CHICAGO– A cinema treasure, the Gene Siskel Film Center, reopens in-theater screenings on Friday, August 6th, 2021, the first since the pandemic closure in March of 2020. During the closure, they also named a new Director of Programming, Rebecca Fons.
Fons was named the Director in February of 2021, and continued the virtual/online programming that the Siskel Center had been offering since the closure. To celebrate films in their theaters again, the film “Annette” – the opening film of the Cannes Film Festival – will be the main feature, along with a retrospect on the films of Federico Fellini. Click Gene Siskel Film Center for more info.
Rebecca Fons, Director of Programming, Gene Siskel Film Center
Photo credit: Gene Siskel Film Center
Rebecca Fons was a natural choice for the Siskel Center programmer, having the experience in the industry, the local bold-faced titles – she was the Education Manager for the Chicago International Film Festival for nine years – and the credibility of actually owning a movie theater (the IOWA in Winterset). She has been profiled on HollywoodChicago.com several times (click here), solo or along with her husband, film director Jack C. Newell.
In an interview via Zoom with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Rebecca Fons talks about the state of film exhibition as the theater reopens and programming for the audience …
 | By PATRICK McDONALD |