Penelope Steiner is a philanthropist and cinephile in equal measure. While Steiner has long supported prestigious cultural institutions like the Lyric Opera, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Joffrey Ballet, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Newberry Library, she walks into every movie screening with an open mind. Whether it’s a Bollywood import or Joker: Folie A Deux (which she gave four stars on her long-running film review blog, PeneFlix.com), Steiner does not discriminate between popular and more avant-garde titles when she goes to the theatre.
Steiner’s love of film and investment in Chicago culture is a cornerstone of Cinema/Chicago’s Chicago International Film Festival, which kicks off its 60th installment this week. A recent $2 Million gift from the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation established a permanent fund to support the festival’s artistic director position, currently held by Evanston native Mimi Plauché.
“Mimi’s vision is exceptional,” Steiner told Better. “She breaks down walls and barriers. This whole gift revolves around her foresight in seeing what might be popular, who‘s starting out in film, [and] who could rise and eventually be a [Martin] Scorsese.”
In recognition of this gift, the artistic director position will be named the “Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation Artistic Director” through December 31, 2049.
“It is my intention that this gift will ensure the work of this vibrant Chicago institution and exponentially increase its global recognition in perpetuity,” Steiner said.
This year’s festival, running October 16-27, will feature more than 120 feature films and 70 short films from around the world and include discussions with Career Achievement Award winner Mike Myers and Black Perspectives Artistic Achievement Award winner André Holland.
For her part, Steiner said that she was particularly looking forward to the opening night screening of “The Piano Lesson,” directed by Malcolm Washington, starring John David Washington, and produced by Denzel Washington.
“I look forward to the celebration,” she said. “It’s just a milestone anniversary. And we are iconic, we really are, in the film world. What [CIFF founder] Michael Kutza did starting 60 years ago, it’s quite remarkable.”
Cinema/Chicago, the presenting organization of the Chicago International Film Festival, North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, is a year-round nonprofit arts and education organization dedicated to fostering better communication between people of diverse cultures through the art of film and the moving image. In addition to the film festival, Cinema/Chicago’s programs include the Summer Screenings Program, CineYouth Festival, and year-round education program.
“This landmark endowment gift from the Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation is transformative for Cinema/Chicago,” said Vivian Teng, Cinema/Chicago Managing Director. “It demonstrates an unwavering commitment to our mission to connect and uplift diverse groups of people through the power of cinema. We hope that their generosity will inspire others and further amplify our organization’s role in positively impacting the communities that we serve, from audiences across the city to filmmakers around the world, building on our legacy for generations to come.”
Steiner, a former Board Chair of Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival has long been dedicated to enriching Chicago’s cultural landscape through her work with other arts organizations and initiatives, including the Posse Foundation, Ryan Opera Center, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“Film is a narrative,” she says. “It’s challenging. It’s for great conversation. It pulls people together.”
How to Help
The Chicago International Film Festival and various programs flourish under the auspices of Cinema/Chicago — a nonprofit cultural and educational organization dedicated to bridging the gap between people of diverse cultures and access to the art of film.
Consider becoming a volunteer at https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/about/volunteer/.
Be part of a community of supporters who believe in the power of cinema and the arts to make a difference that resonates long after the credits roll. All donations will support Cinema/Chicago’s public and education programs: Chicago International Film Festival, Summer Screenings, Community Cinema, CineYouth Festival, Chicago Industry Exchange Lab (CIX: Lab), and Accessibility at the Festival. Donate today at the organization’s official donation website.
