The 41st 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 in local theaters and community centers. Here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought.
Friendship is one of those subjects that doesn’t receive nearly enough meaningful attention in the movies. Yet, when we look at its prevalence in life and the many forms it can take, it certainly provides plenty of fodder for engaging storytelling, given that it’s a topic we can all ultimately relate to – and in myriad ways at that. Films that explore unusual and fascinating expressions of this concept are among the most engaging, as seen in a new documentary that examines what it’s like for old friends to get to know one another all over again in a new context.
Innovators are indeed a rare breed. They have ways of seeing things that many of us lack or haven’t yet developed. When they ply their abilities, they come up with inspiring, original conceptions that often attract huge followings and many imitators. And yet, despite these gifts and accomplishments, they sometimes don’t receive the credit or recognition they truly deserve.
