Presented by Chicago Filmmakers, the 29th Reeling festival runs Thursday, November 4, through Saturday, November 13, at Chicago Filmmakers, Columbia College Film Row Cinema, Instituto Cervantes, Landmark’s Century Centre, and Showplace ICON. Unless otherwise noted, tickets for all screenings are $10, $8 for matinees (before 5 PM), and passes are available for $45 (five shows), $80 (ten shows), $125 (all shows, excepting special admissions), and $150 (all shows and events). Tickets can be purchased online at reelingfilmfestival.org, in person at Chicago Filmmakers, and at the venue prior to the show. Following are reviews for selected films screening through Thursday, November 11; for more information, including a complete schedule, see reelingfilmfestival.org.
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Children of God Shot on the scenic Bahamanian island of Eleuthera, this 2009 coming-out drama by Kareem Mortimer concerns two young men—a white art student and a black musician—whose budding romance is threatened by an antigay political crusade led by a closeted right-wing preacher. Meanwhile the preacher’s wife struggles with her own denial of her husband’s homosexuality and hypocrisy. Mortimer contrasts the acceptance of liberal Christians with the condemnation of religious conservatives; his film can be tender, moving, and sweetly erotic, but ultimately it’s a depressing look at the cost of homophobic prejudice. 103 min. —Albert Williams Thu 11/4, 7 PM, Showplace ICON. Screening as part of the opening-night program; tickets are $15.
Flight of the Cardinal In Robert Gaston’s formulaic psychological thriller, an attractive young sociopath joins the staff of a lakeside resort lodge. His scheme: to drive the lodge’s bipolar gay owner to suicide by preying on the man’s paranoia, which has already been stoked by his boyfriend’s decision to end their relationship. The only distinctive thing about this derivative film is its setting—the scenic Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. 87 min. —Albert Williams Thu 11/11, 7 PM, Landmark’s Century Centre
Role/Play This engaging comedy focuses on two men—a soap opera star and a gay activist—who meet at a Palm Springs guest house and fall in love. The actor has just been outed in the media, while the activist, an advocate for same-sex marriage, has been discredited after divorcing his husband. The romantic storyline is utterly predictable, but writer-director Rob Williams has some smart things to say about the Internet’s corrosive invasion of privacy, the responsibilities of the gay press, and the difficulties that public figures in the gay community have balancing their public and personal lives. 85 min. —Albert Williams Sat 11/6, 2:30 PM, Landmark’s Century Centre
