This week, the CIFF featured a week full of special gala presentations, as well as exceptional foreign films and quirky art-house flicks.

Taking their place on the red carpet in were Ben Affleck switching out his leading actor role for that of feature film director (Gone Baby Gone) and John Cusack who was honored in conjunction with his performance in Grace is Gone.

“I did not pick Casey simply because he is my brother but because, as you will find after seeing the film, he is really incredible in this role,” stated the cool and collected Affleck Wednesday night while walking the red carpet in advance of the Midwest premiere at the historic Music Box screening of Gone Baby Gone.

An impressively down-to-earth Illinois native, Cusack remarked, “Chicago is a great place to shoot a film as it could represent anywhere in America,” He was presented with the CIFF’s Annual Achievement Award by CIFF Founder and Artistic Director, Michael Kutza, prior to the premiere screening of Grace is Gone.

Earlier in the evening, Hungarian director, 1989 Oscar winner, István Szabó (Being Julia, Sunshine), spoke on the intimacy and insight that can be achieved on film via the use of close-ups. And elsewhere later in the night, such international fare as: the raw and graphic Austrian feature All the Invisible Things, and the quirky French workplace film Heartbeat Detector.

With the temperatures cooling off and fall-like weather in our midst, the CIFF’s extensive programming offers a welcome indoor respite from the chill in the air. The question then remains is should you challenge yourself and check out some of the more offbeat foreign film offerings or should you stick to the mainstream features that are scheduled to open soon in theatres nationwide?