WICKER PARK — The sixth annual Chicago International Movies & Music Festival will be packed with a mix of 155 movies and bands, and the full schedule released Tuesday includes Yo La Tengo, a free party with Davina & the Vagabonds along with premieres of select local and international films.
The fest, which takes place at various venues in Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square and the West Loop from May 1-4, is fresh off its fourth visit to South By Southwest in Austin, where it was featured this year as part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's push for Chicago tourism.
The local event has aspired to be Chicago's answer to Austin's SXSW for its mix of music, movies and technology, and it counts SXSW co-founder Louis Black among the members of CIMMfest's board.
The kickoff party with Davina and the Vagabonds and Windy City Soul Club will get things started the night of April 30 at Double Door, while Yo La Tengo will play on May 1 at Concord Music Hall.
Also on May 1 is the premiere of the local Kickstarter-backed film "We Grew Up Here," which will show at Society For Arts.
Some of the event's more idiosyncratic features include live scorings of films, including the 1925 silent Russian film Battleship Potemkin, which will be set to music performed by Scott Lucas of Local H, ex-Smashing Pumpkin drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and jazz composer Matt Ulery on May 2 at the Chop Shop/1st Ward.
Also on May 2 is the send-off party for local music staple Eddie Shaw, who will play as Eddie Shaw & The Wolf Gang at Rosa's Blues Lounge before he heads to the Blues Hall of Fame Induction in Memphis.
CIMMfest passes are $75, while tickets for individual movies are $10, and most special events are $15. Tickets for musical vary by venue.
The festival also promises an expanded CIMMCon, an industry conference and expo introduced at last year's fest, which will include presentations from filmmakers, entrepreneurs and musicians. Black will be the keynote speaker at the conference.
"We set the stage by bringing together visionaries and rabble-rousers, fans and creators, to raise their voices in wonder and praise of music's ability to connect us all," festival co-founder Josh Chicoine said in a statement.
A full schedule and ticket information is available on the fest's website.
