lights, camera action for North America's longest running competitive film festival this week.

The Chicago International Film Festival kicks off October 16th and will commemorate its 60th anniversary at the time of its founding.

Its director couldn't have imagined what it would become.

And joining us now are Michael Cook said the founder of the Chicago International Film Festival.

And many plows Shade the festival's artistic director.

Welcome.

Thanks to both for joining Thank Michael could.

let's start with you first, let's go back to 1964.

You were in your 20's.

Why did you want to start a film festival?

Was Chicago.

>> And that's just started focus.

I wanted to change Chicago.

So as a filmmaker and a graphic designer, as you can see little bit.

Yeah.

And they short films entry in film festivals sent and Poland and France and and see what we're missing in this town.

And that's how it all got.

A group people right after college.

And let's to international from those to something big because places to see a film Chicago stays and let's lucky enough.

You have a mentor name calling more.

This silent film star.

She taught me the ropes really?

Because I'm just a kid.

I just kid knows a lot more now thing or 2.

So the festival features the at first maybe second time director is the idea that was the idea.

And obviously it's been 60 years.

So you've expanded but for second-time directors as the opening film each year.

Me and that's a super food.

But man is doing right.

So this year there's a film that is called the Piano lesson directed by Malcolm Washington.

Why this one?

>> I mean, I think going back to the original kind of Michael's idea about what the festival is about this idea of discovery and providing a platform for emerging directors was really important and first of and we saw the film, we found that with that.

And then it felt like it was really the bonus that it was a first time director, his work.

We really wanted to showcase and introduce to Chicago into the world.

And to be clear, Malcolm Washington, brother of John David Washington, who starring in the Sons of >> Denzel talent runs in the family.

It does.

It Michael, you've mentioned before that the idea was very new at the time.

Why was it important for you to create something new?

I was I doing that.

consider this festival is before Sundance and Toronto and Telluride >> tried that on trawl.

It was unheard of.

from Austin, West Side.

And I want to check utterly.

I want change the city, change the whole scope of things to see what you're missing convincing the world brought the world here.

We still >> What went into planning the festival?

What goes into planning at each year?

Sure.

I'm sure it's easier over over the years.

So the first year, of course, nobody They were really to see foreign film really so the only way get Chicago people interested in these international films the Spice it up with movie stars.

So it's very star-studded its early years.

And then that caught on.

And the temptation was.

That he Davis's see Joan Crawford see some of our famous director.

Maybe you'll stay for 100 Hungarian film.

May be a stay for something.

Italian.

tough are tough.

then I caught I mean, I would say they're still kind of that kind of magical combination of bringing some of the stars and the >> celebrated directors to the festival to Chicago.

But then also that allows us to shine a spotlight on this amazing sending my from around the world.

like Michael said, it's caught on and we have a really loyal caring Assad continues to show up after year.

And one thing that's particularly exciting as our audience is getting younger and younger and we love that the younger generation has become very interested and excited about international independent film at the festival.

And how is was going to ask, though, how it since it's been 60 years?

How is the festival?

>> Marking its 60th anniversary this year.

It's a combination of a bit of looking backwards with some retrospective screenings and celebrating filmmakers work we've shown in the festival in the past and also some partnership with some countries.

So we have a really long relationship with like in the 70's.

Michael is the first in the U.S. to showcase a lot of the German new wave directors.

So we're have a nice partnership with German some of this year to showcase the new talent that's emerging out of Germany, but also really looking forward about like what's next for cinema.

And that's still that commitment to first and second time direct, you know, with what's important.

Audiences.

>> have to see the was a niche is an issue.

going to get a Netflix or HBO or anything?

What she has the festival.

This is my granddaughter by I was called the father, the film's.

That's the other day.

I thought, we work together.

>> 12 or 13 years.

Gosh.

You would like to see something world basically.

And you've got you've got to go in the super 25 of myself.

>> Well, in how has the film festival industry or how have festivals altogether influenced the film industry and streaming in particular.

>> But even as yeah, I think I mean, again, festivals create this excitement around buzz around film.

I think also just the sense of film feeling or a film festival feeling like you're attending an event.

And so with that buzzer creating that platform for films to be launched out into the world some of them.

Well, already have distribution.

But then there's a lot of films that because of playing in festivals, they get noticed by distributors by it and says, you know, even by the streamer's and they start paying attention to them.

You know what's what's >> wonderful about the home?

whole situation is.

A young filmmaker make sure the student film.

Of Oliver Stone.

No one heard of Ellis the first film a bill free can then dollar we come back to the future are built it ever except to Scorsese.

As you know, you were together that.

crazy.

She Chicago depart.

She always important my career started here because of the film festival.

He still to cervical.

Yeah.

And this here we're closing with 3 hours that here.

>> Made of Chicago and but also showed wife owned short film in the early 70 is of Michael, why do you think this festival has lasted as long as it has?

Well, because it may is the cause of the engine.

And I think teaching is generation to it feel as that it's been part write and and 300 volunteers and the excitement.

it less along because you can't get this anywhere else.

And I think a trend I like to think a great mentor to so many people that gone on.

is the president and turn was my guidance.

The county's programmer, one my left Chicago and he ended up becoming the head of production from Paramount Pictures.

So obviously it's a place for for the directors to start, but also the folks who helped to organize has going on.

This shows Jones things, you know.

>> We're gonna have to leave it there because we want folks to go to the film festival.

They can't hear about all of it So our thanks to Michael meeting for joining us.

Thanks to both.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And the Chicago International