Michael Kutza (born 1942) is an award-winning filmmaker, a graphic
designer and the founder of the Chicago International Film Festival.
In addition, he has been involved in other film festivals
internationally, in such diverse locations as Taormina, Tehran,
Moscow, Manila, Bogota, Los Angeles, Cannes, Berlin and Jerusalem, and
has served as an advisor to a number of other festivals, including the
Berlin International Film Festival and the Locarno International Film
Festival. In 1977 he was a member of the jury at the 10th Moscow
International Film Festival. From 1979 to 1991, he served Italian
journal II Tempo as its American film correspondent. He has received
numerous honors for cultural achievements.In 1964, at the age of 22,
Michael Kutza founded the Chicago International Film Festival,
subsequently serving as its artistic director until 2016. Starting in
2017, he now acts as the president and CEO of Cinema/Chicago, the
Festival's parent organization.Through its early years, Kutza
personally screened and selected the films that would be shown at the
Festival. It was during this period, in 1967, that Kutza viewed and
selected for its world-premiere I Call First, the first film of
director Martin Scorsese, which would later be expanded and rereleased
as Who's That Knocking at My Door. Kutza has been an outspoken
proponent of foreign-language films.Kutza has received a number of
honors for his cultural achievements. Among them, in 1972, Kutza
received the Silver Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival, and in
1978, the Chicago Sun-Times' "Exceptional Contribution to Chicago"
award. In 1985, Jack Lang, then the French Minister of Culture,
bestowed the Chevalier de L'ordre des Arts et des Lettres upon him
during the Cannes Film Festival for his work in promoting fine arts.
designer and the founder of the Chicago International Film Festival.
In addition, he has been involved in other film festivals
internationally, in such diverse locations as Taormina, Tehran,
Moscow, Manila, Bogota, Los Angeles, Cannes, Berlin and Jerusalem, and
has served as an advisor to a number of other festivals, including the
Berlin International Film Festival and the Locarno International Film
Festival. In 1977 he was a member of the jury at the 10th Moscow
International Film Festival. From 1979 to 1991, he served Italian
journal II Tempo as its American film correspondent. He has received
numerous honors for cultural achievements.In 1964, at the age of 22,
Michael Kutza founded the Chicago International Film Festival,
subsequently serving as its artistic director until 2016. Starting in
2017, he now acts as the president and CEO of Cinema/Chicago, the
Festival's parent organization.Through its early years, Kutza
personally screened and selected the films that would be shown at the
Festival. It was during this period, in 1967, that Kutza viewed and
selected for its world-premiere I Call First, the first film of
director Martin Scorsese, which would later be expanded and rereleased
as Who's That Knocking at My Door. Kutza has been an outspoken
proponent of foreign-language films.Kutza has received a number of
honors for his cultural achievements. Among them, in 1972, Kutza
received the Silver Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival, and in
1978, the Chicago Sun-Times' "Exceptional Contribution to Chicago"
award. In 1985, Jack Lang, then the French Minister of Culture,
bestowed the Chevalier de L'ordre des Arts et des Lettres upon him
during the Cannes Film Festival for his work in promoting fine arts.
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