Michael J. Kutza, an award-winning graphic designer and filmmaker, is
the founder and artistic director of Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago
International Film Festival. The festival, which celebrated its 45th
anniversary in 2009, is the oldest competitive film festival in North
America and has been directed by Kutza since its inception in 1964.
Born into a family of doctors (mother, father, aunt, uncle) in Chicago,
Illinois on November 28, 1940, Kutza attended Weber High School in
Chicago. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and
psychology from Roosevelt University and did his post-graduate studies
at the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
In the 1960s, Kutza worked as an assistant film editor at Fred Niles
Studio and an assistant film documentary cameraman at WGN-TV, both in
Chicago. From 1970 to 1980 he was the USA film critic for the Italian
newspaper Il Tempo in Rome, Italy and served as a creative consultant
on the 1996 feature film White Lies (USA) from Arthur Cohn productions.
He was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, awarded by
French Minister of Culture Jacques Lang at the Cannes Film Festival in
1984. The order is awarded to French or foreign personalities whose
achievements in the artistic and literary domains have helped promote
fine arts and literature in France and abroad. Kutza also received the
Silver Lion Award from the 32nd Venice International Film Festival,
awarded for organizing a special section devoted to independent USA
filmmakers. Richard M. Daley, Mayor of the City of Chicago, presented
Kutza with the city's 30th Anniversary Award in recognition of his
efforts in fostering communication between people of diverse cultures
through the art of film and video.
Among Kutza's other awards are the Chicago Sun-Times award for
"Exceptional Contribution to Chicago," the Roosevelt University Alumni
Award, the Chicago Drama League Award, Venture Magazine's Cultural
Makers of Chicago Award, and the 2009 Legendary Landmark Award
presented by Landmarks Illinois. In 2010, Chicago Magazine included
Kutza on their list of "Top 40 Chicago Visionaries," alongside Orpah,
Barack Obama, Studs Terkel, Roger Ebert, and Gene Siskel.
In addition to founding the Chicago International Film Festival, Kutza
started the film section of the Spoleto Festival in Spoleto, Italy and
helped develop the Tehran International Film Festival in the '70s and
the Manila Film Festival alongside Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos in the
'80s. Kutza has also served on many feature film competition juries
around the world.
