Chicago International Film Festival, DePaul’s sustainability town hall and we’re selling tote bags!
plus join us for our public newsroom tomorrow night!
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! It’s your newsletter team — Kate, Hailey, Cary, Sela, Isabella, Lauren, Abena, Monique and Bridget.
This week, we’re hosting our first public newsroom of the quarter! Join us on Tuesday, October 25, at 6 p.m. for our Public Newsroom on the Check Your Judges Guide by Injustice Watch. Hear from senior reporter Maya Dukmasova and audience engagement editor Charles Preston on the research that goes into creating and maintaining the guide. Register here.
14 East and Pueblo are excited to launch our first-ever merchandise! We are selling 14 East and Pueblo-branded tote bags with 100% of all profits going directly to supporting our newsroom. Tote bags will be while supplies last so make sure to get your order in. For more details and to order a tote bag fill out our order form. Also, be sure to be on the lookout on our social media this week for a special chance to win a bag!
Today, we’re recapping opening night at the Chicago International Film Festival experience, sharing the details of DePaul’s first-ever sustainability town hall and reviewing a big weekend of new music.
That’s all of our announcements today, let’s get into the news!
Opening Night at The Chicago International Film Festival
By Hailey Bosek
The Chicago International Film Festival kicked off its 58th year of the 11-day-long event last Wednesday with a block party outside of the Music Box Theater. This was the first year that filmgoers could enjoy a free block party event before settling down to see the opening night at the historic Music Box Theater. The free event had vendors with food, drinks, and music before the premiere of the first film, A Compassionate Spy. The vendors included many local Chicago businesses such as Dark Matter Coffee and Cafe Tola. The Music Box Theatre, opened in 1929, retains its original architecture and design and this historical building draws many people to the movies in the first place.
Katie Dickens, a volunteer with The Chicago International Film Festival, loves coming to the Music Box Theater.
“It is so special and so specific and so historical, and it's just a beautiful space to be in. It's so much like a classic theater. You really feel like, oh, it's a night at the cinema,” Dickens said.
The festival held screenings around the city in a variety of venues including AMC Theaters and the Chicago History Museum. Sam Flancher, a programmer with the Chicago International Film Festival, said that this gets the city connected with the festival.
“It feels like we're bringing more of the city into the festival this year in a way that maybe it's been absent years past,” Flancher said. “We are all about serving the people of Chicago and introducing the best international cinema to the people here.”
Flancher explained that The Chicago International Film Festival does a lot to ensure that the films and filmmakers of Chicago are a key factor to the event by carving out a program for Chicago film and filmmakers.
“We do have a local section called our city and state section. And that's a showcase of the best work, feature films, documentaries and short films that are made in the city over this past year. So there is a very specific Chicago focus,” Flancher said. “We have an Industry Days program that's like conferences, panels, masterclasses and discussions, and that is inviting the Chicago Film Industry and to be a part of this international scene that we're cultivating here.”
As a programmer, Flancher, along with other experienced members, is part of the team that chooses the movies that will be shown at the festival.
“Essentially we are watching the films, researching what's out there, and then picking which films to invite for the lineup,” Flancher said.
The lineup this year featured over 90 films and 60 short films. The festival included different genres spanning from horror, coming of age and, of course, international. The diverse and new movies stirred a lot of excitement from ….
“...The lineup is the best it's been in a couple of years,” Flancher said. “I think there's…something for everybody in the lineup.”
The festival has resonated with audiences for many reasons, but one thing is for sure, cinephiles are not going to want to miss this. Whether you have a degree in film or you can’t remember the last time you watched a film, the variety and amount of films shown will guarantee a good time for any audience member.
“There's rarely a bad experience you can have here even if you see a film that you end up not liking you still learn something about yourself or like another part of the world,” Dickens said. “It's just a big fun adventure. I love it.”
