By Judy Carmack Bross
“Who are these 10,000 Oscar voters and what social and cultural trends are they responding to as they vote? For 97 years the Academy Awards has been the major film event, and we will go behind the scenes February 22 at FACETS to talk about what’s on the minds of the voters, share film clips, make predictions and offer an exclusive interview with a current Oscar nominee,” Film Critic Lee Shoquist who hosts 12 Chicago film clubs and leads the interactive afternoon.
Film Critic Lee Shoquist takes a Facets audience behind the scenes at the Oscars February 22
An exclusive filmed interview with Sing Sing Director Greg Kwedar is part of Oscar afternoon at FACETS February 22
Called ‘the temple of great cinema” by the late film critic Roger Ebert, FACETS kicks off its 50th anniversary celebration on February 22 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. with an interactive program diving into the glitz, glamor and this year’s Oscar drama with Chicago film critic Lee Shoquist. An exclusive recorded interview with Greg Kwedar who directed Shoquist’s favorite film of the year, Sing Sing, is part of what makes this the Oscar event to attend. Kwedar’s prison drama has received three Oscar nominations, including best actor for Coleman Domingo. A true story centered on a group of incarcerated men involved in the creation of stage shows, it was named one of the top ten films of the year by the American Film Institute.
Facets Executive Director Karen Cardareli and Board Co-Chairs Rich Moskal and Tamara Bohorquez
Facets Executive Director Karen Cardarelli and Co-Board Chairs Tamara Bohorquez and Rich Moskal are planning the 50th anniversary celebration as a way to both celebrate the past and be a call to action for artful film programming in the future. “We are inviting the public to join us in preserving FACETS as a Chicago sanctuary for the cinematic innovations and brave conversations of tomorrow,”Bohorquez said.
Recognizing the importance of brave story telling, Bohorquez told how FACETS founder Milos Stehlik built a haven for film lovers:
“In 1975 Milos Stehlik sat down with his typewriter in the basement of a Chicago church and wrote down a simple idea, to share great films that were banned in his homeland. FACETS was born, and for 50 years has been a haven for bold cinematic exploration; fearlessly championing the power of great films to expand perspectives, inspire brave conversations, and affirm our shared humanity.”
We talked with Bohorquez about why the FACETS message is even more important than ever, beginning by asking how she became passionate about the movies
Rich Moskal and Tamara Bohorquez, FACETS Board Co-Chairs
“I grew up in Maracaibo, Venezuela when the country was a culturally rich global hub for the arts and sciences. My formative years were spent at the Colegio Bellas Artes where my appreciation and deep gratitude for the arts began.
“One day, my father installed a 20 foot plus round satellite dish on top of our ‘Casa La Campana’ and I would spend hours pointing this “window to the world” in various directions discovering great films like “Il Postino”, “Blue Velvet” and “Cinema Paradiso” – But, little did I know, my years in that oasis were soon to be over and no satellite big enough to peek into what’s happening back in my homeland.”
We asked her what drew her to Facets, and what led her to become Co-Chair?
“I loved Films, but I never regarded them as ‘Art’ until a colleague from IIT’s Institute of Design School Armin Moehrle introduced me to Milos Stehlik, founder of FACETS and the curator of the films we would watch at “salon” parties.
“Milos and I shared a similar past, coming from countries that turned to fascism suppressing the arts. We talked a lot about the threats of ‘mindless algorithms’ taking over artful curation and a day where people don’t seek out different perspectives but live in a vacuum of “echo chambers” spitting out our own biases and tired views of the world back to ourselves. Who are our curators today? Tech companies? Artificial intelligence? This lack of humanity should concern us all.
At Facets summer camp students create their own movies
“The other topic we talked a lot about was the lack of media literacy for kids to handle these headwinds, so I was brought on to help re-brand the children’s programming, including summer camps and The Chicago Children’s International Film Festival.
“I became co-chair of the FACETS board to honor Milos legacy, but I also believe our mission is more important than ever before.
”Why are films so important?
“There is a great quote by physicist Max Planck: ‘If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change’. Film is an incredibly engaging and immersive artform; brave storytellers from different circumstances, world experiences and perspectives are making films that can have a deep impact on how we see humanity and more importantly how we see ourselves. This experience is amplified when we talk about these insights, so, it’s important to seek out the artful curators, like FACETS’ incredible Charles Coleman, go to the independent theatres and embrace films that inspire us to connect as a community versus sitting back silently and watching the algorithms take over society.
How is FACETS unique?
“FACETS is one of the oldest not for profit art-house cinema in Chicago, so we can be more daring in our programming. One memorable example for me was when Chief Twe Huni Kuin who had never left the Amazon rainforest came to FACETS to discuss the film Us and Them shot by the tribe with a mobile phone highlighting their current threats. Having a conversation with the Chief was a humbling reminder of our shared humanity, and the importance of continuing these types of events in Chicago.”
What is FACETS vision moving forward?
“Milos wanted to start a place where he could show films that could change the world. So, our vision is to restore FACETS to that ‘Temple of Great Cinema’ by creating a sanctuary for great films and brave conversations.
“FACETS has historically drawn in luminaries like Werner Herzog, Roger Ebert, Greg Nava, William Friedkin, Susan Sontag. Our hope is we will continue to be a temple for all film-lovers, uplifting the brave storytellers of today and tomorrow.
“Come get your backstage pass to Hollywood’s biggest night. And please keep an eye out for many more 50th events on our website.”
Learn more by visiting the FACETS website at facets.org
