CUFF Raises Hell

by r

If you love the dicey side of cinema, wanna see the filmmakers before they're rich and famous (you can even talk to them, feed them if you want—although some might follow you home), then grab your friends (festivals are best experienced in groups of ten or more) and follow the directions at www.cuff.org and see for yourself why CUFF is in its 8th year strong!

HEY! It's almost August! Know what that means? The Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF) is about to awaken, rise out of the darkness of its cutting room abode, mark its territory, and then bite the hell outta the public with more deliciously lewd, rude, witty, arduous, frank, fiercely dangerous and often original cinema. Last year left me awe-struck and astounded, never knowing WHAT I was going to find lurking in their Mardi Gras underground world.

Festival Director Bryan Wendorf, brilliant ringmaster eccentric, made going to the movies a cinematic RAVE of sorts, with music, bowling, fashion statements, mints and vodka galore. Not to mention several accomplished Indie legends hosting their historic underground features among many talented newcomers, all swirling in this mix of rebellious video VS. film, run'n'gun, and damned Hollywood repartee. This is indeed a party worth attending, folks!

Back in the 1980s, when all the record companies compared notes only to discover that all the NEW music was coming outta Chicago, they descended with a vengeance to exploit and promote; by the 90s it was over, almost left for dead. DON'T let this happen to the Chicago Underground Film Festival, now forcing the eyes of producers to look once again at this windy city of surprises; get there before it's an event crowded by an industry pretending to be insiders. If you love the dicey side of cinema, wanna see the filmmakers before they're rich and famous (you can even talk to them, feed them if you want—although some might follow you home), then grab friends (festivals are best experienced in groups of ten or more) and follow the directions at www.cuff.org and see for yourself why CUFF is in its 8th year strong!

I'll do my best to see all that is humanly possible, and drag it back to you still warm and wet. I'll tell you what director's entourage was the coolest, dressed the best, promoted themselves shamelessly and even scored a winning entry in the end. They'll be times I'll rant about the horror, the horror, the horror of the festival or upset my editors (Bob n' debi) with a downright glowing review. I'm going to bring a digi-camera just to show you what your missing (should you live in San Francisco or New York), and I promise if you get there, attend this underground film fest, I'll even let you feed me (black bean anything's my favorite), but I promise not to follow you back home.