Chinese movies to be featured at film festival in Chicago

In addition to the three Chinese films, there will be a special Chinese film presentation, a "Movie-with-Mooncakes" night, in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Davis Theater Drive-in in Lincoln Yard on Oct 1. The program is sponsored by the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago.

Individually wrapped mooncakes will be handed out to each vehicle and their passengers at the end of the film, The Climbers, by Daniel Lee, based on a true story of the first Chinese climbers to summit Mount Everest.

Other films to be screened during the festival include another eight Chinese films, namely three from Hong Kong and five from Taiwan, and four from Japan and one from the Philippines.

Boccio said that she has made extra efforts to spotlight an exciting lineup at the festival during the pandemic this year. A total of 22 movies from Asia are selected for the festival, among them, 15 are international or U.S. premieres and available for streaming in the US territory during the festival.

"With most film festivals going completely virtual in 2020, Asian Pop-Up Cinema will host a special drive-in program (in addition to streaming movies) to remind us of the fun of watching films on a big screen with a live audience," said Boccio.

During the Halloween weekend at the end of October, the festival will have a "plus" session, presenting a double-feature horror special: Train to Busan and its new sequel Peninsula, both directed by the internationally known Korean director Yeon Sang-ho at the Davis Theater Drive-in.

The Asian Pop-Up Cinema film festival's fall season opened on Sept 10 and will run till Oct 31.