimacy, etc.)? These matters often come to a head when certain turning points in life are reached, such as health issues or retirement, especially when each partner holds different views about what that next stage of life is supposed to be all about. And, as is becoming increasingly apparent these days, these questions impact both traditional partnerships and same-sex couples. So what’s to be done?

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