DePaul News
By Cary Robbins
RSVP for DePaul president’s inauguration
DePaul’s 13th president, Robert L. Manuel, will be inaugurated on November 11. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to come and celebrate the inauguration at the Lincoln Park Campus. Attendees must RSVP here for the university celebration by November 1.
Global Coffee Hour: event for international students
DePaul is offering a global coffee hour at the DePaul Center in the Loop (11th floor - North Cafe, 1 E. Jackson Blvd.) on Friday, October 28, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This event is welcome to all students but will focus on making first-year graduate and undergraduate international students feel welcome to the school. According to the DeHub event, attendees will be able to “meet other students, play interactive, cross-cultural games and have small group discussions about making friends at DePaul.” Click here for more information about this event.
DePaul’s town hall meeting to discuss sustainability
The President’s Sustainability Committee and Just DePaul of the Division of Mission and Ministry are hosting the school’s first Sustainability Town Hall. According to the Eventbrite page, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are encouraged to come to the event to discuss past and present sustainability efforts for the future of the school. This meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 26, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the John T. Richardson Library in room 103. After, there will be a networking reception from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Click here to find more details about the event.
Lastly, here is your weekend sports update (Oct. 21-23)
DePaul’s volleyball lost 3-0 against St. John’s on Friday.
DePaul’s volleyball won 3-0 against Seton Hall on Saturday.
DePaul’s men's soccer lost 1-0 against UCONN on Saturday.
DePaul’s women's soccer lost 2-1 against Villanova on Saturday.
Chicago Headlines
By Sela Estill
44th Ward Alderperson Tom Tunney teases mayor candidacy — Retiring Ald. Tom Tunney may be joining the packed race to replace Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Tunney, claiming support from former city council member Richard Mell, said “'[Mell] thinks I would be a good mayor. That’s all I can say. He’s worked with me for years.” According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Mell claims Tunney will officially announce his candidacy after the November 8 election. Tunney aims to gather more than the required 12,500 signatures on a petition from the supporters to get his name on the ballot. Fran Spielman from the Chicago Sun-Times more on Tunney’s potential candidacy.
Graduation rates in Chicago Public Schools skyrocket — Chicago Public Schools administrators are embracing a four-year record of high school graduation rates at 82.9% for the Class of 2022, increasing from 80% last year and from 77% five years ago. The number of freshmen passing classes, district officials say, is at almost 90%, which brings numbers back to the pre-pandemic rates. The state test scores haven’t bounced back to the pre-pandemic scores. Sarah Karp of The Chicago Sun-Times has more.
Second COVID-19 outbreak transpires in LaSalle home — Two years ago, over 30 veterans died in the state-run home in LaSalle after the COVID-19 first outbreak, according to Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Terry Prince. On Monday, over 20 patients and 42 residents tested positive for COVID-19. None of the cases were severe. The home will still remain open to the public, but it is recommended by the facility to delay visitation till after the outbreak ends. Dan Petrella of The Chicago Tribune has the story.
8-year-old fatally shot in Douglas Home — According to Chicago police reports, a child was shot and killed in a South Side home Monday night. The violence occurred in a Douglas neighborhood on the 3600 Block of South Road Avenue. The child was with other people inside the home. Authorities are still investigating a suspect. The victim was treated at Comer’s Children's Hospital, where he later was pronounced dead Monday. Liz Nagy of ABC 7 has the details.
Ukrainian refugees turned Illinois residents share their 8-month American experience —Olha Moroz and her son Aresenii left behind their flourishing and successful life back in Ukraine and fled to the United States. Separating from Ohla’s partner Sergei Moroz, a surgeon assisting war efforts in Ukraine, the two have a long-distance relationship now, as they have been together for 26 years. "It’s far in distance but we’re very close in spirit," Olha Moroz said to NBC Chicago. Read more about the Moroz’s journey to the U.S. in Alex Maragos’ story.
