Shame of Chicago to be featured documentary
Information provided by Governors State University
UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. (October 2, 2022) – The Shame of Chicago: The Segregation of an American City explores the origins of the city’s wealth gap between its Black and white residents and will be one of the films featured at this year’s Chicago Southland International Film Festival (CSIFF) October 13 through 15 at Governors State University. Tickets are now on sale.
Shame of Chicago
With the five-part documentary, director, community activist, and Chicago native Bruce Orenstein examines injustices in Chicago’s real estate market that began after World War II.
The latest episode, “The Chicago Plan,” will be featured on October 15 — the second day of the festival — and opens with crackling Black and white footage. Elizabeth Wood, the first executive director of the Chicago Housing Authority, states flatly: “Negros have lived in a state of fear and isolation, and this is the shame of Chicago and the nation.”
Shame of Chicago is one of the many powerful films to be showcased during the Feature Film Competition of the GSU festival, which opens October 13.
Mustang Saviors
Another film with a Chicago connection is Mustang Saviors, directed by Chicago native David Glossberg. It tells the inspirational story of an equestrian ranch in Northern Illinois helping veterans overcome the toll of war through horse training.
Previously included in the 2020 virtual festival during the COVID-19 pandemic, CSIFF is very excited to have Mustang Saviors back for an in-person screening on October 14 as part of the Feature Film Showcase.
Other films and ticketing details
Other Chicago films include: SymBionic, The Guitar Thief, Yellow Polka Dot, Bump in the Night, and Avoesis and reflect genres from documentary, to comedy, to horror.
The U.S., Brazil, Australia, Poland, Canada, France, Spain, and Iran will be represented in films sure to make theatergoers laugh, cry, and question life. Subject matters includes LGBTQA+ relationships, a comedic perspective on at the nation’s rental market, and the trauma of loss. The full schedule of programming is available at www.govst.edu/film-guide.
CSIFF Co-founder Josh Young said he is thrilled to bring such a diverse program to Chicago’s southland: “Our audience will once again get to enjoy incredible films from around the world that they likely won’t be able to see anywhere else,’’ he said.
The festival launches on October 13 at 5:30 p.m. with a kickoff cocktail party and opportunities to meet fellow filmmakers and enjoy refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres in the E Lounge at GSU, an intimate venue that sits adjacent to GSU’s Visual Arts Gallery.
The festival continues with a series of feature, short, and student film showcases. New to the fest this year is a filmmaking workshop in partnership with festival sponsors at Pixquid. The workshop will focus on film distribution for independent filmmakers.
This is the fifth festival and is being offered in a hybrid format. All films selected will be shown in-person at Governors State University’s F1622 amphitheater. Films selected for the Short Film Competition will also be available virtually from Monday, October 17 through Sunday, October 23.
Festival Tickets and passes are available now. Visit the website www.govst.edu then click the “Attend the Festival” button to visit the ticketing site Eventive Virtual.
Governors State University is located at 1 University Parkway, University Park, Illinois.
