Ray Pride returns to host four 90-minute sessions, in which audiences will join in spirited, wide-ranging conversations about the rapid evolution of filmmaking in the modern media landscape, the exciting revolution seen through emerging voices, and how the bold and risk-taking films chosen by the festival’s programmers reflects the best and most promising trends crowding the horizon.

Thursday, May 14, 5pm
CINEMA DELIRIUM: The Making Of “A Ruined Heartâ€

Ray and Khavn de la Cruz will discuss his opening night film, Filipino filmmaking, working with cinematographer Christopher Doyle, and his own prolific output in film, music and poetry.

Friday May 15, 5pm
TRUE FICTION: Narrative Filmmaking

Guest filmmakers will join Ben Sachs, film critic and Chicago Reader contributing writer, the Chicago Reader; Northwestern Assistant Professor and director of “Bite Radius†Spencer Parsons; Jennifer Reeder, “Blood Below The Skinâ€; Jerzy Rose, “En Plein Airâ€.

Saturday May 16
NOON. THE NAKED TRUTH: Documentary Filmmaking

Guest filmmakers will join Kartemquin Films producer Maggie Bowman (Al-Jazeera America’s “Hard Earnedâ€); Ruth Leitman (“Lipstick & Dynamite,†“Hard Earnedâ€); Dan Rybicky (co-director, 2015’s “Almost Thereâ€); Bill Siegel, co-director of the Oscar-nominated “The Weather Underground†and “The Trials of Muhammad Aliâ€; artist and filmmaker Deborah Stratman (“Hacked Circuit,†CUFF 2015) and documentary filmmaker Deborah Tolchinsky, director of Northwestern’s MFA in Documentary Media program.

Sunday May 17, NOON
LOCAL OPTION: Making Films In Chicago

Guest filmmakers will join installation artist and filmmaker Melika Bass (“Waking Things,†“The Latest Sun Is Sinking Fastâ€); Nicole Bernardi-Reis, IFP/Chicago President and producer “Algren,†“Radical Grace,â€; Stephen Cone, educator-actor-director “The Wise Kids,†“Henry Gamble’s Birthday Partyâ€; and Jennifer Reeder (see TRUE FICTION).

The longest-running movie reviewer in Chicago, moderator Ray Pride is film critic of Newcity, a longtime contributing editor of IFP-published Filmmaker magazine, news editor of Movie City News and a photographer. Find links to his work at raypri.de