The 57th Chicago International Film Festival running October 13 – 24, 2021 announced the new directors and international feature competitions lineup showcasing films from countries around the world, including Colombia, Jordan, France, South Africa, Cambodia, the Faroe Islands, Germany, and more. This year’s competitions will include the World Premiere of Babushkas of Chernobyl director Holly Morris’ documentary Exposure and the International Premiere of Franziska Stünkel’s The Last Execution.
International Feature Competition
107 Mothers (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine)
Dir. Péter Kerekes
North American Premiere
Amira (Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia)
Dir. Mohammed Diab
North American Premiere
Captain Volkonogov Escaped (Russia)
Dirs. Aleksey Chupov, Natasha Merkulova
North American Premiere
Drive My Car (Japan)
Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Maixabel (Spain)
Dir. Icíar Bollaín
North American Premiere
Memoria (Colombia, Thailand, France, Germany, Mexico, Qatar)
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Nobody Has To Know (Belgium, Scotland)
Dir. Bouli Lanners
U.S. Premiere
Paris, 13th District (France)
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Petite Maman (France)
Dir. Céline Sciamma
Prayers for the Stolen (Mexico, Germany, Brazil, Qatar)
Dir. Tatiana Huezo
Sundown (Mexico)
Dir. Michel Franco
U.S. Premiere
What Do We See When We Look At The Sky (Georgia, Germany)
Dir. Aleksandre Koberidze
The Worst Person in the World (Norway, France, Sweden, Denmark, U.S)
Dir. Joachim Trier
New Directors Competition
Amparo (Colombia, Sweden, Qatar, Germany)
Dir. Simón Mesa Soto
North American Premiere
Brother’s Keeper (Turkey)
Dir. Ferit Karahan
North American Premiere
Costa Brava, Lebanon (Lebanon, France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Qatar)
Dir. Mounia Akl
U.S. Premiere
The Gravedigger’s Wife (Finland, Germany, France, Somalia, Qatar)
Dir. Khadar Ahmed
U.S. Premiere
The Last Execution (Germany)
Dir. Franziska Stünkel
International Premiere
My Brothers Dream Awake (Chile)
Dir. Claudia Huaiquimilla
North American Premiere
Robust (France)
Dir. Constance Meyer
North American Premiere
Shankar’s Fairies (India)
Dir. Irfana Majumdar
North American Premiere
Silent Land (Poland)
Dir. Agnieszka Woszczynska
U.S. Premiere
Whether the Weather Is Fine (Philippines)
Dir. Carlo Francisco Manatad
U.S. Premiere
White Building (Cambodia)
Dir. Kavich Neang
North American Premiere
Yuni (Singapore, France, Indonesia, Australia)
Dir. Kamila Andini
U.S. Premiere
International Documentary Competition
A Cop Movie (Mexico)
Dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios
Any Given Day (U.S.)
Dir. Margaret Byrne
U.S. Premiere
Babi Yar. Context (Netherlands, Ukraine)
Dir. Sergei Loznitza
North American Premiere
Exposure (U.S.)
Dir. Holly Morris
World Premiere
The Last Forest (Brazil)
Dir. Luiz Bolognesi
U.S. Premiere
The Last Shelter (France, Mali, South Africa)
Dir. Ousmane Samassekou
U.S. Premiere
The Other Side of the River (Germany, Finland)
Dir. Antonia Kilian
North American Premiere
Skál (Faeroe Islands, Denmark)
Dirs. Cecilie Debell and Maria Tórgarō
North American Premiere