This year’s 40^th Chicago International Film Festival runs October 7 through the 21^st. The founder and artistic director Michael Kutza is deservedly proud of being a large part of Chicago’s film history by having the longest running competitive film festival in North America.

Managing Director Sophia Wong Boccio and company helped to bring in a record 111 feature films from around the world. With more than 44 countries represented, it’s no surprise that she and Xinjie Li, the Cultural Consul of The People’s Republic of China in Chicago, were at the press kick off event last week to boost awareness of this major cultural event.

In addition to showing films from around the world, which are outstanding but may never be shown again in Chicago if they don’t find a distributor, there are a number of movies which will be Oscar contenders in the coming months. Opening the festival is "Kinsey," starring Liam Neeson and Laura Linney. The centerpiece is "Finding Neverland" with Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman. Closing the festival is "The Polar Express," directed by Chicago’s own Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks. Both will be at the screening. Annette Bening will be here to support her film "Being Julia."

There are films by new directors, such as the Bosnia film, "Summer in the Golden Valley," and from South Africa, "The Wooden Camera." An impressive array of documentaries include: "Blue Collar White Christmas," "The Center," and "Dance Cuba: Dreams of Flight."

Not to be missed is the Education Program, conducted by Naomi Walker. These films are free of charge to students and include a discussion on the movie. This year’s highlights include nine films, such as "Deadline" (about death row inmates in Illinois) and "The Election Collection" (the history of American politics through election advertising over the past 50 years). For more information contact Naomi or Abby France at 312-425-9400 and tickets are now on sale.

Check here next week for capsule reviews on many of the films that will be playing at the festival. Normally a film shows from 1-3 times within 2-3 days. That allows the visiting director or actor to make a short visit and participate in the Q & A at as many screenings as possible. Many films will sell out, so it’s best to visit the web site, look at the agenda and make a decision to buy some tickets now. We hope to see you there!