Whether you’re with friends, your significant other or going solo, movie night is a great way to spend an evening. The Beverly Arts Center (BAC), 2407 W. 111th St., Chicago, is a hidden gem, perfect for cinema lovers on a quest to find the films that may not be screened anywhere else nearby by as well as for movie fans looking for a place to see a show without busting their entertainment budget.
The popular BACinema movie selection is outstanding – just as you would expect from a fine arts venue! Coming up on the BAC’s big screen in the next few weeks are a film nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, a screening in the 7th Annual One Earth Film Festival, the one-day South Side Irish Parade Film Festival, a Chicago International Film Festival official selection, and a program of this year’s Oscar-nominated short films.
The intimate 400-seat theater ensures an unobstructed view for the BACinema screenings of new, indie and classic films. Bonus amenities are the regular $6 admission (a dollar less if you’re a BAC member!), and the bargain price of $2 for fresh popcorn.
Jonathan Moeller, coordinator of the BAC’s film program, carefully curates the critically acclaimed features, independent and foreign films, documentaries, classics, Chicago-made movies, and children’s films that are screened at least twice a month at the BAC. On the BACinema schedule are:
2018 South Side Irish Parade Film Festival will be held on Sat., Mar. 3 and includes a 3 p.m. matinee, 6 p.m. festival reception with traditional Irish music, and 7 p.m. evening screening followed by post movie music. Films are “Life is Short,” a short film about a woman who finds herself at a crossroads in her own life when she discovers a secret from her grandmother’s past; “The Boxer,” a feature about a man trying to rebuild his life after “taking the rap” for the IRA and serving 14 years in prison; “Uisce Beatha,” a short film about a successful young banker whose eyes are opened on a visit with her hardworking parents in rural County Kerry; and “The Secret Scripture,” a feature with Vanessa Redgrave and Eric Bana about a woman who keeps a diary during her extended stay in a mental hospital. Matinee admission is $10; evening movie with pre- and post-receptions admission is $18; and an inclusive festival pass is $25.
The BACinema screening for the 7th Annual One Earth Film Festival is “What Lies Upstream,” a documentary by Cullen Hoback that reveals how the quality of drinking water is impacted by how companies and the government circumvent public health policies and the lax enforcement of laws that protect the environment, Wed., Mar. 7, 7:30 p.m. The One Earth Film festival is the Midwest’s premier environmental film festival. The 2018 theme is “This is the Moment,” and the BAC is one of 47 Chicago area venues that will be screening quality environmental documentaries that underscore the urgency for awareness and action as the effects of climate change intensify across the planet. Festival programs will offer solutions-based opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. The BACinema screening will be followed by a led discussion.
“Rogers Park” (2017) official selection in the Chicago International Film Festival, will be screened Thurs., Mar. 8, 7:30 p.m. Set in Chicago’s most diverse neighborhood, this thought provoking drama follows four intertwined lives as two couples begin to buckle under midlife pressures. Filmmaker Kyle Henry will conduct a Q&A with audience following the screening.
Enjoy an evening of top-quality, creative filmmaking on Wed., Mar. 28, 7:30 p.m., as BACinema screens several live action, animated and documentary short films nominated for 2018 Academy Awards.
For more details, movie trailers and tickets, visit www.beverlyartcenter.org and find BACinema under the events tab. The not-for-profit Beverly Arts Center offers fine arts programming in visual and performance arts as well as filmmaking and specialty arts. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the BAC serves artists and audiences from throughout Chicagoland. For more information, call 773-445-3838.