National Headlines
By Isabella Ali
Rishi Sunak to become the UK’s next prime minister — Rishi Sunak is set to become Britain’s next prime minister, after his remaining rival for the position, Penny Mordaunt, withdrew. Sunak will be the third prime minister of Britain in seven weeks, the first leader of color and the youngest leader in two centuries. He will be succeeding Liz Truss, who resigned last week after six weeks in office. In light of Britain’s economic turmoil, Sunak vowed to work for “stability and unity”. Jill Lawless from the Associated Press has the story.
Court temporarily blocks Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan — President Joe Biden's student loan debt relief plan has been temporarily blocked by the Federal Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. The program, which would erase up to $20,000 in student debt for qualifying borrowers, was first announced back in August. Applications were expected to process and erase debt as soon as Sunday before the decision. While the block puts a pause on immediate loan relief, “it is still very much a procedural hold, rather than a ruling of any kind,” NPR education reporter Sequoia Carillo stated. For more details check out NPR’s All Things Considered podcast.
‘Nation’s Report Card’ finds devastating impact on kids’ education after COVID-19 — Findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that, across the country, no state saw notable improvements in their average test scores since before 2019. Math scores saw their largest decreases ever and reading scores dropped to levels reached in 1992. Nearly 4 in 10 eighth graders were unable to grasp basic math concepts. It was the first time the NAEP had given its annual test to thousands of students since 2019, and it’s seen as the first nationally representative study of the pandemic’s impact on learning. Collin Blinkley of the Associated Press has more.
Xi Jinping to begin an unprecedented third term as President of China — President Xi Jinping made the announcement on Sunday that he will lead the nation's ruling Communist Party for a third consecutive five-year term, solidifying his position as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. Although Xi is believed to have almost all of the power, he appointed six loyalist allies as members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the top party leadership. Haley Ott and Shuai Zhang of CBS News have the story.
Apple raises prices for Apple TV+ and Music services – Apple raised the cost of Apple TV+ and Apple Music streaming services on Monday for both monthly and yearly subscriptions in the US. Previously $9.99, a monthly individual Apple Music subscription now costs $10.99 per month. The Apple TV+ monthly subscription has increased from $4.99 to $6.99. Apple also raised the starting cost for Apple One, which adds storage and the Arcade gaming service, from $14.95 to $16.95. Similar price increases will also be seen in other packages and in international markets. Kif Leswing of CNBC has the information.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Lauren Sheperd
Hello everyone! This weekend was a huge weekend for music: Arctic Monkeys, Carly Rae Jepson and of course Taylor Swift all released albums last Friday (or Thursday at 11 p.m. for those of us in the central time zone). Personally, I was most excited for Swift’s new album, Midnights. This week, I’m going to give you my personal review of the whole album. Oh, and 14 East will be publishing a full, song-by-song review of the album – including the 3 a.m. bonus tracks – on Friday. I look forward to seeing you then! Now, let’s get into it.
Taylor Swift albums are often defined by her fans by their different aesthetics. “Red” is known for dark neutral colors and fall vibes. “1989” is Swift’s album most like a pop album, and fans say it was made to feel like you’re young in New York City with a close group of friends. Before the album was even released, Swift established “Midnights” to have a purple and nightlife aesthetic. The more pop-sounding album also fit in this aesthetic. Some fans were disappointed that “Midnights” doesn’t fall into the indie genre like Swift’s last two albums “Folklore” and “Evermore”, but I was pleasantly surprised by the artist’s return to a pop sound.
Though this is not my favorite of Swift’s albums (I’m a “Folklore” girl all the way), its refreshing sounds are a pleasant addition to Swift’s extensive discography. Of course, there are some skips – it’s almost impossible to make an album without any. However, songs like “Anti-Hero,” “Vigilante S—t” and “The Great War” show how Swift has grown as both a singer and a songwriter, and taken the album to the next level.
Resources
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That’s it for today! See you next Monday.
The 14 East Newsletter Team