REPORT # 12 on 45th CIFF: Award to WILLEM DAFOE

REPORT # 12 on 45^th CIFF:  Award to WILLEM DAFOE

 CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL   =  2009, 10-12:

October 12th saw the Chicago Int’l Film Festival’s “Gala Presentation” for “ANTICHRIST”, the latest film by Danish director Lars von Trier.  After a “Red Carpet” event for its star WILLEM DAFOE at the AMC River East theater lobby, people in Theater 4 were treated to a special show (which I viewed from the side hall):

…  Festival founder MICHAEL KUTZA introduced his Head of programming, MIMI PLAUCHE. She spoke of previous films by Mr. Von Trier that were shown at the Fest, & revealed that a special LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT award was going to be given to “one of the truly REMARKABLE figures of modern cinema— WILLEM DAFOE.”

…  Words were spoken of how tonite was going to be “the Chicago premiere of an unforgettable” film.  At one point, Mr. Kutza was brought back up to the podium, & spoke of how Dafoe often played unusual or off-center characters…

…  It was said (with some paraphrasing) that, Willem Dafoe was like “the boy ‘next door’— if you live next door to a madman…”  He was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, and helped found Milwaukee’s Theater X…

…  Mr. Dafoe started acting in films [as a credited player] in the 1982 movie “THE LOVELESS”.  He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor OSCAR® in Oliver Stone’s 1986 film “PLATOON”.  Dafoe appeared in “THE ENGLISH PATIENT” (in 1996), and got a 2nd Oscar nomination in 2000 for “SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE”…

…  He’s appeared in “more than 70 films”, including “TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.” (1985), “BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY” (1989), the “SPIDERMAN” series (2002, 2004, & 2007), & others…

…  A well-done RETROSPECTIVE was shown, with clips from some of his films, including “PLATOON”, “MISSISSIPPI BURNING” (1988), as a Nazi, in a 2002 “SPIDERMAN” scene with James Franco, as the voice of a black fish named Gill in the 2003 animated film “FINDING NEMO”, & various others…

…  When Mr. Kutza read some of what was inscribed on the Silver Hugo statue Mr. Dafoe was to be given & called him up, a number of people stood in respect as he walked up to the podium…

…  Mr. Dafoe gave a short speech, including the following:  “I’m very HAPPY to be here…  I’m happy that the Film Festival is screening ‘ANTICHRIST’—“, & he’ll be holding a Q&A after the film screens…  He closed with, “THANK YOU very much! I’m very HAPPY to be here!…”, & left the theater to hearty applause…

…  As he walked by me in the inner hall, I respectfully asked if he would be kind enough to pose for a PHOTO in the outer hall, which he said he’d be HAPPY to do…  Mr. Kutza soon came out, & (since the Festival’s usual photographer wasn’t yet in the outer hall), I became the FIRST photographer to shoot some photos of him with Mr. Dafoe in the hall…  [See EXAMPLES, enclosed herewith:]…

…  Around 7:30, after some other people shot photos of them, Mr. Dafoe laughed at Mr. Kutza’s joking comment as he held the Silver Hugo statue that “We’ll hold onto this--  & etch ANOTHER NAME in it [for some future recipient]!…”  

…  Since I’d already seen the “ANTICHRIST” film [& didn’t wish to see it again], I went on to view some other films I was scheduled for… 

…  Mr. Dafoe will be seen next year in WERNER HERZOG’S film ”MY SON, MY SON, WHAT HAVE YE DONE”  -- which also includes veteran actress IRMA P. HALL, who will be appearing in person at the Festival on 10-13-09 for her film “RAIN” at 8:30 PM (& also on the “Red Carpet” at 6 PM on 10-14 for the “PRECIOUS” Centerpiece Film event)…

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…  At the AMC, I again met producer JAMES CHOI of “MADE IN CHINA”, who reported to me that he’d seen my write-up of his film on the ITalkFilm web-site, & he appreciated that [mention]…

…  He commented that he’d been extremely PLEASED with the reaction to his film, the screenings here were SOLD-OUT, & there was even going to be a screening at DePaul University…

…  As to having it distributed, there’s been a good response to that starting with the South By Southwest [SxSW] festival [in Austin, TX], & it was mainly a question of deciding what appears to be the best overall deal for that.  He accommodatingly posed for a PHOTO I shot in the upper lobby at the AMC [= see copy enclosed]…

[ Also enclosed are some photos of JACQUELINE BISSETT signing an autograph:

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