Chicago International Film Festival opens with ‘Club Kid’

The 62nd Chicago International Film Festival commenced on October 14 at the Music Box Theatre with the gala screening of ‘Club Kid’, the debut feature film by Jordan Firstman. Firstman, who serves as the film’s writer, director, and lead actor, was honored during the event with the Breakthrough Award.

Set in Brooklyn, ‘Club Kid’ follows Peter Green, a New York City party promoter whose hedonistic lifestyle is disrupted when he discovers he has a 10-year-old son named Arlo. The film features an ensemble cast including Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. The production, shot on 35mm, was acquired by A24 for $17 million.

The festival, directed artistically by Mimi Plauché, will run until October 25. This year’s program includes 113 feature films and 57 short films representing approximately 60 countries. The opening night festivities also included a late-night screening of the horror film ‘Victorian Psycho’.