We move now from legal machinations in the federal courthouse downtown to family drama in the south suburbs of Chicago. But our trip there takes a detour through Winesburg, Ohio. That’s the classic American novel by Sherwood Anderson. Director Daniel Nearing optioned a screenplay of the novel back in the ’90s, when he was still living in Canada. By the time he was actually able to make the film he was living not far from Chicago Heights. So he decided to set the film there, and assembled an African American cast. I caught up with Nearing recently to talk about his movie, which screens this weekend as part of the 16th Annual Black Harvest International Festival of Film and Video. Nearing says despite all these various dislocations involved in making the film, he maintains a very personal connection to the story.

Chicago Heights screenings:
Saturday, Aug. 28 at 8:15 and 10:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Sep. 1 at 8:15 p.m.

Music Button: DJ Jesse De La Pena spins Aloe Blacc performing “I Need a Dollar”