Forget about the usual movie theater antics; this festival invites audiences to explore on-screen intimacy with a fresh lens.
Launching on October 16 at the historic Culver Theater, the Flicker Festival marks a groundbreaking event as the first short-film festival operated entirely by intimacy coordinators. These backstage maestros ensure every cinematic steamy moment is as authentic as it is respectful.
“People think of us as the set police,” says Yehuda Duenyas of CINTIMA, the SAG-AFTRA-accredited company behind the event. “We’re experts on how to translate fabricated intimacy in a way that looks real.”
Yehuda Duenyas, CINTIMA
Co-founded in 2023 by Duenyas, Jimanekia Eborn, and Jaclyn Chantel, CINTIMA aims to spotlight the art of intimacy coordination in film. The festival will present 30 short films selected from 50 submissions, each exploring various facets of intimacy—from the sensual to the awkward.
Attendees can expect intriguing entries like original shorts, clips from iconic films like Shortbus and Chocolate Babies, alongside ads from brands such as Lelo and Pair of Thieves. With a red carpet and a jury featuring stars like Rutina Wesley and Danielle Deadwyler, the festivities will encourage party attire—but a professional demeanor.
Chicago Fire’s Political Season Premiere
The latest season of Chicago Fire kicks off in a tone that resonates with political narratives akin to former President Donald Trump’s speeches. This season delves into violent gangs and unanswered emergency calls, capturing real-life tensions between the city’s mayor and first responders.
Despite Dick Wolf’s Law & Order‘s reputation for headline-inspired stories, the One Chicago franchise has largely stayed politically neutral. Wolf, though typically nonpartisan, has been vocal post a terror attack in Israel, even threatening to pull funding from his alma mater over a literary festival with Palestinian artists. The episode’s direction has left viewers speculating whether the series is pivoting politically or simply venturing into thought-provoking territory.
Wolf Entertainment has not commented on whether this indicates a new overall direction for the series.
Mindy Rickles Revives Her Father’s Legacy
Mindy Rickles brings her father, Don Rickles’ humor back to life through a new podcast, Mindy, Ed and Don Rickles. Growing up amidst her dad’s legendary shows in Vegas, she now shares unseen clips and personal reflections never heard before.
“I might say, ‘Oh, this is what my dad was thinking at this moment,’” Rickles shares. “It’s not that I knew all of his thoughts, but I knew how he worked from seeing it for so many years.”
Mindy Rickles
Available on iHeart, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, the podcast pairs unreleased material with insights into how Don Rickles developed his act. Mindy and her husband, Ed Mann, gracefully navigate the complicated aspects of Don’s humor, ensuring it resonates appropriately with today’s audience.
Reporting based on the original article; quotes reproduced verbatim.
