The 22nd annual festival runs Friday, October 28, through Sunday, November 6, with weekend programs at Facets Cinematheque, 1517 W. Fullerton, and the Vittum Theater, 1012 N. Noble. Tickets are $8, $6 for children, and $5 for Facets members; for more information call 866-468-3401. A full festival schedule is available at www.cicff.org.
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The two strongest live-action features, both from Germany, deftly combine comic fantasy with lessons about family and personal responsibility. In My Brother Is a Dog (2004, 86 min.) a young girl pines for a puppy and neglects her naughty little brother; after a magic spell turns him into a cute terrier, she’s all smiles–until the arrival of her dog-hating grandmother (Fassbinder mainstay Irm Hermann). The story’s moral about balancing obligations to others and oneself is delivered with charm and style by director Peter Timm. (Sun 10/30, 3 PM, Facets Cinematheque)
The Spanish animation Midsummer Dream (80 min.) rivals Hollywood in its ambition (though the CGI isn’t quite as good). The story works like an Iberian cross between the Shakespeare play and Peter Pan: hoping to cure her ailing father, a spunky princess travels with her two suitors to the Neverland-ish realm of Queen Titania. The characterization is excellent, especially that of Oberon the goblin king and Mustard, the movie’s plump answer to Tinkerbell. Angel de la Cruz and Manolo Gomez directed. (Sat 10/29, 5 PM, Facets Cinematheque)
