Fests and events, 10/31.

Sidney Gilliat, "who died in 1994, is one of the unsung heroes of British cinema, an extraordinarily versatile figure who wrote and directed riproaring thrillers, satirical comedies and home-front social dramas," writes Geoffrey Macnab, prepping Guardian readers for the season at BFI Southbank opening tomorrow and running through December 11.

Steven Henry Madoff for Artforum: "Evidence of the ineffable in the particular form of fellow feeling is everywhere present in the curiosity and affection that Rirkrit Tiravanija displays in Chew the Fat (2008), his loosely constructed film memoir of the working lives of his close circle of friends—a group of artists who rose to critical attention in the 1990s: Angela Bulloch, Liam Gillick, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Douglas Gordon, Carsten Höller, Pierre Huyghe, Jorge Pardo, Philippe Parreno, Elizabeth Peyton and Andrea Zittel." Screens as part of theanyspacewhatever, on view at the Guggenheim through January 7.

"The Rome International Film Festival (RIFF) is drawing to a close," and Boyd van Hoeij hits the highlights for indieWIRE.

"So Many Festivals It's Almost Scary." Brian Darr rounds up Bay Area goings on.

The Chicago Underground Film Festival "continues Friday through Sunday, October 31 through November 2, with screenings and - as part of its new partnership with the Independent Feature Project Chicago - workshops and panel discussions for indie filmmakers," writes JR Jones in his overview for the Reader, which is also tracking the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema (site; through Monday) and the Chicago International Children's Film Festival (site; through Sunday).

David Fear in Time Out New York on Hell Drivers (1957), screening at MoMA from tomorrow through November 7: "[Cy] Endfield's tale of tough guys under pressure isn't top-tier, though it is unjustly neglected; like its antiheroes, the film moves at a full-throttle pace and hugs the curves remarkably tightly."

Online listening tip. On the Leonard Lopate Show, "Film preservationist and accompanist Serge Bromberg tells us about some rediscovered silent films, being screened in Treasures from a Chest, a curated program celebrating 100 years of animation. Bromberg provides live piano accompaniment and commentary." Tonight and tomorrow.

Online viewing tip. Like Craig Keller yesterday, Ronald Bergan is mighty impressed with Godard's trailer for the Viennale.

Posted by dwhudson at October 31, 2008 1:53 PM