The 1997 Chicago Underground Film Festival is happy to announce the films and videos selected for this year’s festival. The festival will run from Wednesday August 13 through Sunday August 17th at the Theatre Building, 1225 West Belmont Ave. Chicago, IL. Tickets for all festival programs will go on sale July 15th through the Theatre Building boxoffice (773-327-5252) and all Chicago area Ticketmaster outlets. Ticket prices are given at the end of this press release..

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In addition to 12 selected features, 10 documentaries and 75 shorts this year’s festival will feature a number of special programs focusing on the history of underground filmmaking. Guest of honor for this year’s festival will be John Waters who will be presented with the festival’s Jack Smith Lifetime acievement award. Waters will present three different programs at CUFF his SHOCK VALUE performance, a screening of the underground classic FEMALE TROUBLE, his favorite of his early underground features and a panel discussion on the making of PINK FLAMINGOS featuring Waters and his dreamland cohort Mink Stole.Underground legend Jack Smith, who the CUFF life achievement award will also be honored with screenings of restored prints of his legendary films FLAMING CREATURES, NORMAL LOVE and NO PRESIDENT presented by filmmaker Jerry Tartaglia who has supervised the restoration of Smith’s work. Finally, British Author Jack Sargeant will present a screening of two key films from Beat era, Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie’s PULL MY DAISY and Peter Whitehead’s WHOLLY COMMUNION.

Opening the festival will be the Chicago Premiere of Frank Grow’s debut feature LOVE GOD. The film has been described as both a “Rock n Roll Monster Love Story” and as the first all digital feature film. After the film an opening night party will be held at THURSTON’S (1248 W. George 773-72-6900) featuring music from Chicago pop rockers TRIPLE FAST ACTION. Closing the festival will be Beth B’s verte’ documentary on sexual fantasies VISITING DESIRE.

Other selected features are Craig Schlattman’s THE SELLER, Steve Ballot’s THE BRIDE OF FRANK, Todd Morris’ A GUN FOR JENNIFER, Jon Moritsugu’s FAME WHORE , J.M. McCarthy’s THE SORE LOSERS, Dean Biven’s THE ELECTRIC URN, Jeff Harmon’s ISLE OF LESBOS Josh Becker’s RUNNING TIME, Henri Barge’s HALF SPIRIT:THE VOICE OF THE SPIDER and Brian Flemming’s HANG YOUR DOG IN THE WIND.

Documentaries selected include: Scott Peterson’s look at the Chicago music scene OUT OF THE LOOP, Nanni Jacobson’s STRAIGHT TOU YOU: NICK CAVE -A PORTRAIT, Doug Wolen’s WEED, James E. Taylor’s SUBDUE THE UNIVERSE, Banks Tarver’s WATCH ME JUMPSTART, Rolf Belgum’s DRIVER 23, Sam Green’s THE RAINBOW MAN/JOHN 3:16 , Robert Edward’s THE MARIONETTE and a program of Jeff Krulik’s guerilla documentaries including HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT and new work never screened before.

A few of the many shorts included in this year’s festival are Shade Rupe’s PENISKNIFEVAGINAWOUND, Lisa Hammer’s (THE ELABORATE) EMPIRE OF ACHE, Mark Hejnar’s BIBLE OF SKIN, Laurie Pike’s THE BABY HATERS, Holly Angel Hardman’s SEASCHELL BEACH and George Kuchar’s VERMIN OF THE VORTEX a video juxtaposing Kuchar’s experiences as guest of honor at CUFF ’96 with his attack by ultra PC extremists at last year’s Robert Flaherty Conference.

Ticket prices are as follows $6.00 for single admission to any festival program (except for John Waters programs ), $50 for a complete festival pass and $25 for a 5 admission pass. Tickets for the John Waters program’s are as follows $10 for the MAKING OF PINK FLAMINGOS or FEMALE TROUBLE programs and $20 for the SHOCK VALUE lecture.For more information on this year’s festival visit the CUFF website http://www.cuff.org or call the festival hotline 773-866-8660. Complete festival details will be posted on the web after July 15th.

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